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Copperheads

There are 27 kinds of snakes in the state of Maryland, but only two are dangerous to humans.

While both species are in the pit viper family, the more common of the two is the northern copperhead and it was my favorite reptile when I was a youngster growing up in Baltimore City. I’d seen one staring back at me through the glass at the Maryland Zoo and was immediately transfixed.

W. Brooks Paternotte took the helm of Irvine Nature Center as executive director in July 2013 and immediately began building on the strong 35-year foundation. Brooks is a Baltimore native who was a teacher, coach, advisor, dean and Head of the Middle School during his 13 years at Boys’ Latin School in Baltimore. He is also an instructor and ambassador of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and is a Leave No Trace Master, as well as an avid outdoorsman and a features writer for FlyLife Magazine.