• Our study clearly illustrates that diet can be an important route of trace element exposure in snakes.
• In particular, Se accumulation from prey was notable; concentrations accumulated by snakes exceed the concentrations known to induce reproductive failure in fish and birds.
• Despite the high concentrations of trace elements accumulated by snakes, we found no differences in growth, survival, or metabolism that could be attributed to ingestion of contaminated prey.
• However, one third of snakes ingesting contaminated prey had extensive liver fibrosis.
• Fibrosis of the liver as a result of chronic injury has been reported previously in reptiles, but this is the first report that we know of that links such tissue damage to dietary contamination.
• Our findings suggest that future studies examining the effects of dietary uptake of trace elements on squamates are warranted. Due to the notable accumulation of Se by snakes ingesting contaminated prey, we specifically recommend the evaluation of Se effects on squamate reproduction

Photos courtesy of David E. Scott; SREL.

For information contact:
William A. Hopkins
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
Drawer E
Aiken, SC 29802