As the weather continues to warm up, snakes across Kansas are becoming more active. Out of the species of snakes, the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks says there are only four native venomous snakes you might encounter, three of them in our area. The prairie rattlesnake is only found in the western half of the state, but, the massasauga rattlesnake, the timber rattlesnake, and the copperhead, found in the eastern third of the state.
Rattlesnakes can kill, even after they are killed. Game wardens stress to not touch a dead snake. They can still distribute their venom for a few hours after death. However, deaths from snakebites are extremely rare. The Centers for Disease Control estimates they account for about five fatalities annually in the U. S.. Of those bitten by rattlesnakes, 10–44% will have lasting injuries.
