The small population of Michigan rattlesnakes could be sick, according to new research.
Scientists have found snake fungal disease among eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes at three sites in the state, including one near Grayling.
Jennifer Moore is a professor at Grand Valley State University. She says it’s possible the disease could affect other snakes too.
“We’re not really sure,” Moore says. “But it’s been detected in other states in water snakes and garter snakes. So it has the potential to affect other snake species.”
Moore says there’s no treatment right now for the disease, which kills snakes by growing tumors on their skin.
Rattlesnakes are more common in the southern third of the state, but do live in parts of northern Michigan.
Moore says Michigan’s rattlesnakes already face a number of threats.
“They’ve been hit really hard by things like habitat loss, road mortality,” Moore says. “This disease is kind of just adding another threat on top of the threats that this species is already experiencing.”
She says the number of cases in the state is likely small right now.