For more information on the biology and conservation of this species see Timber Rattlesnake Information . The Timber Rattlesnake is a characteristic animal of the Driftless Area. It has suffered population declines of 1-2 orders of magnitude in recent decades, and biologists unanimously agree that it warrants Threatened Species status.
Many populations now appear to be comprised solely of old adults, and very few sizable dens remain.
This long-lived, slow reproducing species can persist for decades without reproduction, in a nonviable state. Protection of remaining den sites is urgently needed. The historic distribution is still largely intact, despite significant reduction in population size. Escalating bluffland development is causing an increase in human-snake encounters, often leading to the mistaken impression that the snake is abundant. The Pierce County population is the northernmost occurrence in the western half of the range, and thus of potential ecological and genetic significance.