When most people encounter a snake, they flee. Afterward, they complain to a family member or friend about how they never want to reencounter a slithery serpent. However, for Danielle Wall, that was not the case. Not only did she not flee from the snake she encountered, she saved it. Then, from that moment on, she dedicated her life to saving snakes. Learn the fascinating story behind Danielle's decision to become a rattlesnake wrangler.
Rattlesnake Wrangler Shares Her Story
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Daniell Wall was driving home after a long day of work, in Joshua Tree, California, when she noticed something in the middle of the road. It turned out to be a rattlesnake. Although Wall was no snake expert, she knew she shouldn't crush the creature with her vehicle. Therefore, she took extra care to drive exactly over it, so that her tires would miss the animal completely.
However, after driving over it, she noticed that the creature was not moving. Fearful that she may have somehow harmed it, she decided to turn back and investigate — a choice I am sure very few would make. Luckily, the rattlesnake was alive, but it had refused to leave the center of the road. Pushing her fear aside, Wall grabbed a stick and proceeded to poke the snake, encouraging it to slither off the road. It was in that moment that she found her new passion and purpose in life: to be a rattlesnake wrangler.
How Her Journey Progressed
After that interesting chance encounter, Wall decided she wanted to dedicate her life to safely removing rattlesnakes from dangerous places. When discussing her passion with People Magazine, she shared that the snake is more often threatened by people than the other way around. She said, "People think they're aggressive, but on paper, they have the same behavioral defenses as feral kittens." She proceeded to explain that rattlesnakes will never just attack a human for no reason. Instead, they only bite or attack if they feel trapped or threatened.
After saving her first snake, Wall decided to do some research on the species and how they were handled. What she found disturbed her. People Magazine shares that "California's animal control policy was — and still is, legally — to euthanize found and caught rattlesnakes." Naturally, Wall was appalled at the blatant murder of wildlife. Instead of wallowing in her sadness, she decided to take action.
Next, she reached out to people to teach her how to be a rattlesnake wrangler. Unfortunately, there wasn't much information out there, and those she asked mocked her, claiming she was going to get hurt. So, she decided to educate herself. Then she began watching local Facebook groups to see if anyone needed help with a rattlesnake. One woman shared that she had a snake in her yard that she wanted removed, not killed. Unfortunately, many people disagreed and opted to kill the creature. Wall told her she had a stick, a bucket, and a little experience. The woman told her to come over. Wall came over and successfully removed the snake. She was now an official rattlesnake wrangler.
That one encounter gave her the courage to rescue another snake, and then another after that. Then, from there, her career just continued to build. Now she has her own rattlesnake wrangling business; however, she doesn't charge for it. She explained to People that it is donation-based. Wait to go to Wall, saving wildlife and spreading good news about snakes all at the same time!
