Nevada's warming weather means reptiles like rattlesnakes will be out during the daytime hours - and when that's the case, they can pose dangerous threats to residents.
Ninety percent of rattlesnake bites can be avoided if the animal is left alone. That's according to Chris Healy from the Nevada Department of Wildlife. He says many snake bites result from people approaching, rather than avoiding the snake.
"Most people are not qualified to handle a snake, and they would be better off giving the snake a wide berth - and in many cases, the snake will leave the area," Healy says.
Another challenge, Healy says, is that the drought is causing rattlesnakes to seek food in more populated areas, where they find water and grass. This may increase the risk of an encounter. However, he points out that, as with many wild animals, snakes typically go to great lengths to avoid humans, because they fear us more than we do them.
Healy says if you're hiking Nevada's outback, it's always good to make plenty of noise which will usually scare snakes, black bears, and other animals that folks should hope to admire only from afar.
