Plymouth Woman Bitten By Rattlesnake at U-M Gardens

The Eastern massasauga rattlesnake is Michigan’s only venomous snake. (Photo by Flickr user Jack1962)

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A Plymouth woman was bitten by what is believed to be an Eastern massasauga rattlesnake Monday at the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

The woman, who is 47, was taken to University of Michigan Hospital in unstable condition by Huron Valley Ambulance, a spokesperson told MLive.com. Her condition is not immediately known.

The woman wasn’t wearing shoes and was bitten above her ankle, according to the report.

Last year, a young girl was bitten by a rattlesnake at the same location.

Seeing an Eastern massasauga rattlesnake, the state’s only venomous snake, is a rare occurrence, according to Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The snakes are described as “shy and sluggish” and avoid humans.

As rattlesnakes go, the massasauga is less harmful than most found in the United States. Though people who are bitten should still receive medical attention, the massasauga is the smallest and has the least toxic venom.

The DNR says the snakes normally live in wetlands and upland woods throughout the Lower Peninsula. In the late spring, they become more active, leaving their winter hibernation sites – crayfish chimneys and other small animal burrows in the swamps and marshlands – for drier upland sites in the search for mice and moles, their favorite foods.