They prey on rodents, keeping their populations naturally in check so that they do not cause crop damage or spread disease.
Rattlesnakes are also important prey for raptors and other animals.
Rattlesnake Roundups Rattlesnake roundups are cruel and environmentally damaging events. They take place from January through July in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Georgia. Roundups started as a misguided attempt to rid areas of rattlesnakes, but they have evolved into commercial events that promote animal cruelty and environmentally damaging behavior. Thousands of rattlesnakes are captured and slaughtered or mistreated in competitive events that violate the most basic principles of wildlife management and humane treatment of animals. No other wild animal in the United States is as extensively exploited and traded without regulation or oversight as are rattlesnakes.