AURORA — Colorado wildlife officials say anyone who spends time outdoors should give a wide berth to snakes they might encounter. The warning was issued after two people were bit by venomous rattlesnakes in parks around Colorado Springs.
The Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper reported that the snakes are beginning to emerge from their winter dens as the weather warms.
One woman was bit in the ankle last week by a rattlesnake at Ute Valley Park. Another incident occurred April 28 at Garden of the Gods.
Lauren Truitt, a spokeswoman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said the warning applies to those in the Aurora-metro region, too.
“As we’re getting out, so are the snakes,” she said.
And as more people are moving into eastern Aurora housing developments, the possibility increases of encountering a rattlesnake. Truitt said snakes already tend to stay around housing, and human activity can make them more active.
Truitt also advised to keep dogs on a leash. Rattlesnake vaccines are available for dogs. The vaccine works by stimulating the dog’s immune system to produce antibodies against snake venom, and it helps lessen the reaction a dog might have to a snakebite.
Rattlesnakes are the only venomous snake found in Colorado. Truitt said during this time of year it’s important to stay alert, as the snakes will usually send off a warning rattle before striking.
The Tri-County Health Department said it doesn’t keep statistics on snakebites, so it’s difficult to say if there have been more cases in the region in recent years. One person is known to have died of a rattlesnake bite in Colorado since 2014, Truitt said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
