A nearly 2.5-mile stretch of gravel road in Union County, Illinois divides the bluffs of LaRue Pine Hill from the LaRue Swamp, and a sign next to the gate at the entrance reads in big bold letters “You are about to enter a unique and fragile ecosystem.” Thousands of snakes migrate across Forest Road 345 in Shawnee National Forest in the spring and fall, earning the road the name “Snake Road.” Consulting biologist John Palis hiked the road on a warm Thursday in spring, recording data in his small, pocket-sized notebook, keeping tabs on this unique phenomenon.
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Photo editor Enan Chediak can be reached at echediak@dailyegyptian.com or @enanchediak on instagram. Editor-in-chief Lylee Gibbs can be reached at lgibbs@dailyegyptian.com or @lyleegibbsphoto on instagram.
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