Now I have to warn my students about rattlesnakes

One of the sites where I send my students for self-guided field trips is Stony Creek Metro Park. which has a landscape trail for my geology students and a nature center for my biology students.  As the Wikipedia entry notes, the place has a lot of wildlife.

The park is reestablishing an osprey population in south-eastern Michigan. There are also wild turkey, deer, bald eagles, and other animals one can expect in south-east Michigan in the park. Birding is encouraged with the nature center maintaining a species list. There have been massasaugas, Michigan's only venomous snake, spotted during the spring and summer months.

Note that last sentence.  I haven't ever had to warn my students about the massasaugas before, but now I'll have to.  WXYZ reports why in Girl bitten by rattlesnake at Stoney Creek Metropark.


At least the report does not blame the rattlesnake and notes its state protected status.  As for Caylee Kapa, may she have a speedy and complete recovery.