Reptile zoo owner bitten by highly venomous mamba snake

POWELL COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT/Gray News) - A reptile zoo owner in Kentucky is recovering after being bitten on his hand by a Jameson’s mamba snake.

Jim Harrison, co-director of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, says it happened last week when he was working on an antivenom project, attempting to breed two snakes.

“The male shot out. I grabbed it, and then the female took advantage of me not paying attention and she shot up and bit me,” Harrison said.

Harrison’s fellow director at the zoo, Kristen Wiley, said he was in pretty serious shape rather quickly and time is of the essence when it comes to a venomous snake bite.

But with a career like this one, the Kentucky Reptile Zoo has protocols in place.

“We drove to Stanton for the antiserum,” Harrison said.

And that’s where an ambulance met the crew.

“They started the antiserum. They put me in the helicopter and intubated me, and after that, I don’t know anything,” Harrison said.

Wiley added, “Those guys responded right away; they definitely saved his life. He was in the ICU for three days and now he is recovering well.”

Harrison said he’s still experiencing pain in his arm but is looking at being released from the hospital soon.

“It’s not instant pain. The pain is some of the muscle breaking down, I believe,” he said. “There’s not a lot known about this particular species and, as far as I know, nobody in the United States has been bitten by one.”

While snake venom can be dangerous, the Kentucky Reptile Zoo crew said it’s also used for medical research.

Harrison was actually working to create an antivenom for the mamba snake when he was bitten.

Wiley said the venom from mambas is currently being researched as an alternative to opioid pain treatment.

“Obviously, that would be a huge advantage if they could mitigate pain without having the same addictive tendencies as opioids do,” she said.

Harrison said he has been bitten by venomous snakes 16 times in his career, but none of them have had him missing any work.

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