Does mountaintop removal also remove rattlesnakes?

Timber rattlesnakes, according to the study's author, are among the most docile creatures in Appalachia. They choose places to hibernate that are more likely to be surface mined due to their ridgetop locations. Mining thus put this species at a disadvantage and reduces the biodiversity of the area.

from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2BYM56t