Chief Curator of Natural History Jim Knight handles a cottonmouth, a common species of South Carolina snake. Learn more about cottonmouths and other snakes at the South Carolina State Museum April 17 in Knight’s program “Snakes Alive!” The South Carolina State Museum will host a program called “Snakes Alive!” April 17 to explain why.

Chief Curator of Natural History and herpetologist Jim Knight will shed some light on the reality of the life of a snake, as well as dispel rumors, myths, and lies surrounding the coiled creature. His talk will take place from 1–2 pm in the State Museum auditorium, and he’ll demonstrate some snake facts with a live snake.

“The better educated the public is,” says Knight, “the longer our wildlife will last because people will no longer kill snakes wantonly. Snakes are just as much a part of the ecological system as anything else.”

“Snakes Alive!” is a program for all ages and is free with museum admission or membership. For more information, call Celeste Wszola at 898-4952 or e–mail publicprograms@ scmuseum.org.