Tennessee hiker dies after being bitten by venomous snake, officials say

(GRUETLI-LAAGER, Tenn.) — A man has died after he was bitten by a venomous snake at a Tennessee state park, according to park officials.

The victim, who was not identified, was hiking at the Savage Gulf State Park — about 60 miles northwest of Chattanooga — when he was bitten on Aug. 8, Grundy County Emergency Management Agency Director Matthew Griffith said in a statement to ABC News.

The hiker was about half a mile down a trailhead at 55th Avenue in Gruetli-Laager when first responders arrived to the scene shortly after being dispatched, around 12:30 p.m., Griffith said. Paramedics administered CPR before the man was transported to the hospital, where he later died.

A witness told first responders that the hiker picked up the snake, which is believed to be a Timber rattlesnake, and was bitten on the hand, Griffith noted.

The Timber rattlesnake is the largest and most dangerous of the four venomous snakes found in Tennessee, according to the state’s Wildlife Resource Agency. The species can measure between 3 feet and 5 feet long and prefers mature, heavily-wooded forests with rocky hillsides.

Timber rattlesnakes tend to be “more docile” than other rattler species and is likely to stay coiled or stretched out and motionless when encountered in the wild, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo.

The hiker may have had an allergic reaction to the snake bite, but full details of the actual cause of death have not yet been released, Griffith added.

“The family of the individual will be in our thoughts and prayers,” he said.

An estimated 7,000 to 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About five of those people die as a result of the bite, but more would die if they did not seek medical care, according to the CDC.

While victims of snake bites should always seek medical attention, the CDC recommends treating the bite yourself while waiting for first responders to arrive.

This includes removing rings, bracelets and watches in case of swelling, as well as washing the bite with soap and water.

The CDC then recommends covering the bite with a clean, dry dressing before marking the leading edge of the swelling on the skin and writing the time on it.

Do not try to suck the venom out, attempt to make a tourniquet, apply ice or put the bite in water, the CDC advises.

“If you encounter a snake simply remain calm and do not attempt to handle it,” Griffith said. “If bitten seek immediate medical attention.”

Griffith also recommended that hikers take first aid supplies when recreating outdoors and to be mindful of the dangers that wildlife could pose.