Clark County Wetlands Park and Wetlands Park Friends are pleased to announce the addition of a Saturday morning lecture to the Park’s November event calendar. “Snakes of the Mojave Desert: Ecology and Misconceptions” will be presented on November 15 at 10 AM at the Park’s Nature Center Auditorium, 7050 Wetlands Park Lane, off Tropicana Avenue. No registration is required for this free and family-friendly presentation—simply walk in and enjoy! Light refreshments will be provided during the event.

The lecture, “Snakes of the Mojave Desert: Ecology and Misconceptions,” will be presented by Lauren MacLeod, who serves as the Wildlife Education Coordinator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in Las Vegas. Attendees will be encouraged to “slither” into the secretive world of snakes that call the Mojave Desert home. This presentation will explore the unique adaptations, ecological significance, and conservation challenges faced by these desert dwellers and offer tips for staying snake-smart while out hiking the trails. A cold-blooded special guest will be joining the program to offer firsthand insight into these often-misunderstood animals.

Ms. MacLeod holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Science from University of Lynchburg in Virginia. She has been affiliated with NDOW for about 6 years. She also has worked for the National Park Service, Lake Mead Recreational Area; the Great Basin Institute; and Fort Ticonderoga, Ticonderoga, NY.

Wetlands Park Friends is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting conservation, awareness, and appreciation of the Park through its educational programs and activities. Its office is located inside the Park’s Administration Building in the Nature Center; 7050 Wetlands Park Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89122. Its phone number is 702-806-6852. For more information, including how to become a Friend and donate, please visit: www.wetlandsparkfriends.org or on social media and YouTube at WetlandsParkFriends.

More information about this event can be found at https://tinyurl.com/3knduy3n. As one of the largest urban wetlands in the Southwest, Clark County Wetlands Park is home to more than 300 species of birds and 70 species of mammals and reptiles, including beavers, coyotes, bobcats, and snakes. The Nature Center is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and hosts a variety of programming activities. Park outdoor hours are dawn to dusk, seven days a week. To learn more about this event and other activities available, visit the Wetlands Park pages of Clark County’s Parks and Recreation Department at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov. You also can follow Clark County Wetlands Park on social media at CCWetlandsPark.

Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 11th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to 2.3 million citizens and 45.6 million visitors a year (2019). Included are the nation’s 8th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to 1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.