Child bitten by copperhead snake at North Carolina Zoo

ASHEBORO, N.C. — The North Carolina Zoo closed off its Kidzone after a 5-year-old child was bitten by a copperhead snake.

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Officials at the Asheboro zoo confirmed that the child was bitten on Thursday, WFMY-TV reported. The Kidzone area was temporarily closed for investigation, according to the television station.

According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, copperheads are venomous snakes.

The North Carolina Zoo has trained staff for any medical emergencies and are trained to remove venomous snakes, WGHP-TV reported. Emergency crews treated the child, who was later taken to an area hospital, according to the television station.

According to North Carolina Poison Control, a copperhead’s bite can be severe, but is not considered as bad as other snakes in the state. The agency said that approximately half of copperhead snake bites result in mild swelling and pain, WFMY reported.

The North Carolina Zoo is situated on 500 acres in Asheboro, which are surrounded by wilderness, WGHP reported. The wilderness in the area is filled with native wildlife.

There are several warning signs about venomous snakes throughout the zoo, according to WFMY.