The materials provided here are intended to provide students and teachers with information and images for use in assignments, classroom activities, and lessons and may be used freely for those purposes – just acknowledge the source! Commercial use is not permitted. Questions can be sent to rbking@niu.edu or theislandsnakelady@yahoo.com.
PowerPoint presentation and narrative: A Snake’s Story: Recovery Progress of the Lake Erie Watersnake. (Powerpoint is a large file and may require long download time. Here is a smaller pdf version).
Ask the Snake Lady: Kristin Stanford, aka "The Island Snake Lady" has been studying the Lake Erie Watersnake since 2000 and is the Lake Erie Watersnake Recovery Plan Coordinator. To facilitate open communication about Lake Erie watersnakes, Kristin created "Ask the Snakelady", a semi-monthly column in island newspapers (The Put-in-Bay Gazette, Kelleys Life) in which she responds to questions and comments sent to her at theislandsnakelady@yahoo.com. Answers to common questions are also posted on her website.
LEWS News: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service publishes a newsletter containing information on management efforts and research pertaining to the Lake Erie watersnake. Past issues (in pdf format) are available at Respect the Snake and U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, Reynoldsburg Ecological Services Office.
Lake Erie Watersnakes and Round GobiesPowerPoint presentation on the effects of invasive round gobies on Lake Erie watersnakes. (photo at right by Kristin Stanford). (Powerpoint is a large file and may require long download time. Here is a smaller pdf version).
PowerPoint presentation on evidence for natural selection and its role in color pattern differences between island and mainland watersnake populations. (Powerpoint is a large file and may require long download time. Here is a smaller pdf version).
Amphibians and Reptiles of the Island Region of Lake EriePowerPoint presentation on Snakes of the Lake Erie Islands. (Powerpoint is a large file and may require long download time. Here is a smaller pdf version).
Information on and images of amphibians and reptiles of the island region of Lake Erie. (Image at left by Alison Sacerdote).
For those wishing a more formal and detailed analysis of these and related topics, a complete publication list with links to available pdf files can be found at http://www.bios.niu.edu/rking/rkingpubs.shtml. You are also invited to explore my lab webpage and Kristin Stanford’s web page (link to http://respectthesnake.com/).