Of the 27 snake species in Maryland, the copperhead is the only venomous one we might come across here at camp. Sightings of them are VERY rare compared to the 25 harmless species in our state. The only other harmfully venomous one is the timber rattlesnake, which sadly, over many years has been killed off locally. Sadder still, harmless lookalikes like the juvenile black rat snake in this photo are often killed for the misfortune of being mistaken for rattlesnakes and copperheads. Populations of all of these important natural rodent-borne-disease-controlling exterminators are in decline. "I thought you said you saw a copperhead at camp today?" Yep! We saw a copperhead- one that Ranger James is helping relocate as a favor to a friend in the neighborhood who found it in her yard yesterday. He'll release it this weekend in a corn field somewhere where it can help a farmer. Meanwhile, we had a safe opportunity to see what they actually look like in real life, so