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Police shot a snake to death Wednesday (July 20) as it was trying to strangle a man in Upper Macungie Township, Pennsylvania, according to CBS News.
Police officers were called to a Fogelsville home for a 28-year-old man in cardiac arrest. When officers arrived on the scene, the man was lying on the floor unresponsive. A large snake had wrapped the middle portion of its body around the man's neck.
One of the officers was able to shoot the snake in the head without causing any further injury to the man. Then, the officers were able to pull the man to safety after the snake was wounded. The animal, which they estimated to be at least 15-feet long, eventually died from its injuries. Following the incident, the man was rushed to a hospital in the area. His current condition is unknown at this time.
Snake attacks are fairly uncommon in Pennsylvania. However, residents should still be careful. Here's what A-Z Animals had to say about snakes in in the state:
Overall, Pennsylvania has been home to 21 species of snakes, and three species of those snakes in Pennsylvania are poisonous. Not all the 21 species of snakes that have been recorded in Pennsylvania are widespread. In fact, some of them may not be endemic to the state anymore. For better or worse, all three venomous snakes in the state are still present. That means hunters, farmers, and explorers need to be careful and know how to recognize these animals.