An elderly famous snake enthusiast died after being bitten by a rattlesnake. in West Virginia last week, his family said.
William H. “Marty” Martin, aged 80, was killed. on August 3, after being bitten by a forest rattlesnake. on his property in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, according to his wife, Renée Martin.
Despite his age, Martin regularly made difficult hikes. up local mountains to document snake populations in remote sites, according to Joe Villari, manager of Bull Run Mountains Preserve in northern Virginia.
“He was in his 80s and he was hard keep up withVillari said. who would join Martin on his semi-annual excursions.
Martin was probably leading expert on forest rattlesnakes – a species infamous hard to find — which he has been studying since childhood, according to John Seeley, a rattlesnake researcher from Stocksdale, North Carolina.
“These are extremely secretive animals,” Seeley said.
Snake bites are rare fatal. Centers for The disease control scores they take into account for about five deaths annually in United States.
Dan Keiller, toxicologist professor in university of Minnesota and Expert on snake bites, said second snake bite could be more deadly than first for a little people.
In particular, rattlesnakes can be more dangerous if they grow to the size allows introduce them more poison, and a person’s age affects their susceptibility, he said.
Martin has been bitten before in his career, but recovered.
Villari said that forest rattlesnakes are generally docile, avoid human contact and often won’t bite, even if accidentally stepped on on.
“They keep their poison for their prey,” he said.
With mail wires
