A 9-year-old Florida boy almost made a fatal mistake after approaching one of the world’s most venomous snakes, believing it was a “stuffed animal.”
Angelo Owens was at his grandmother’s house in Longwood on Wednesday when he saw something in the corner of his backyard, according to WESH 2.
“I thought it was a stuffed animal,” Angelo said after getting closer and realizing it was a live snake.
The boy quickly went inside to tell his family about the discovery. At first they thought Angelo had stumbled upon a harmless garden snake, until they heard the sound of a 4-foot-long rattlesnake.
“Just a very loud whistle. “You could hear it two or three houses away, it was loud,” Angelo’s father, Alex Owens, told the outlet.
Alex shared that his son’s experience was “scary” and left him “shaking for a while,” thinking about how different the outcome could have been.
Angelo Owens points out where he first saw the snake in his grandmother’s backyard.WESH2
Fortunately for the family, Angelo didn’t get close enough to the predator and the family called one of Central Florida’s most experienced creature hunters, Bob Cross.
“He is a lucky boy. “If she hadn’t been smart enough to go find his mother, or if she had tried to pick him up or get close to him… this would be a different story,” Cross told the outlet.
The family said they first called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Service (FWC), but when their staff arrived, they were told they couldn’t deal with venomous snakes and gave them a list of people who could, according to the outlet. .
The highly venomous snake was safely removed from the property.WESH2
The eastern rattlesnake, the largest venomous snake in the United States, which can grow up to 8 feet long, was safely removed from the property and taken to a reptile center that will collect its venom to make an antivenin to save the lives of snakebite victims.
The Owens family is no stranger to Florida wildlife and has had to deal with coyotes, foxes and even a bear that once sneaked into their garage, but this venomous predator was the first.
The eastern rattlesnake is often found in open-canopy pine forests that burn frequently, but can be found in several habitats, according to the FWC.
The eastern rattlesnake is the largest venomous snake in the United States.WESH2
Its bite can be excruciatingly painful and releases a poison called hemotoxin that kills red blood cells and damages tissues.
Said to be an excellent swimmer, the diamondback rattlesnake can appear yellow or tan-skinned, with key features such as distinctive black, brown, and cream diamonds running down its back.
Venomous snakes will also use vegetation as cover, relying on camouflage to conceal them while they search for food.
In September, an Amazon driver was left in serious condition in the hospital after being bitten by a huge rattlesnake while delivering a package in Florida.
The driver failed to see the giant Eastern diamond rolled up near the front door of a home in Pam City.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn