TRENTON – Kris Schantz understands the power of fear. It\’s what drives many of us to scream or run at the mere sight of a snake in the yard. Photo Timber rattlesnake
But the principal zoologist with the Department of Environmental Protection\’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program has made it her mission to dispel the myths and misconceptions at the heart of this fear.
She does this through a statewide network of volunteers that helps people when venomous snakes get a little too close for comfort, at the same time explaining the vital role snakes play in maintaining balance in New Jersey\’s ecosystems.
The Response Team is made up of more than 80 volunteers spread across the state that includes DEP employees, local police, local animal control officers and members of the public. This highly trained team uses a combination of tact, science and understanding to protect snakes and the people who encounter them.
Of 22 species found in New Jersey, only the timber rattlesnake and the northern copperhead are
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