- Summer heat is hitting South Texas. People and snakes will be taking advantage of the weather.
- Javier Mendoza is a snake wrangler in Jim Wells County. He's been educating people about the importance of snakes to the ecosystem.
The summer heat is on the way and people, for the most part, will be enjoying the outdoors. But so will snakes.
Javier Mendoza, a snake wrangler in Jim Wells County, said snakes are vital to the ecosystem but can be dangerous.
“I mean they’re everywhere,” he said.
With a passion for snakes and the great outdoors, Mendoza has spent the last few years educating the community about native South Texas snakes.
“My advice is don't even mess with them. That's where a lot of people are like - I see a snake and want to go grab it they want to show off and they wind end up getting bit,” Mendoza said.
That’s one thing game warden Captain Ben Baker with the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife said no one should do, especially if they’ve been drinking.
“What we're urging people to do is just be mindful of your surroundings," Captain Baker said. "If you do happen to be bitten by what you think is a potentially venomous snake- try to get a picture of the snake for identification purposes. Most important thing is to remain calm.”
Baker also said to get medical attention immediately when you are bitten.
Both men said the important thing to remember about snakes - is to leave them alone.
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