Within the wake of a deadly snakebite on a Tennessee path, Editor-in-Chief Adam Roy dives into considered one of their commonest causes.
Up to date August 25, 2025 10:59AM
On August 8, a hiker in Tennessee’s Savage Gulf State Park handed away after having an allergic response to a chunk from what officers imagine was a timber rattlesnake.
The tragedy was a uncommon one: Whereas a number of thousand individuals obtain venomous snakebites within the U.S. yearly, only some—5 on common—die. These few deaths are likely to get numerous media protection, partially due to how unusual they’re, and partially as a result of they play into a few of our most deep-seated fears—someplace round half of Individuals are afraid of snakes, an aversion that scientists imagine is evolutionary.
There’s nonetheless lots we don’t learn about this month’s incident, however emergency response officers in Tennessee have shared one element that may assist us make sense of it: They are saying the sufferer obtained a chunk to his hand after apparently trying to select up the snake.
It could be arduous for a lot of hikers to understand why somebody would willingly choose up a rattler, however it’s a extra frequent approach of getting bitten than you may suppose. Whereas estimates of what number of snakebites are a results of intentional publicity differ broadly, some research have concluded that as many as two-thirds could happen when somebody handles, approaches, or in any other case provokes the snake. The excellent news? These “illegitimate” bites are completely avoidable. Within the video above, we speak about why they occur, and what it’s best to do when you encounter a venomous snake on the path.
