Kentucky marks World Snake Day, citing 32 native snakes and four venomous species

Kentucky is marking World Snake Day with a reminder that the state’s wildlife includes a mix of harmless and venomous snakes, according to information cited by WKYT from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

The department says Kentucky is home to 32 native snake species. Officials also identified that only four of those native species are venomous in the state, naming the copperhead, timber rattlesnake, western cottonmouth and western pigmy rattlesnake.

The state’s message emphasizes that most snakes found in Kentucky are not venomous. By listing the species, the department is providing a simple reference point for residents who may encounter snakes outdoors, including in rural areas and near homes where snakes may move through yards, fields, and wooded edges.

In its World Snake Day coverage, WKYT reported the state’s totals and species list as part of a broader public education effort around snake identification and safety. The information appears designed to help people distinguish between venomous and nonvenomous native snakes, rather than treat all snakes as the same.

Public safety experts generally note that snake encounters can occur in everyday settings, such as when people are gardening, hiking, working outside, or clearing brush. Kentucky’s department-focused framing, as repeated by WKYT, ties the observance to responsible behavior and awareness around local wildlife.

Kentucky’s count of native snakes, and the narrow list of venomous species, also offers a framework for how the state approaches wildlife management, since officials can direct conservation and public guidance using the status of native species rather than lumping all snakes together.

As residents observe the day, the department’s posted numbers and species list point to a practical next step for Kentuckians: treat venomous snakes as potentially dangerous while recognizing that the vast majority of native snakes in the state are not venomous.

WKYT’s report on July 17, 2026 underscores that the state’s public message for World Snake Day is grounded in the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ inventory of native snake species and the four venomous exceptions.