Illegal collecting of ginseng for its valuable roots is suspected in the decline of this species. Illegal collecting may have also affected such plants as Lady's Slippers, which were once fairly common in the park. Ginseng The Timber Rattlesnake is an animal species that is present in Catoctin Mountain Park that has declined severely in many areas. The problems facing the rattlesnake are complex. Besides loss of habitat this snake, even more than most other snakes, suffers a major public relations problem.
Many people believe that the only good rattlesnake is a dead rattlesnake.
This belief does not take into account that all species, poisonous or not, have a very important roll in their ecosystem. The Timber Rattlesnake is an important predator in the Catoctin food chain, and just like all other species, it is protected. Most of the rare and threatened species found within Catoctin Mountain Park are plants. Each year an extensive survey is carried out for the Purple Fringed Orchid, a Maryland State listed rare plant. The majority of these plant species are not state listed as rare, but are of concern within the park due to the small number of these plants found.