“It is a species whose population level is low to some extent, and people are concerned with its conservation status,” Campa said.

The eastern fox snake is listed as threatened in the state.

Since the snakes are hard to find, the population size of the massasauga in Michigan is disputed, he said, but typical habitats include grassland and wetland vegetation areas.

The Michigan Natural Features Inventory observed 87 snakes in a 2002 survey. To learn about the snakes’ habitats the team is capturing them, inserting radio transmitters and tracking the snakes through GPS. By tracking the snakes the group can see how they interact with areas where human management practices such as removal of exotic shrubs, or restoration of prairie lands have occurred.

Fisheries and wildlife graduate student Robyn Bailey is one of the team members who regularly goes out to capture the venomous snakes.

Campa said the zoo has captured 12 snakes so far, and would like to have 15 by the end of August.

“By hopefully studying them at this point, where their population levels aren’t at the endangered or threatened level in Michigan, we can learn more about their habitat requirements and population characteristics,” he said.

Bailey said the team visually searches for the snakes on the grounds of the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, 701 W. Cloverdale Road, in Hastings. Once found, the snakes are grabbed with special tongs that evenly distribute pressure so as not to hurt the snake before placing it in a canvas snake bag, which it can breathe through, but not bite through. The bag is placed in a taped-down cooler with holes in it, before being driven back to the zoo.

Bailey said the snakes are not a species that is inclined to bite.

“I stepped on a small one once,” Bailey said. “It didn’t turn to bite, it just slithered away.”

Despite being a docile snake, Bailey said researchers take special precautions because it is venomous, such as carrying the snake bag away from their body and wearing heavy gloves.

Once a snake is brought back to the zoo, surgery can begin.

Zoo veterinarian Tara Harrison said she cuts open the snakes toward the back half of their coelomic cavity and inserts a radio transmitter. She then runs the antenna under the skin before sewing the snake back up. The snake is allowed to recover a few days at the zoo before being taken back to its natural habitat to be tracked.

Harrison said the niche of the snake is to help keep down the rodent population.

“I care about all the different animals,” Harrison said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re a snake or mammal. If their numbers are endangered because of humans, I think that we should work to fix that and to save them.”