Snake of the Largest Venomous Species in North America Bites Cincinnati Zoo Staffer

A Cincinnati Zoo worker was bitten by an eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the largest venomous snake species in North America, officials said.

The zoo said the incident occurred inside the reptile area Thursday, according to local news station FOX 19 Now.

The unidentified zoo employee was taken to the hospital, is expected to recover and didn’t require an anti-venom shot, according to zoo officials.

“No guests were ever at risk,” the zoo said in its statement, cited by FOX 19 Now.

People bitten by a rattlesnake can experience symptoms that include blurred vision, nausea, sweating, lightheadedness, difficulty breathing and weakness. 

The toxin in the rattlesnake’s venom causes tissue damage and kills red blood cells, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. Their venomous bites can be fatal in some cases.

The Cincinnati Zoo said on its website that the rattlesnake could weigh up to 20 pounds and grow up to 10 feet long.

“The largest rattlesnake in the world and largest venomous snake in North America, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake seeks shelter in mammal and gopher tortoise burrows and uprooted trees. It plays an important role as a top predator in the food chain,” the zoo said.