Do you want to learn more about our amazing SC snakes? Come listen to local expert, Brandon Eargle, to hear about the variety of snakes we have in SC, what habitats support which species, and which species are in your area. After the classroom portion, which will include live specimens commonly found in SC, we will walk Saluda Shoals park in search of snakes found in the midlands.
Brandon has been a devoted student of snakes for over 20 years. He travels the southeast for educational shows, has made TV appearances, and has collaborated with Rudy Mancke and Scott Pfaff for an ETV segment. Please join us for a great day celebrating our sometimes misunderstood snakes of SC!
As an extra bonus, neo-tropical migratory birds will be migrating through SC so bring your binoculars to experience their amazing journey! SCWF Habitat Education Manager, Jay Keck, will be on-hand to help you identify birds passing through SC.
Where: This training will take place at Saluda Shoals Park, in the midlands and Sandhills Region of South Carolina. The website, which includes directions, can be found by clicking here.
When: We’ll meet at 10:00 AM. We’ll break for about 30 minutes for lunch, and continue the fun until 3:00 PM.
Who: This training is open to the public. No prior knowledge is required. Minimum age is 16. For SC Master Naturalists who have not taken a reptile course, this event can count as Advanced Training and towards your statewide certification if you need a Sandhills component. Lunch will last thirty minutes, so depending on when we finish, this will count for approximately four and a half hours of training.
If you are not a Master Naturalist, just come have fun with us. Participants will also receive a list of other participants to allow for carpooling to the park.
IMPORTANT: Participants should be in good physical shape. Saluda Shoals Park has relatively flat terrain, but we may cover some distance in our search for snakes. PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN YOU CAN HANDLE THESE CONDITIONS.
Other Important Notes:
• Restrooms are available at the park. Pink and blue bushes are along the trail…
• Participants should bring a bag lunch and water and be prepared for a day in the field.
• There is no rain date for this event. We will make every effort to hold it, even in a few rain showers. If it looks like a deluge, we'll notify you of cancellation and refund your money.
• After registering you will receive important correspondence via email. If you change your email between now and then, make sure to notify us.
• If available, please bring binoculars.
Cost: The cost is $60.00 per person and limited to the first 20 people that register.
Photo by Carla Billings