Employee at Cincinnati Zoo bitten by venomous rattlesnake, hospitalized

Officials said the woman was taken to a local hospital, where she is in stable condition

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Western diamondback rattlesnakes are found throughout the Southwest.

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.

employee at cincinnati zoo bitten by venomous rattlesnake hospitalized

According to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, the snake is known for, "its iconic rattle and its venomous bite, which can be fatal to humans." (iStock)

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."

employee at cincinnati zoo bitten by venomous rattlesnake hospitalized

The reptile house at the Cincinnati Zoo. A female employee was bitten by an eastern diamondback rattlesnake Thursday afternoon. (Google Maps)

employee at cincinnati zoo bitten by venomous rattlesnake hospitalized

Snakes in a rattlesnake pit.  (Reuters/File)

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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.

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a writer on the breaking news team for Fox News Digital. You can reach her on Twitter at @s_rumpfwhitten.

Authored by Sarah Rumpf-Whitten via FoxNews October 19th 2023