Employee at Cincinnati Zoo bitten by venomous rattlesnake, hospitalized

A female employee’s work day at the Cincinnati Zoo took a turn after she was bitten by a large and venomous rattlesnake Thursday afternoon, officials said.

The Cincinnati Fire Department said that law enforcement was called to the Ohio zoo after a woman was bitten by an eastern diamondback rattlesnake. According to the zoo’s website, the snake is housed in its reptile area in the Otto M. Budig Manatee Springs building.

According to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are North America’s longest, heaviest venomous snake, averaging 3 to 6 feet, with some adults growing up to 8 feet. 

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Smithsonian said that the snake is known for, “its iconic rattle and its venomous bite, which can be fatal to humans.”

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Officials said the woman was taken to a local hospital, University of Cincinnati Hospital, where she is in stable condition. 

Authorities did not say where the employee was when she was bitten by the snake.

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.