By far, snakes are among the most maligned animals out there, but most people’s fear of snakes is not at all proportional to the actual threat they pose. Despite this unwarranted reputation, snakes are critically important animals for our world. They maintain balance in the food web and therefore keep ecosystems healthy, plus they provide humans an ecological service by controlling pest populations.
This program will cover today’s snakes and how they fit into our lives. Our presenter will discuss the many species of snakes in Illinois, in Lake County and those we might see in our own backyards. He will talk about the role snakes play in our local ecosystem, their benefits, what dangers they pose to humans and even snakes as captive bred domestic pets.
About Our Speaker
Jesse Davis currently serves as the University of Illinois Extension Metro 4-H Youth Development Educator for Lake and McHenry Counties where he conducts environmental education and other programming for underserved youth in urban settings. He was previously the Horticulture Coordinator for Extension and managed the Master Gardener Program. Jesse plans to assist the new coordinator with the creation of a Master Naturalist Program in Lake County in the coming months.
Originally from Minnesota, Jesse has lived and studied all over the world, including Kenya, Australia, Alaska, and Hawaii. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Resource Management: Environmental Education and Interpretation at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point while serving as president of the Universities Herpetology Society. Jesse earned a master’s degree in environmental education from the University of Minnesota Duluth with an emphasis in Herpetology. His graduate research focused on snake use in live animal youth programing and how these opportunities could reduce perceived fears, long term. Jesse has bred, studied, kept, and used reptiles and amphibians extensively in educational programing throughout his entire life. Today, he spends his time sharing this passion with the community and his 3 young boys.