Man Airlifted After Rattlesnake Strikes

POLK COUNTY, FL — An encounter between a man and a 5 ½-foot rattlesnake took a dangerous turn on Sunday night. The man, struck by the snake in the hand, ended up having to be airlifted to a nearby hospital for antivenom treatments.

According to Polk County Fire Rescue, the encounter between the man and snake occurred around 6:30 p.m. April 9 in the River Ranch hunting grounds. When fire crews made it to the scene, they determined the man needed immediate, advanced medical care, an email from the agency said. To expedite help for the man, authorities called in a helicopter to airlift him to Osceola Regional Medical Center.

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First responders were told by those on the scene the snake had been shot in the midsection by a person prior to the strike. Officials say the man, who is not being named, thought the snake was dead. When he picked it up, however, he found the critter was very much alive.

“You have to be extremely careful with wildlife,” Battalion Chief Bobby Bohn said. “Leave snaking handling to the professionals.”

It is unclear what type of rattlesnake was involved in the incident, but it is believed it was an eastern diamondback.

Rattlesnake encounters aren’t exactly uncommon in Polk County and other parts of Florida.

“We all know there are lot of rattlesnakes in the River Ranch/Indian Lakes Estates areas,” Bohn said. “Just last month our crews were extinguishing a brush fire when one slithered by.”

No one was hurt in that incident.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Sunshine state is home to several different kinds of rattlesnakes, including the eastern diamondback and dusky pygmy. Eastern diamondbacks, for example, are found throughout the state, but have a passion for pine flatwoods, sand pine scrub and turkey oak habitats. The venomous creatures have the ability to strike at a distance of up to 2/3 of their body length and can grow up to 6 feet in length. To find out more about living with snakes, visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission online.

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Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission