A Tennessee hiker died after he was bitten by a timber rattlesnake, according to ABC. The hiker picked up the snake while walking on a trail and was bitten on the hand. He died shortly after being admitted to the hospital.
Did you know that the same snake is found in Ohio? It’s one of three venomous snake species that slither through Ohio.
It may sound scary to be in the presence of deadly reptiles, but these snakes are rare. They are valuable to Ohio’s ecosystems and are important for controlling destructive insects and rodents, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Ohio’s three venomous snakes are the timber rattlesnake, the copperhead, and the massasauga rattlesnake. Here’s what to know about each of them.
Ohio’s venomous snakes: Humans persecute, crowd out snakes
1. Timber rattlesnake
The timber rattlesnake can be found in southern Ohio and is one of the most venomous snakes in the northeastern United States. The timber rattlesnake is one of the last mature forest species, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
However, despite how venomous they are, these snakes do not typically strike humans, preferring to recoil and slither away. The last human fatality in Ohio from a timber rattlesnake was recorded in the 1940s.
The timber rattler has two color phases, and both phases have the rattle at the ends of their tails. The first includes gray, light brown, or yellow with black chevron-shaped crossbands. The second phase is dark with crossbands over a blackish-brown background coloration. Timbers are as long as 40 inches and eight inches wide, though a car hit a 57-inch timber rattlesnake in Ohio in late 2018.
This snake was found in 24 counties in the 1800s, but their population declined due to habitat destruction, human persecution and unregulated collection. Timber rattlesnakes remain an endangered species in Ohio.
The timber rattlesnake, which can be found in southern Ohio, is one of the most venomous snakes in the northeastern United States.
2. Copperhead snake
The copperhead snake is commonly found in southern and southeast Ohio, according to the Reptiles of Ohio field guide. These snakes occupy floodplains and ridge tops and prefer the rocky hillsides of Ohio.
Though this snake is venomous, death rarely occurs from a copperhead snakebite due to the small amount of venom injected. Like a bee sting, it is painful and may cause an allergic reaction but is typically not fatal.
Copperheads can grow as long as 3 feet. Their coloring offers natural camouflage, blending with most of its surroundings.
They tend to stay away from populated areas. Copperhead snakes will remain motionless if encountered but will strike if provoked.
Copperhead snake
3. Massasauga rattlesnake
The massasauga rattlesnake inhabits swampy and wet areas of Ohio. Its range once included 30 counties, but it is now endangered, scattered and rarely seen, according to OhioPARC.
Like the copperhead, this snake rarely injects enough venom to kill a healthy human. Massasauga rattlesnakes usually remain sluggish and still but will bite if provoked. Wildlife officials recommend that these snakes should be respected and handled with utmost caution.
These snakes can be as long as 2 feet and contain rattles at the ends of their tails. Massasaugas have different color schemes, with most of them gray and brownish gray with large spots, and some of them even entirely black.
The Massasauga rattlesnake remains an endangered species in Ohio, with its numbers reduced due to extensive farming and habitat loss.
Massasauga rattlesnake success story: Columbus Zoo celebrates rare snake birth
Massasauga snake
How to preserve Ohio’s venomous snakes
To preserve the remaining population of these three snakes, it’s important to keep these snakes away from your home and return them to their homes, as they are important to Ohio’s ecosystems.
If you find a snake in your living space, it should be captured and released at least a mile away from your dwelling, according to the ODNR.
Here are ways to make your residence less attractive to snakes:
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Control insect and rodent populations.
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Remove piles of junk, rocks, brush and boards.
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Keep grass mowed and landscapes clean.
For more information, you can contact the Ohio Department of Natural Resources at 1-800-WILDLIFE (800-945-3543) or via email at wildinfo@dnr.ohio.gov.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio has 3 kinds of venomous snakes, and 1 of them killed Tenn. hiker
