North Texas park officials are urging people who are heading outdoors and catching some sun this holiday weekend to be mindful of wildlife. Specifically, snakes.
In a Facebook post, Plano Parks & Recreation says recent rainy weather has forced snakes to venture from lowland areas to higher ground, where there's a greater chance of an encounter.
"With all of the rain we've had in the past few weeks, snakes that would normally reside in the lowland forested areas are venturing out to find higher ground because they have been 'flooded out.' This means there is much more of a chance to see them on the trail right now," the post read.
Park officials say it's also breeding season for snakes.
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"If you happen to come across a snake, leave it alone. Snakes are generally shy and will not attack unless provoked, so it's best to leave them be," the post read.
Several varieties of venomous snakes call North Texas home, including the copperhead, cottonmouth and the Western diamondback rattlesnake, among others.
One of the most common species of snakes isn't venomous at all. The Texas rat snake, according to an article published by the University of Texas at Arlington, can live in both rural and urban areas. Despite their larger size, Texas rat snakes pose no threat to humans.
