leonnah@standard-democrat.com
SIKESTON -- Heavy rains this spring and summer have forced some animals out of their natural habitats. Among the impacted is the snake population.
"Anytime an area has as much rain as we've had in the past couple weeks -- and really the whole spring and summer -- and there's an abundance of water around, snakes and other wildlife such as deer may start to live in different areas because they've been pushed out of their natural habitats," said Scott County Missouri Conservation Agent Leother Branch Jr.
It's similar to what happens with mosquitos, he said.
"Mosquitos are already bad, and it when it rains, they're out even more," Branch said, adding flooding rain creates ideal breeding conditions for mosquitos.
The city of Morehouse is one community that's noticed an increase in the snake population this year.
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