Wild copperhead snake bites child at Birmingham Zoo

A wild copperhead snake bit a child at the Birmingham Zoo today around noon, and the child was taken to a hospital for treatment, zoo officials said.

The snake is not part of the zoo’s animal collection, but shortly after the incident, zoo staff members contained and relocated the snake for examination, zoo officials said in a press release.

Zoo staff members are working with hospital staff to determine the appropriate treatment for the child. “At this time, the safety and well-being of the child is the zoo’s main priority,” the zoo statement said.

Copperhead snakes are venomous, but their bites are rarely fatal for humans, according to LiveScience.com They are among the more common snakes seen in North America and are the most likely to bite, but their venom is relatively mild, the website says.

The child at the zoo was bitten in an area called the Trails of Africa, which is a very natural area with woods and small water holes for the elephants, said Kiki Nolen-Schmidt, marketing coordinator for the zoo.

She did not know the length of the snake, but copperheads are medium-sized snakes, averaging between 2 and 3 feet, according to LiveScience.com.

Copperhead snakes have stout bodies, and the head is noticeably wider than the neck, according to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The top of their head is a copper color (hence the name copperhead), and their bodies typically have dark hourglass cross bands.

One type of copperhead found in Alabama, called the “southern copperhead,” typically has a light brown to tan or pinkish-colored body. The other type found in Alabama, the “northern copperhead,” usually has a darker and more reddish brown body color. The copperhead that bit the child at the Birmingham Zoo today was tan, Nolen-Schmidt said.

Both the southern copperhead and northern copperhead are commonly called “pit vipers” because of a pit, or tiny hole, between the eye and nostril. The pits are heat-seeking sensors that help the snake locate warm-blooded prey. Copperheads have elliptical pupils and well-developed fangs.

Zoo officials did not yet release any additional information about the child bit today or condition of the child.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources lists 50 snakes that can be found in Alabama. Of these, six snakes are venomous. For more information on snakes found in Alabama, visit outdooralabama.com.