Snake handler bitten by cobra flown to hospital

By MATTHEW COOPER
Published on 20/08/2012 00:36

A SNAKE handler at a zoo has been airlifted to hospital after being bitten by a king cobra.

The member of staff at West Midland Safari Park, near Bewdley, was bitten in the leg and was flown to Worcestershire Royal Hospital as a precaution.

West Midlands Ambulance Service received a call from the safari park shortly after 4pm yesterday and sent a doctor, an ambulance crew and a responder paramedic to the scene.

The Midlands Air Ambulance based at Strensham, Worcestershire, also attended the incident, which involved a man in his 50s.

An ambulance service spokeswoman said: “When crews and the doctor arrived, they found one of the park’s snake-handlers being cared for by their on-site first aiders. “They had already immobilised the leg, administered excellent first aid and had anti-venom ready to administer if needed.

“The man had reportedly been bitten on the leg by a king cobra.”

Although the patient was assessed as being stable and suffering no serious effects from the bite, he was airlifted to hospital for his condition to be monitored.

The ambulance service spokesman explained: “Due to the fact the venom can be lethal if it enters the bloodstream, the man was airlifted to hospital as a precaution.

“Medics at the hospital were pre-alerted to the arrival of the man, who was said to be in a stable condition.”

King Cobras are the world’s longest venemous snakes, growing up to 5.6 metres (18.5ft).