RATTLERS ON THE RISE THIS YEAR MORE RODENTS FEED SNAKES.

Byline: ERIC LEACH Staff Writer

More rattlesnakes are slithering through farms and near hiking trails in California's coastal areas this summer, likely thanks to an explosion in the rodent population caused by heavy rains over the last two winters, agricultural and recreation officials say.

While the evidence is anecdotal, those who work and play where rattlers prey in Ventura County say they have seen a clear rise in the reptiles over the last few months.

``I've seen a huge increase in rattlesnakes,'' said Steve Smith, a citrus and avocado farmer near Santa Paula. ``Usually I see one rattlesnake every other year. This year I've already had six.''

Smith's 1-year-old dog Ruthie was bitten on her nose by a rattlesnake in June. Even though the dog was treated by a veterinarian, she remained sick for about four days before she recovered, he said.

``I just killed another rattlesnake Thursday in my barn,'' Smith said, noting that sometimes he tries to catch them and return them to the wild and sometimes has to kill them, depending on the circumstances.

``Rattlesnakes can be dangerous, especially when you have children or dogs.''

The rodents the snakes devour ``are like eating machines'' that have been thriving on the vegetation that developed from the rains.

``All they want to do is eat and breed,'' said Smith, who has farmed in Ventura County for 30 years. ``When the rodent population increases the snake population increases.''

The California Farm Bureau Federation reported in its Food and Farm News last week that the weather has spawned a rodent population increase throughout the state, and coastal counties have reported an increased rattlesnake population feeding on the rodents.

Rob Frost, a cattle rancher who also lives near Santa Paula, said he has seen more rodents than normal, which could be leading to more rattlesnakes and coyotes.

He said the snakes sometimes strike his cows and dogs, but the animals usually recover, and the dogs usually realize the danger and stay away.

Jim Keppler, a senior grounds maintenance supervisors for the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, said there appears to be a large population of reptiles in general this year.

``You start with the rains and the grasses, then there are more rodents and more snakes on up the food chain,'' he said.

He's worked for the district for more than three decades, and said this isn't the most snakes he's seen, but it's ``above average.''

``I've seen more rattlers, gopher snakes and king snakes,'' he said. ``... This spring I found some baby rattlesnakes that were born this year.''

Keppler said sometimes he gets multiple reports of the same snake near a trail, so he catches it and relocates it to a safer area.

Last year, he found a 5-foot-long snake in a shrub planter above Simi Valley's Atherwood Park on the north side of town.

Mike Kuhn, executive chairman of the Rancho Simi Trailblazers, a local hiking group, has been hiking in the Simi Valley area for decades and agreed there appears to be more rattlesnakes than usual this year.

``We're sure running into them,'' he said. ``My gut reaction is that there are more. ... Some hikes we don't see any, and some we see one or two.''

He said most of the rattlesnakes he has encountered have just tried to get out of the way, but occasionally they can be aggressive.

``People should be cautious and pay attention year-round,'' he said. ``They are coming out now, but usually not in the middle of the day when it is really hot. People should stick to the trails where they can see where they are putting their feet.''

eric.leach(at)dailynews.com

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