The Rattlesnake Conservancy Inc

What The Rattlesnake Conservancy Inc does

The Rattlesnake Conservancy (TRC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2017 and headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, dedicated to rattlesnake conservation through research, education, professional training, and habitat protection. The organization operates three core program verticals: (1) professional venomous handling certification through Level 1 ($399-$419) and Level 2R ($449) two-day courses held at partner venues across the US; (2) a Conservation Grants Program funding academic research, including a 2025 cycle that awarded funding to three researchers; and (3) education/outreach via K-12 programs, the quarterly Buzztale newsletter, and the annual Get Buzzed for Buzztails fundraiser. Its underlying research technology leverages CTT Hybrid transmitters that broadcast telemetry signals every 3 seconds for automated monitoring of snake populations without requiring human trackers.

TRC's business model combines four revenue streams: per-course training fees (one-time), tiered membership subscriptions (Pygmy $55/mo, Speckled $10/mo, Canebrake $25/mo, plus annual equivalents), direct donations collected via website, mail, PayPal, and a checkout partnership with RodentPro, plus a small e-commerce merchandise store. Customers are segmented into professional certification seekers (land managers, first responders, zookeepers, veterinary professionals), academic researchers, and conservation enthusiasts/donors. Strategic partnerships span core academic collaborators (University of Georgia Wildlife Lab, Jekyll Island Authority), venue hosts (Northwestern State University, Ashton Biological Preserve, St. Augustine Alligator Farm), and a donation-channel partner (RodentPro). The organization maintains an exclusive niche focus on rattlesnakes (rather than broader herpetology) and operates with a lean staff of 1-10 employees, executing largely through volunteer networks, contracted instructors, and partner-hosted events.

Name

The Rattlesnake Conservancy Inc

Legal name

The Rattlesnake Conservancy

Website

https://savethebuzztails.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Rattlesnake Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering professional venomous handling certification courses, conservation research grants, and public education programs focused exclusively on rattlesnake conservation across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Biodiversity Conservation & Habitat Banking (AFAMAMAC)

Keywords

• Venomous handling certification
• Rattlesnake conservation
• Wildlife research grants
• Herpetology training
• Snakebite safety education

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Course Fees: Revenue from professional venomous handling certification courses including Level 1 Venomous Handling Certification ($399-$419) and Level 2R Introduction to Field and Research Techniques ($449). These two-day courses combine classroom instruction with hands-on training.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Monthly and annual membership tiers providing recurring revenue: Pygmy ($55/month), Speckled ($10/month), Canebrake ($25/month), Annual Speckled ($120/year), Annual Pygmy ($60/year), Annual Canebrake ($300/year). Members receive newsletters, event invitations, merchandise, and exclusive benefits.
3. Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters. Donors can contribute in honor of someone, through PayPal, mail a check/cash, or donate items. The organization is a 501(c)(3) corporation.
4. E-commerce Store: Merchandise sales through their online store including TRC Swag, rattlesnake prints, magnets, and hats as part of membership benefits and standalone purchases.
5. Conservation Grants: The organization awards grants to researchers studying rattlesnakes and venomous snakes, funded through donations and events like Battle of the Buzztails.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Rattlesnake Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers professional venomous handling certification courses (Level 1 and Level 2R), funds rattlesnake conservation research through annual grants, produces K-12 educational outreach, and sustains operations via memberships, donations, and merchandise sales. Its mission is to advance rattlesnake protection and habitat conservation through research and education.

