Food Habits of Snakes in an East Texas State Fish Hatchery

<p>A study was conducted from 1 August 1969 to 1 August 1970 in the Jasper State Fish Hatchery near Jasper, Texas to determine the amount of predation by snakes on fish being propagated. The hatchery consisted of 63 earthen ponds. A total of 373 snakes were captured. Results of stomach contents analyses of the 206 snakes containing food were calculated in per cent frequency of occurrence and per cent volume. Frogs, primarily Ranidae, were found to be the major food item. Fish were taken far less frequently, representing only 13.3 % (by volume) and 15.5 % frequency of occurrence. The two predominant snake species were Natrix fasciata confluens and Agkistrodon piscivorous leucostorna. From this study it was concluded that snakes did not pose a major fish predation problem. Thus, snake control in this hatchery is not necessary at the present time.</p>

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

College of Science and Mathematics

Year dc:date.available

1971

Author dc:creator

• Malloy, John L.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/413

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1445