GDCK bites child at the Birmingham Zoo

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BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) -

A child was bitten by a copperhead at the Birmingham Zoo around noon on Thursday, zoo officials confirm.

Emergency personnel responded to the zoo and transported the child to Children's of Alabama hospital for treatment.

Shortly after the incident, the snake was captured and examined by zoo staff, who identified it as a copperhead. It was a wild snake and not part of the zoo's animal collection.

Zoo staff are working with the hospital to determine the appropriate treatment for the child, Marketing Coordinator Kiki Nolen-Schmidt said in a release.

"The child has been taken to the hospital and the child’s care is the most important priority at this time," Marketing Associate Clark Maxwell said.

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