J_Riley
03-04-03, 08:35 AM
For more information contact:
Kitty Esco, WRD Sr. Public Relations & Information Specialist -- (478) 994-1438
John Jensen, WRD Nongame Endangered Wildlife Program Herpetologist -- (478) 994-1438
Barry Peavey, Fitzgerald Wild Chicken Festival -- (229) 423-4321
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CELEBRATE FITZGERALD'S THIRD ANNUAL WILD CHICKEN FESTIVAL
A Continued Success Since the Conversion from a Rattlesnake Roundup
FITZGERALD, Ga. (February 28, 2003) * The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (DNR/WRD) announces the continued success of Fitzgerald, Georgia's Third Annual Wild Chicken Festival, a celebration that was converted from the annual Rattlesnake Roundup in 2000 to a festival in honor of the town's resident wild Burmese chicken population. Held on Saturday, March 15, 2003 in the heart of the historic downtown district, festival participants will enjoy a variety of attractions amid the beautiful blooming azaleas and newly hatched wild Burmese chickens.
"Fitzgerald and surrounding Ben Hill County is unique in that we enjoy a diversity of wildlife and also boast the state's only known resident wild Burmese chicken population," says festival organizer Barry Peavey. "The festival committee is proud to say that the change in festival focus has been a success, and the participants continue to come out and enjoy the many exciting events we have planned during this beautiful season in Fitzgerald."
For 28 years the festival had been known as "The Rattlesnake Roundup" where people came to see the many eastern diamondback rattlesnakes collected by snake hunters. However, due to declining diamondback populations and the harmful collecting technique of gassing gopher tortoise burrows, organizers decided to change the focus of the festival and rename it the Wild Chicken Festival.
In the 1960's, wild Burmese chickens were stocked all over the state as an additional game bird to be hunted like a pheasant or quail. Populations of the birds never took hold in other areas of the state, but for some reason prospered in the downtown area of Fitzgerald. According to WRD Nongame Program herpetologist John Jensen, the change in festival focus was a positive step in gaining awareness for the role that rattlesnakes play as natural predators in ecosystems of Ben Hill County and surrounding areas.
"Rattlesnake roundups were originally started as local, community-level efforts to remove those snakes that pose a legitimate danger to humans and pets because they took up residence a little too close for comfort * near houses, offices, playgrounds, schools, etc.," said Jensen. "Today, these nuisance rattlesnakes are only a fraction of what is collected, with the bulk coming from far away, even from 'wild' lands, where they are actively searched for and removed. The 'roundup' aspect of these festivals today is so limited in participation and interest that it could easily be replaced with captive snakes without impacting the success of the events, and without contributing to further declines of this magnificent predator."
Rattlesnake Roundups still continue in the communities of Claxton and Whigham, Georgia where the DNR, other wildlife agencies, and many conservation organizations are encouraging those events to covert to other wildlife and family friendly festivals.
"We hope that this festival will continue to be a success and organizers of existing rattlesnake roundups will follow Fitzgerald's lead and adjust their events to celebrate something other than the exploitation of a declining species," said Jensen.
The Fitzgerald Wild Chicken Festival will feature something for everyone including arts and crafts attractions, a climbing wall, pony rides, children's train rides and games, Delton Hilliard's snake show, Georgia Herpetological Society live animal exhibit, U.S. Coast Guard boat safety inspections and Georgia Southern University's live birds of prey show. Local entertainment will include Gospel singing, the White Wolf Indian Clan, Inc. with native American dancing and arrowhead exhibit. The festival admission is FREE (some additional activity fees may apply). For more information on the Wild Chicken Festival, call (229) 423-4321.
Kitty Esco, WRD Sr. Public Relations & Information Specialist -- (478) 994-1438
John Jensen, WRD Nongame Endangered Wildlife Program Herpetologist -- (478) 994-1438
Barry Peavey, Fitzgerald Wild Chicken Festival -- (229) 423-4321
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CELEBRATE FITZGERALD'S THIRD ANNUAL WILD CHICKEN FESTIVAL
A Continued Success Since the Conversion from a Rattlesnake Roundup
FITZGERALD, Ga. (February 28, 2003) * The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (DNR/WRD) announces the continued success of Fitzgerald, Georgia's Third Annual Wild Chicken Festival, a celebration that was converted from the annual Rattlesnake Roundup in 2000 to a festival in honor of the town's resident wild Burmese chicken population. Held on Saturday, March 15, 2003 in the heart of the historic downtown district, festival participants will enjoy a variety of attractions amid the beautiful blooming azaleas and newly hatched wild Burmese chickens.
"Fitzgerald and surrounding Ben Hill County is unique in that we enjoy a diversity of wildlife and also boast the state's only known resident wild Burmese chicken population," says festival organizer Barry Peavey. "The festival committee is proud to say that the change in festival focus has been a success, and the participants continue to come out and enjoy the many exciting events we have planned during this beautiful season in Fitzgerald."
For 28 years the festival had been known as "The Rattlesnake Roundup" where people came to see the many eastern diamondback rattlesnakes collected by snake hunters. However, due to declining diamondback populations and the harmful collecting technique of gassing gopher tortoise burrows, organizers decided to change the focus of the festival and rename it the Wild Chicken Festival.
In the 1960's, wild Burmese chickens were stocked all over the state as an additional game bird to be hunted like a pheasant or quail. Populations of the birds never took hold in other areas of the state, but for some reason prospered in the downtown area of Fitzgerald. According to WRD Nongame Program herpetologist John Jensen, the change in festival focus was a positive step in gaining awareness for the role that rattlesnakes play as natural predators in ecosystems of Ben Hill County and surrounding areas.
"Rattlesnake roundups were originally started as local, community-level efforts to remove those snakes that pose a legitimate danger to humans and pets because they took up residence a little too close for comfort * near houses, offices, playgrounds, schools, etc.," said Jensen. "Today, these nuisance rattlesnakes are only a fraction of what is collected, with the bulk coming from far away, even from 'wild' lands, where they are actively searched for and removed. The 'roundup' aspect of these festivals today is so limited in participation and interest that it could easily be replaced with captive snakes without impacting the success of the events, and without contributing to further declines of this magnificent predator."
Rattlesnake Roundups still continue in the communities of Claxton and Whigham, Georgia where the DNR, other wildlife agencies, and many conservation organizations are encouraging those events to covert to other wildlife and family friendly festivals.
"We hope that this festival will continue to be a success and organizers of existing rattlesnake roundups will follow Fitzgerald's lead and adjust their events to celebrate something other than the exploitation of a declining species," said Jensen.
The Fitzgerald Wild Chicken Festival will feature something for everyone including arts and crafts attractions, a climbing wall, pony rides, children's train rides and games, Delton Hilliard's snake show, Georgia Herpetological Society live animal exhibit, U.S. Coast Guard boat safety inspections and Georgia Southern University's live birds of prey show. Local entertainment will include Gospel singing, the White Wolf Indian Clan, Inc. with native American dancing and arrowhead exhibit. The festival admission is FREE (some additional activity fees may apply). For more information on the Wild Chicken Festival, call (229) 423-4321.