Snakes of Idaho
The Snakes of Idaho exhibitions is a place-based exhibit to promote the appreciation and conservation of Idaho's native snakes. The exhibit consists of metal prints of Idaho’s 12 native species of snakes with captions describing their identifying characteristics and natural history.
Snakes are important for many reasons. They are important elements of biodiversity with over 4,000 species of snakes worldwide. They playkey ecological roles as both predators and prey. Snakes benefit humans because they help control rodent populations thus preventing the loss of crops and the spread of some diseases. They also provide important model systems for biological research and are symbolically important in many cultures throughout the world.
See the Full Exhibit Snakes of Idaho Photo Exhibit summary final 2024 10 31
Further Information
Information to expand your understanding of Idaho's reptiles:
- Discovering and Sharing Information about Idaho Amphibians and Reptiles:
https://nrccooperative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Discovering-and-Sharing-information-about-Idaho-Amphibians-and-Reptiles-2022-02-1388.pdf - Idaho Department of Fish and Game – Species: https://idfg.idaho.gov/species/
- Idaho Digital Atlas – Reptiles: https://digitalatlas.cose.isu.edu/bio/reptile/main/repfram.htm
- Idaho Amphibian and Reptile iNaturalist Project: iNaturalist.org
- Northwest Partners in Amphibians and Reptiles: https://www.nwparc.org/
- Reptile Database: http://www.reptile-database.org/
About the photographs:
- I took most of these photographs in Idaho but used several taken elsewhere in the Intermountain West that better represented the species.
- These photographs were taken over a 45-year period (1973-2018).
- I used a wide variety of cameras, including 35-mm film single-lens reflexes, digital point-and-shoots, digital single-lens reflexes, and mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras.
- I processed the photo files in Adobe Lightroom.
- The images were printed on aluminum with a matte finish by McKenna Pro.
The People Involved
Charles R. (Chuck) Peterson
Dr. Charles R. (Chuck) Peterson received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Zoology at the University of Illinois-Urbana (1971, 1974), his Ph.D. in Zoology at Washington State University (1982), and conducted his postdoctoral work at the University of Chicago (1983-1988). He began working at Idaho State University in 1988 and is currently an Emeritus Professor of Zoology in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Affiliate Curator of Herpetology for the Idaho Museum of Natural History. Peterson's current teaching responsibilities at ISU include Herpetology and Nature Photography. Peterson had five Ph.D., five DA, and 20 Master's students complete their degrees under his supervision. His research interests include the spatial, physiological, and conservation ecology of amphibians and reptiles. Most of his work has focused on amphibian and reptile populations in the Northern Intermountain West. He is currently working on community science projects utilizing the iNaturalist mobile application to document the distribution and activity of amphibians and reptiles in Idaho and the Greater Yellowstone Area. He also is using place-based photography exhibits to promote the appreciation and conservation of amphibians and reptiles. His photography can be viewed at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/petechar/. He was the 2023 Artist in Residence for the Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust.
Acknowledgments:
- This exhibit is dedicated to Lowell Diller (1947-2017) who made many important contributions to our
understanding and appreciation of Idaho’s snakes. - Kristi Austin (Idaho State University) invited me to show some of my photographs and assisted
with creating this exhibit in many ways. - Dan Giltz created the maps of Idaho Snake Species Richness and iNaturalist observations. He also provided suggestions on how to improve the exhibit.
- All of my students and colleagues who have helped study Idaho snakes.
- The many organizations that have funded the ISU Herpetology Laboratory over the past 30 years.
Exhibit History and Schedule
| Date | Location | City, State |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Oboler Library, Idaho State University | Pocatello, Idaho |
| 2018 | The Idaho Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting | Boise, Idaho |
| 2019 | M-K Nature Center | Boise, Idaho |
| 2021 | University of Idaho Library | Moscow, Idaho |
| 2022 | BYU-Idaho | Rexburg, Idaho |
| 2024 | Hailey Public Library, Mallory Hall | Hailey, Idaho |
If you are interested in hosting this exhibition please contact Amber Tews at ambertews@isu.edu