Product overview

The Rattlesnake Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) conservation organization offering a portfolio of training programs, conservation grants, research initiatives, and educational outreach. The core offerings include professional venomous handling certification courses (Level 1 and Level 2R) taught to thousands across the United States, annual conservation grants funding research on rattlesnakes and venomous snakes, quarterly newsletters (The Buzztale), and annual fundraising events (Get Buzzed for Buzztails and Battle of the Buzztails). The organization also provides K-12 educational programs, corporate training, and membership tiers (Pygmy, Speckled, and Canebrake) with varying benefits. Their research programs include working groups and a Viper Specialist Group focused on rattlesnake conservation and habitat protection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Level 1 Venomous Handling Certification Course A two-day professional certification course combining classroom instruction on venomous snake species, ecology, anatomy, physiology, reproductive behavior, venom toxinology, emergency snakebite management, and captive husbandry with hands-on techniques for handling venomous snakes. Designed for land managers, environmental consultants, first responders, zookeepers, veterinary professionals, biologists, and homeowners. Taught to thousands of students across the United States.
• Level 2R Introduction to Field and Research Techniques An advanced two-day course expanding on Level 1 concepts with classroom topics including advanced venom toxinology, snakebite case studies, first aid in field settings, and wildlife capture, combined with hands-on techniques for capturing, restraining, sampling, and handling venomous snakes. Includes a field day assisting ongoing research on wild rattlesnake populations. Prerequisite: Level 1 certification.
• Membership Program (Pygmy, Speckled, Canebrake) Tiered membership program offering Pygmy ($5/month or $60/year), Speckled ($10/month or $120/year), and Canebrake ($25/month or $300/year) levels. Benefits include quarterly newsletter access, invitations to members-only events, access to an exclusive social network, rattlesnake prints, magnets, TRC swag, rattlesnake hats, and exclusive discounts on courses, programs, and merchandise.
• Corporate and Jobsite Training Customized venomous snake handling training delivered on-site for corporations, businesses, and jobsites to ensure workplace safety around venomous reptiles.
• Online Store (Merchandise and Educational Materials) Online e-commerce store selling TRC branded merchandise, rattlesnake prints, magnets, hats, and physical training course handbooks. Available to members and the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of students trained across the United States
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• RodentProminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRodentPro enables customers to donate to The Rattlesnake Conservancy through their checkout process when ordering rodent products for feeding captive reptiles. This partnership provides an additional donation channel leveraging RodentPro's customer base.
• Jekyll Island AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJekyll Island Authority collaborates with The Rattlesnake Conservancy by providing access to Jekyll Island for Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake research. The Authority is restoring former golf course land as a wild grassland corridor for conservation purposes, enabling Michael Brennan's habitat use study.
• Northwestern State UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA hosts Level 1 Venomous Handling Certification courses at their campus. The partnership provides venue space for professional training programs.
• Ashton Biological PreserveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAshton Biological Preserve in Archer, FL hosts Level 2R field research training courses. The preserve provides access to wild rattlesnake populations for hands-on research training.
• St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological ParkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSt. Augustine Alligator Farm is the venue host for the annual Get Buzzed for Buzztails (GB4B) charity fundraiser. This is a flagship annual event celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026.
• University of Georgia Wildlife Lab (Dr. Michel Kohl)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner conducting Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake habitat use research on Jekyll Island, GA. The Kohl Lab uses CTT Hybrid transmitters for automated wildlife tracking in restored habitat corridors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Large established environmental nonprofit operating globally across habitat protection and species conservation; competes for donor dollars and corporate partnership attention but with vastly broader scope than TRC.
• National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation organization engaging in wildlife advocacy, education, and habitat work; overlaps with TRC's education and outreach programs but at vastly larger scale.
• Center for Biological Diversity: Environmental advocacy organization active in species protection, including reptiles and amphibians; overlaps with TRC's species-protection mission but pursues primarily legal and policy channels.

Others

• RodentPro: Commercial supplier of feeder rodents to reptile keepers; already a TRC donation partner at checkout. Comparable as an adjacent commercial player in the captive-reptile ecosystem.
• Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR): Professional scientific society for herpetologists publishing research and supporting the herpetology community; not a direct competitor but a peer in the broader herpetological research ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Orianne Society: Nonprofit focused on the conservation of snakes and other reptiles (notably the Eastern Indigo Snake) through research, habitat protection, and education; directly comparable mission structure and revenue model to TRC.
• Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC): National partnership of herpetological professionals focused on reptile and amphibian conservation through working groups and habitat initiatives; directly comparable to TRC's research working groups and Viper Specialist Group.
• Save the Snakes: Nonprofit dedicated to snake conservation through education, training, and community engagement, with snakebite mitigation programs; directly comparable training-plus-advocacy model to TRC's venomous handling certification.
• Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy: Nonprofit focused on the conservation of amphibians and reptiles in North America through research, grants, and habitat protection; closely overlapping mission with TRC's rattlesnake research grants.

Emerging players

• CrocDocs: Wildlife research and consulting organization specializing in crocodilian and reptile capture, handling training, and field techniques; overlaps with TRC's hands-on handling certification curriculum and instructor expertise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/savethebuzztails
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-rattlesnake-conservancy
• Instagraminstagram.com/the_rattlesnake_conservancy/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@savethebuzztails

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Rattlesnake Conservancy Inc