Hiker Dies After Grabbing Rattlesnake

A hiker in Tennessee made the fatal mistake of picking up a rattlesnake, reports the Hill. Authorities say the incident happened Friday on a trail in Savage Gulf State Park in Grundy County. Witnesses say the unidentified man picked up a snake believed to be a Timber rattler and was bitten on the hand, says Matt Griffith of the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency, per WTVC. He was about a half-mile onto the trail at that point, and first responders couldn't save him.

Bites from venomous snakes aren't that uncommon, with the CDC recording 7,000 to 8,000 per year, notes People. However, fatal bites are rare—typically, only five victims a year die. "If you encounter a snake simply remain calm and do not attempt to handle it," the Emergency Management Agency wrote. "If bitten seek immediate medical attention." Timber rattlers are "more docile" than other rattlers, per the Smithsonian's National Zoo, and they are more likely to remain coiled without striking—unless somebody makes an aggressive move.