A 41-year-old Novi man was rushed to the University of Michigan Ann Arbor Hospital on July 22, after an Eastern massasauga rattlesnake bit him on the hand at Proud Lake Recreation Area in Commerce Township.
Commerce Township Fire Chief James Dundas said the man was bitten that morning near a boat launch at the state park on the Huron River. Paramedics treated him at the scene with pain medication and an IV before transporting him by ambulance to Ann Arbor, the closest hospital with the appropriate antivenom.
The victim experienced hand pain and swelling, but his vital signs stayed stable during transport. Dundas said he expects a full recovery, though the man's condition had not been confirmed at the time of reporting.
"This was a wild animal that was in its native habitat there, so the only thing I would say is be careful and stay away from these sort of things," Dundas told MLive.
The fire chief called the incident the first rattlesnake bite he has seen during his tenure with the Commerce Township Fire Department.
About the Eastern massasauga
The Eastern massasauga is Michigan's only venomous snake and has been listed as federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 2016, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is a small, thick-bodied rattlesnake averaging 2 to 3 feet long, gray or grayish-brown with dark blotches and a segmented rattle at the tail.
Oakland County is among the highest-concentration areas for the species in southeast Michigan, according to Michigan State University's Michigan Natural Features Inventory. In summer, the snakes migrate from wetlands to drier upland sites, including areas near boat launches, making July a peak period for potential encounters.
Michigan poison control centers report about 16 massasauga bites statewide in a typical year, according to MSU's inventory. A multi-state study published in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine found roughly 848 total bites across four states between 1800 and 2015, with no fatalities recorded after 1935, according to Great Lakes Echo.
If you encounter or are bitten by a rattlesnake
The Commerce Township Fire Department advises residents who encounter a massasauga to stay calm, keep their distance, and never try to handle, capture, or kill the snake. Keep children and pets away.
If bitten, call 911 immediately. Stay calm and still, keep the wound at or slightly below heart level, and remove rings or restrictive clothing before swelling starts. Do not cut the wound, try to suck out venom, apply a tourniquet, or use ice.
Rattlesnake sightings can be reported to the Michigan DNR at michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/wildlife/inaturalist.
Proud Lake Recreation Area is located at 3500 N. Wixom Road in Commerce Township, roughly 10 miles from downtown Novi. Park information is available at 248-685-2433.
