A San Diego Zoo wildlife care specialist who was bitten Monday by a venomous snake is now at home and on the way to recovery, the zoo announced.
The worker was taken to the hospital for evaluation and treatment after the bite from the African bush viper, the official said.
"We are grateful for the outpouring of support for our Wildlife Care Specialist who was bitten earlier this week by an African bush viper. We are pleased to share that the team member is at home and doing well and on the way to a full recovery," the zoo tweeted Friday.
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The bite happened in an area away from the public, and a zoo official stressed that "incidents like this are very rare, and the snake was contained at all times with no risk of an escape."
The male African Bush viper can grow up to nearly 2.5 feet in length and the species easily recognized by its dorsal scales that give it a distinctive, dragon-like appearance.
Since there is no antivenin for the African bush viper, its bite, which can cause bleeding of the internal organs, can be fatal, according to several websites, though the danger is reportedly dependent upon the age of the snake and a variety of other factors.
