Story perspectives

Snake Handler Survives Green Mamba Bite with Antivenom

4/6/2026

Summary

Story summary

In 2021, a venomous western green mamba bit Chris Gifford, a snake handler from Raleigh, North Carolina, while cleaning its enclosure.
The neurotoxic venom could be fatal within hours, and antivenom was located at a zoo hundreds of miles away.
The Antivenom Index connects snakebite victims with zoos.
The process extracts venom from snakes, injects venom into animals to develop antibodies, and transforms antibodies into a life-saving treatment for humans.

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Story summary

In 2021, a venomous western green mamba bit Chris Gifford, a snake handler from Raleigh, North Carolina, while cleaning its enclosure.
The neurotoxic venom could be fatal within hours, and antivenom was located at a zoo hundreds of miles away.
The Antivenom Index connects snakebite victims with zoos.
The process extracts venom from snakes, injects venom into animals to develop antibodies, and transforms antibodies into a life-saving treatment for humans.