We’ve got rattlesnakes all wrong. These misunderstood creatures, synonymous with deserts of the West, are not only surprisingly lovable but also vital to the ecosystems in which they live. In an eye-opening article for Alta Journal’s Issue 27, author Robert Ito explains how scientific research is transforming perceptions about our potentially deadly neighbors. In this (totally safe) episode of Alta Live, we’ll take a bigger bite out of Ito’s feature story and meet with Dr. Emily Taylor, a biology professor at Cal Poly and a studier of snakes for 25 years. Taylor will share her passion for the rattler, reveal their social structures and lifestyle habits, and tell us why these snakes are more afraid of us than we are of them. Slither on over to Alta Live for this fun, fanged conversation.
About the guest:
Emily Taylor is a Professor of Biological Sciences at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, where she conducts research on the physiology, ecology, and conservation biology of lizards and snakes with her students. She has a bachelor’s degree in English at UC Berkeley and a PhD in Biology at Arizona State University. Self-described as “obsessed with snakes,” Emily is a staunch advocate for improving the public image of snakes, especially rattlesnakes. She founded a community science project called Project RattleCam, where members of the public help her and other scientists learn about rattlesnakes by analyzing photos and livestream footage from snake dens (rattlecam.org). She also owns a company Central Coast Snake Services aimed at helping people and snakes in California coexist safely and peacefully (CentralCoastSnakeServices.com). Her first book, California Snakes and How To Find Them. (Heyday) comes out on May 7, 2024. She lives in Atascadero with her husband Steve and their menagerie of rescue animals, including dog, Pax, boa constrictor, Baby, bearded dragon ,Aperol Spritz, and rattlesnakes, Buzz and Snakeholio. Follow her on Twitter @snakeymama.•
