Officials in NJ warn: Watch out for these venomous snakes

⚫ Recent sightings have prompted warnings in different towns

⚫ The snake in question can camouflage well

⚫ A bite is painful, but rarely fatal

Two types of snakes that call New Jersey home are venomous. One of them has prompted warnings from officials in at least two counties over the past few weeks.

Residents are being advised to stay away from the northern copperhead snake, which can grow to a few feet long and can camouflage in leaf litter.

In Somerset County, a northern copperhead was spotted in the area of Scott Drive in Watchung, police said in an alert. Days prior, Woodlands Wildlife Refuge in Hunterdon County said a female northern copperhead had been found injured.

The snake gave birth to six babies days later, the refuge said.

Details on the northern copperhead snake

According to the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, the northern copperhead is only found in the most northern segment of the Garden State. Listed as a "species of special concern" in New Jersey, northern copperheads are "very shy and secretive snakes."

The thick snake has a brownish coloration with a pattern of alternating bands or splotches. The bands look to be hourglass-shaped when viewed from above. From the side, experts say, the bands look triangular.

A bite typically occurs when the snake is being handled or deliberately harassed, RNJAES said.

A bite by a copperhead is rarely fatal, experts say. Victims can experience swelling, bruising, and blistering.

Copperheads can be active each year as early as March. They typically return to their dens in October.

Anyone who encounters a poisonous snake is being asked to contact the New Jersey Fish & Wildlife snake hotline at 877-927-6337.

The other venomous snake in New Jersey is the timber rattlesnake.

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