Arkansas high school football player discovers venomous cottonmouth in helmet during practice
A Maumelle High School player found a two-foot cottonmouth snake hidden in his helmet, prompting police and animal-control officials to remove the reptile and warn athletes to inspect equipment.
A Maumelle High School football player in Arkansas felt movement inside his helmet during warm-ups last week and handed the headgear to an assistant coach for a check. A two-foot cottonmouth pit viper was found concealed behind the padding. Police officers poured water into the helmet to coax the snake out, then placed it in a bag before animal-services technicians arrived, identified the snake as a cottonmouth and relocated it to a wooded area away from the school.
"It was unreal," said Chris Davis, director of Maumelle animal services, adding that the player had worn the helmet for nearly an hour without being bitten.
The player switched to a different helmet and resumed practice. The head coach reminded the team to thoroughly examine all equipment for insects or other hazards before use. Davis noted that the snake, likely having recently fed, may have been seeking a dark spot to digest when it encountered the helmet.