Study sheds light on Missouri’s most common venomous — and elusive — snake

Many of Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center’s 80,000 annual visitors may be surprised to know they are walking amongst Missouri’s most common venomous reptile on the trails: the copperhead snake. The results of a six year study on copperheads in Powder Valley’s oak hickory forest lends new insight on their population size, how they survive the extreme heat and cold, and their movement throughout the year.