This is the beautiful flower filled meadow that I like telling you about, but the flowers are all gone now. Off in the distance of this picture I found something unexpected. I actually walked over toward those trees looking for deer droppings. I thought it might be fun to show you a few of those tasty little morsels, because they're part of nature too. But what I really found was totally unexpected.
The rest of this post deals with the death of one of nature's most well known creatures, so I decided to give you a warning before you read the rest of this post. In addition there are a few mildly graphic pictures that some of you may not want to see, so I'm not going to put that part on the front page. Instead you can click the link below if you want to see the rest of this post.
I've seen other dead animals on my adventures, but I decided then not to ever show them to you. I'm bringing you this poor snake because it's probably easier to take than some others I've seen. I saw a dead groundhog on the side of the road a month ago. I always get sad when I see something like that.
Just a few weeks ago I saw one of the saddest things that happen around here. Along the side of the road there was a dead deer. It was only a baby. Obviously the family of deer tried to cross the road and that little one didn't make it. A baby. It still hurts just to think about it.
I don't want to talk about this anymore. This story is over!
Now just to bring you back from this depressing post, I want to remind you to never take a guy that is disguised as a mouse too seriously. If any of this made you sad just look away from your computer screen and remember the happy things in your life. What was the happiest moment in you life? You have a chance of topping that today!
I get sad when I see dead animals too even though it is part of life. Death that is. My last lone hike I saw a dead squirrel. I cried when I saw one get hit by a car. I have seen deer, racoons, a lot of animals lately. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteThough I'm not a fan of snakes, I still find it's very sad to see, but as you said, it's part of nature!
ReplyDeletei also don't like the death part of nature. i always bless the spirit of an animal that i see laying on the side of the road. circle of life. have a great day ratty...hugz!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ratty- We don't live in Disneyland as much as we would like to, eh?
ReplyDeleteI am curious why a rat cares for a dead snake so much.
ReplyDeleteSnakes eat rats, am I right?
lol!
Poor snake. Something just played with it till it was dead probably. maybe a cat of some sorts.
ReplyDeleteinteresting. I think of finding dead animals - usually road kill as a bonus.
ReplyDeleteI have files of dead animals - and trust me, my pictures need a warning, yours were very benign. Did you ever see my Roadkill Opossum post.
I plan on showing them, but in a series dedicated to road kill. I'm actually jealous that you've seen a dead garter snake and a ground hog.
Dead animals provide a perfect opportunity to learn more about the anatomy of wild animals up close. Plus, they are the best evidence of proof of a species living in a given habitat. Other animals signs are helpful - scat, droppings, nests, dens, shed skins - but a carcass is definite proof.
Yes, it's sad, but it is a perfect learning moment.
Well Ratty,you know how I feel about snakes but these photo were difficult to look at. A very good message with this post.
ReplyDeleteHi Ratty,
ReplyDeleteI enjoy nature programs but i always flick over at killing time and flick back when its over....soft eh.
But i eat fish ive caught and rabbits ive shot...weird.
I care for all the creatures that die....there is an eternal circle of life and everything will hunt something and I am fine with this...but just death in any species at what appears to be for no apparent reason is heart wrenching...besides which...snakes are beautiful creatures and deserve as much respect as any other animal!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that some animals are rarely seen unless they're dead :-( The absolute worst place to discover something dead is while crawling in a cave passage :-(
ReplyDeleteI used to be married to an avid hunter so I'm quite used to seeing dead animals. I may not like it but I'm used to it.
ReplyDeletePoor little snake. I always feel for the animals that I see along the road. The other day on my way home I saw a dog laying on the side of the road. What I found the saddest was that someone had hit it and then just left it there. That was someone's pet.
We see a lot of dead animals on the roads here in the U.P....often skunks, deer, fox, raccoons...it is sad,but I always hope the ones that got hit by cars died instantly.
ReplyDeleteYou have such a big heart Ratty.
That was a very sad sight. I absolutely adore garter snakes. At the campground, they are so shy but I've found a nice collection of the skins they shed in Spring! I keep these and watch how folks react. Then I teach the kids all about how the people are the "visitors" to the home of all the creatures that live around here...and to look but don't touch. Unfortunately, little boys like to catch stuff...
