Venomous Copperhead Snake Discovered Near National Mall

WASHINGTON, DC -- A venomous copperhead snake was found by the National Park Service at East Potomac Park recently, prompting the agency to warn park visitors.

"Yesterday we spotted a northern copperhead in East Potomac Park," NPS said in a Facebook post. "Although they are infrequently seen at the National Mall, they are common in the Nation’s Capital."

Copperheads often expand their home range at this time of year in an effort to find a mate. They are the only venomous snakes that live in the D.C. area. Fortunately, their bites are rarely fatal, NPS says.

"If you see one, remain calm and move away slowly," NPS added. "Like all wildlife in national parks, the copperhead is a protected species. And with up to 80% of their diet consisting of rodents, copperheads provide a very valuable service in controlling those populations in the park!"

The United States has about 20 species of venomous snakes, most of them rattlesnakes. However, copperheads account for more cases of venomous snake bites than any other species, as they often give no warning before a strike. Fortunately, their venom is also the least toxic, so fatalities are rare.

A 52-year-old man died in 2014 from a copperhead bite. He had been camping at a state park in Missouri when he noticed the snake, and made two fatal decisions: first to pick it up, and then to not seek immediate medical attention.

In 2012, a 50-year-old man died from a copperhead bite, also while camping in Missouri. The man had seen the snake in one of the tents and tried to move it when the snake bit him on the thumb.

And in 2011, a 26-year-old man died after being bitten above the right elbow while handling a copperhead in Tennessee. He had been examining the snake to determine its sex. He also had reportedly been bitten before by a copperhead, making him more sensitive to the snake's venom.

Their have been two other known fatalities from copperhead bites in the 21st century, one in 2006 in Texas and the other in 2004 in Alabama.

The copperhead is actually a member of the pit viper family. Its range is widespread throughout the eastern United States. Its behavior as an ambush predator and tendency to freeze rather than flee often leads to bites on unsuspecting humans. They are also excellently camouflaged, making them tough to spot particularly in wooded areas with lots of leaves on the ground.

Image via NPS