One Georgia school district ended up extending students' summer break after a venomous snake was found inside a school building.
As the Savannah Morning News reported, the Hancock County School District suspended classes in early August, while officials widened their search for wildlife.
Here's what to know
Concern over animal sightings intensified when a brown snake found inside a school building was confirmed to be venomous, the local newspaper reported. Staff had previously reported several black snakes on school grounds, with those animals not believed to be venomous.
Officials have not identified the exact species of the venomous snake. But rather than treat the discovery as a one-off sighting, the district expanded inspections across the campus out of an abundance of caution.
Interim Superintendent Latrasha Palmer said an environmental review also turned up evidence of squirrels and raccoons on campus. According to the Savannah Morning News, the district said no students were bitten or otherwise injured.
More background
Animals generally do not enter buildings without a reason. But aging infrastructure, construction activity, small access points, and food items can all make campuses attractive places for wildlife to shelter or forage.
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The expansion of human development into natural spaces can increase the chances of close encounters between people and animals. And schools, offices, homes, and other buildings can become the settings for human-wildlife encounters when maintenance gaps, land use changes, or climate factors draw or push animals into those areas.
Meanwhile, sudden school closures can mean missed work, rushed child care arrangements, and other disruptions.
What's being done?
Licensed wildlife professionals were set to inspect school buildings and surrounding areas while the district treated the shutdown as an "environmental safety issue," the Morning News reported.
A full environmental assessment may help identify entry points, nesting areas, and attractants such as trash, structural damage, or sheltered spaces in and around the school buildings, with the hopes of avoiding such closures in the future.
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