ReplyDeleteI found a dead green snake this summer when I rode my bike and I felt bad. His pally was near him and I shooed him away to be safe. I hate when I find dead animals--frogs in my yard, coyote on the side of the road, bird, squirrels, deer, and the baby ducklings that were crossing the road when I saw the truck next to me smoosh them all. I was, and am always, mortified and deeply impacted by their deaths. No life is too little to respect. I have shed more tears for wildlife than I have for human beings, believe it or not.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate nature, and I try to respect it. However, snakes that comes close to our house usually get destroyed by our dogs.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately it's out of our hands.
It reminds me of some of those nature shows you watch. The one that comes to mind is a show a watched about the harshness of winter in Yosemite Park. It's basically survival of the fittest. It's sad but I guess it's all a part of it.
ReplyDeleteWe can't stop them from dying. The most we can do is chanting a prayer and burn the dead body in the wodden altar and return their spirit to the Forest Spirit...
ReplyDeleteI know garter snakes are harmless but I would not normally get close to one - sad to see one dead like this. Wonder who the culprit was. It would dismay me to see a baby dear dead but I wouldn't shed tears for a snake. I would hate to think of any creature suffering, however!
ReplyDeleteDeath is just a part of nature and the cycle of life. I have seen many dead animals in the wild, it is very common. Usually what I have found was just bones but not always especially in Alaska.
ReplyDeleteI am always intrigued by the reactions to snakes, mythology and folklore are still alive and well.
@DK Miller
ReplyDeleteDeath is a hard thing to see, but it's necessary to remind people about it sometimes.
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@Icy BC
I used a snake for this post for the very reason that most people don't like them as much as other animals. It makes it easier to take.
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@PJ
I do the same thing. I remember wishing the spirit of this snake well.
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@Sharkbytes
You said it perfectly. I do present things in a Disney sort of way much of the time, so I feel that it's sometimes a good thing to remind people of the reality of death in nature. The way I describe things is also the reason I kept the pictures off the main page.
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@Rainfield
Snakes only eat little rats. I'm a giant rat, so it would have to be a giant snake. :D
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@Jen Chandler
The strange thing about this was I was actually thinking of snakes when I found this one.
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@Ginnymo
I think so too. And garter snakes are mostly harmless creatures.
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@DNLee
I need to keep even pictures of death benign because of the way I usually present nature. I agree that it would be scientifically very interesting to examine dead animals, but since this sight is purely for entertainment I have to keep it mostly happy here. Plus the fact that I'm no scientist, so I leave the important stuff to people like you. :)
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@Poetic Shutterbug
After the rough experience you had with the garter snake, these pictures still make the point, but should make it much easier to take.
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@I am Stan
I'm the same way. I watch the nature shows all the time, but I don't like watching when they involve death and killing.
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@Tanya Walton
Senseless death is the hardest thing of all to take. I don't know why this snake was dead, but it was not its natural time to die.
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@John
I think I agree with that one. I wouldn't want to find something dead in a cave.
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@Ann
I think it depends on the frame of mind we are in when we see something dead. There are times when we just don't expect it, so it hits us hard.
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@The Retired One
An animal that has been hit by a car is something I will never show here because no sane person takes that very well.
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@WillOaks Studio
When I first found this snake, I thought it was just a shed skin. After a second I knew the sad truth.
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@Lin
I sometimes feel worse for animals than I do for some humans too. I think it's because I think of animals as innocent creatures.
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@Dr. Lauren
In a case like yours, the dogs are doing their job. Dogs know an undesirable when they see it.
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@Roschelle
Those are some of the most interesting and necessary nature shows there are, but they're very hard to watch. I watch them if it's not just a death fest.
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@VanillaSeven
I'll give a little prayer in my own way, but I let nature take care of the rest.
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@RNSane
That's exactly the reason I showed a snake here. I knew it would be much easier to take than showing an animal that is generally considered cuter.
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@SquirrelQueen
I've seen many dead animals too, even though I'm sure not as many as you.
I'm interested in the reactions to snakes too. It's the reason for every post I write about them. I think fear and hate of snakes is a natural instinct for humans.
Thank you, kind sir, for visiting my blog and leaving such a nice comment! I look forward to seeing more of your work...my friend, Jo Olivieri, Poetic Shutterbug, told me I would enjoy it and I certainly do!
ReplyDelete@RNSane
ReplyDeleteNo problem, I meant every word. Thanks for visiting here, and thanks to Joanne for pointing the way.