“with only about 200 left, wildlife officials are fighting to save the endangered species.”
Oh baloney. Timber rattlesnakes are common in several states. I’ve seen these “ rare” creatures in the woods in West Virignia and Pennsylvania.
This map no doubt shows where they *aren’t*
http://www.wbur.org/2012/06/25/massachusetts-lyme-disease-map
Once upon a time endangered species meant just that. But in the 80s it morphed into something else, useful to the government in its relentless war against private property.
If you own a parcel of land on which a particular animal is NOT present or present below its normal habitat average, then the government can deem that animal endangered on your property, even if there are untold numbers on property surrounding yours.
Once that happens you are restricted in what you can and cannot do on your property, up to and including living on it.
In this case, we have a plethora of this snake in surrounding states but limited in that one state. Therefore, it is endangered in that state and federal rules apply.
Eventually one or more will escape and start a colony off the island - that property will then fall under federal guidelines and restrictions.
This will not end until the EPA is totally eliminated. Rebuilding it - no matter how many protections are built in to stop lefty subversion - it will become like or worse than the current EPA.