A man bitten by the world’s most venomous snake is miraculously alive but in a serious condition in hospital.
Jeffrey Leibowitz was bitten by the deadly inland taipan in his own home in Florence, South Carolina, on Friday.
Police were then told there were other venomous snakes in the home so they obtained a search warrant which made for some very interesting results.
Inside the home were two cats and 14 snakes.
Some of the scariest snakes known to humans were found inside including one green mamba, two gaboon vipers, one fer-de-lace, one death adder, one eastern diamondback rattlesnake, two black forest cobras, two adult rattlesnakes (species unknown), two neotropical rattlesnakes, one small rattlesnake (species unknown), and one inland taipan.
It was this one inland taipan that tried to kill Jeffrey who is still in a serious condition in hospital this week.
Jeff Camper, a biologist and snake specialist at Francis Marion University, talked about how deadly the inland taipan really is.
He said: ‘It contains human toxic components as well as neurotoxic components .. and components that act on the muscles and the heart as well.
‘So it’s a very, very dangerous, potent venom.’
Jeff said their venom can cause everything from throbbing pain to intense swelling and skin discoloration.
A bite from the inland taipan can kill up 100 people but thankfully emergency services treated Jeffrey with antivenom at the scene.
Jeff continued: ‘His body’s probably going to want to shut down relatively soon. My understanding is that he’s on a respirator, and that’s what’s needed for the patient to be able to continue breathing, as his diaphragm is likely paralysed. He may have long-lasting or permanent damage to various organs.’
Although there are state laws prohibiting the possession of the animals, the selling, transporting and rehoming of them could violate state regulations.
Local zoos were unable to accommodate the snakes due to unknown health and environmental concerns such as their living conditions and potential illnesses.
So a family member of Jeffrey’s signed a voluntary surrender form for the snakes to be euthanised.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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