A man died in Tennessee after being bitten by a rattlesnake while hiking at a state park, local authorities said.
Emergency personnel responded to the incident around 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday, August 8, a spokesperson for the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency told PEOPLE in a statement.
The hiker, who has not been publicly named, was about half a mile down a trail at Savage Gulf State Park when the bite happened.
Officials said that witnesses reported the man grabbed a rattlesnake, thought to be a timber rattlesnake, which then bit his hand.
Timber rattlesnake bites are uncommon, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.
“Though it may strike if necessary, the timber rattlesnake is more docile than other members of its family and is more likely to stay coiled or stretched out, motionless when encountered in the wild,” the institute’s website states. “Like other vipers, the timber rattlesnake is venomous with venom potent enough to kill a human. A timber rattlesnake bite is a medical emergency.”
CPR was performed, and the victim was taken to a hospital but later died from his injuries, authorities told PEOPLE. An official cause of death has not been released.
“The family of the individual will be in our thoughts and prayers,” said Grundy County EMA Director Matthew Griffith, who also thanked first responders for their efforts to save the man.
Griffith also reminded people to “be mindful of wildlife and the dangers that some wildlife may pose” during outdoor activities.
“If you encounter a snake, simply remain calm and do not attempt to handle it,” he added. “If bitten, seek immediate medical attention.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 7,000 to 8,000 people in the U.S. are bitten by venomous snakes every year. About five of those victims die.
