R. K. Cook's video: Georgia Black Rat Snake Climbing Sweet Gum Tree

HANK WILDING'S JOURNAL — Maybe you've heard the old Southern saying, "Does a cat have climbing gear?" It's a rhetorical question. Cats can dang sure climb, and so can many snakes. The Black Rat Snake in this video, for one. This is the same Black Rat Snake I captured and removed from my son Xander's chicken coop. Upon release at my frog pond, it immediately began climbing a sweet gum tree. I've seen Black Rat Snakes scale trees before, but this was the first time I've witnessed one ascending from the base of a tree. I filmed the supple serpent for perhaps fifteen minutes as it rose into the branches, seemingly selecting suitable limbs with great care, until it disappeared into the lime green canopy. Snakes employ concertina locomotion — gripping or anchoring with portions of the body while pulling or pushing other sections in the direction of movement (thanks, Wikipedia!) — to climb trees and other perpendicular surfaces. It probably helps that the Black Rat Snake's body is shaped like a loaf of bread — flat on the bottom — while most other snakes' bodies are rounded. So, does a snake have climbing gear? Does the cable company charge too damn much money for lousy service? If you'd like to see the Chicken Coop Capture video, here 'tis: https://youtu.be/aKMjP3YeXRU Meanwhile, it's a beautiful day in this beauty wood. I'm going wilding!