A look at the notorious cottonmouth and the lore that follows this common snake
They're the stuff of nightmares, infamous critters that ply the swamps and rivers of South Florida.
This area of the Sunshine State is literally crawling with potentially dangerous snakes, but one stands out as having a particularly nasty disposition.
Beefy when fully grown, cottonmouths may be the most feared snake in a state that includes Burmese pythons, pygmy and Eastern diamondbacks, copperheads and the potentially deadly coral snake (a single drop of their venom can be toxic to a grown adult).
So why cottonmouths? Why has society painted this venomous snake as the meanest of them all?
We talked to noted field biologist Paul Gray, a scientist for Audubon Florida, to get a better idea of just how these infamous snakes behave.
Are these efficient hunters really mean? Do they hate humans?
"I stepped on one in my backyard while barefoot," Gray said. "They're not aggressive whatsoever."
Gray said cottonmouths are extremely afraid of humans as "they don’t want to fight with us because we’re like Godzilla."
So cottonmouths and other snakes don't actually like or dislike humans. Every decision they make has to do with survival, feeding and reproduction.
Why do they bite?
Snakes bite for two reasons: to defend themselves and to catch and consume prey.
Gray said the snakes are generally passive and don't want to bite anything that's not prey as it wastes crucial venom.
"They’ve got to make it (the venom), and they don’t want to shoot their wad," Gray said.
Like most wild snakes, they will bite to defend themselves, but biting is a last-resort survival technique.
More: Feds want input on wildlife corridor that would link Naples with Lakeland
More: New report: Ian winds topped 161 mph before landfall, costliest hurricane in state history
More: Lessons learned: Reporter recalls 12-day canoe trip through Everglades National Park
More: Everglades National Park named best birding park in country. Here are 5 birds you can see there.
Is their bite dangerous?
Even bites from non-venomous snakes can be dangerous, simply because snakes can carry a lot of bacteria and nasty germs in their mouths.
But being bitten by a venomous snake raises the stakes as you likely will need medical attention.
"They can bite you and the bite can be pretty severe because they have a lot of nasty enzymes, but they rarely cause death," Gray said. "It will swell up, but you’re not likely to die."
Connnect with this reporter: Chad Gillis on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Cottonmouth snakes, known as aggressive, common in South Florida
