In the wake of two recent rattlesnake bites near Colorado Springs, state wildlife officials are reminding hikers that the snakes are re-emerging with the warmer temperatures.
Watch your step when you're out and about! Rattlesnakes -- Colorado's only venomous snake species -- are coming out of their winter dens. Though they won't attack unprovoked, rattlesnakes are known to strike if they feel defensive. Colorado wildlife officials urge everyone to use caution when hiking on trails and in parks -- watch your step and give any snakes you see plenty of room so they don't feel like they're being attacked. Two women in the Colorado Springs area have been bitten by rattlers in the last few weeks -- one in Ute Valley Park and one at Garden of the Gods. Both women survived. Considering the millions of people who recreate in Colorado each summer -- locals and visitors alike -- the number of snake bites in Colorado is relatively low, The Gazette reports. There were only 79 snake bites in 2017 and 77 in 2016. If you do get bitten by a rattlesnake, make sure you seek medical attention right away. Without prompt treatment, rattlesnake bites can be fatal. Here are some more tips on how to be more rattlesnake cautious this summer.