Snakes are among Missouri’s most misunderstood animals. That’s unfortunate because underneath a snake’s frightful reputation is an animal that performs valuable pest-control services for humans and, with the exception of a few venomous species, is relatively harmless.

People can learn more about snakes on July 12 at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) free program “Reptiles: Snakes of Missouri” at MDC’s Springfield Conservation Nature Center. This program will be from 2-3 p.m. The nature center is located in southeast Springfield at 4601 S. Nature Center Way. This program is designed for all ages. People can register at:

https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/185030