The latest tragic victim of a severe rattlesnake bite in California is not a human but a black jaguar residing in a sanctuary in the Central Valley, highlighting the risks of rattlesnake encounters this year.
On Monday morning, Samba was hurried from her home at Project Survival’s Cat Haven in Dunlap to the Fresno Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center, located approximately 44 miles west, after experiencing two rattlesnake bites.
Dale Anderson, the founder of the 93-acre exotic cat sanctuary, informed The Times that staff members begin their day at 7 a.m. to care for the animals.
Around 10 a.m., a team member observed that Samba was not emerging from her den.
“Then she noticed that [Samba’s] left paw had swollen to twice the size of her right one and the swelling extended all the way up her leg,” Anderson stated.
In the veterinary emergency room, Samba was put under anesthesia, allowing the medical team to take blood samples. “The echinocytes (a type of red blood cell) in her blood were at 100%, indicating she received a significant dose of venom,” Anderson mentioned.
Samba was administered two doses of anti-venom, which reduced the rattlesnake venom levels in her blood to nearly undetectable levels, “but then we needed to navigate the recovery process to wake her up from anesthesia,” Anderson explained. “That’s when we lost her.”
The aftermath was extensively documented on the cat haven’s Facebook page, featuring posts of both veterinary and sanctuary staff performing heart compressions on the large black cat lying on the medical table.
Samba passed away surrounded by her veterinary caregivers and sanctuary family, including Anderson.
The sanctuary sent Samba’s remains to the UC Davis California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory for a necropsy to determine if there were any underlying health issues or complications that may have contributed to her death.
This year, California has reported 277 rattlesnake bites, along with several fatalities. Typically, during a rattlesnake season, which runs from April to October, there are around 290 to 390 bites reported statewide, according to the California Poison Control System.
Operating for 28 years, the cat haven is home to 39 different species of cats, including cheetahs, bobcats, clouded leopards, cougars, and snow leopards. Anderson noted that he has observed a rise in rattlesnake sightings on the sanctuary grounds over recent years, particularly this year.
In the past eight years, Anderson reported at least six cats have endured rattlesnake bites, and all have recovered after receiving anti-venom treatment.
Experts attribute the increase in rattlesnake activity to unseasonably warm weather patterns earlier this year, which have prompted rattlesnakes to emerge from their winter sleep in search of food and mates. This year, the likelihood of encountering rattlesnakes has risen, as warmer temperatures have encouraged outdoor activities among both humans and serpents.
Anderson expressed gratitude for the veterinary staff that cared for Samba, whom he regarded as one of his kids. Samba and her sister Rose were born at the sanctuary 14 years ago.
The sanctuary’s mission focuses on conserving and protecting wild cat populations worldwide, and they occasionally work with zoos and other humane wildlife facilities to breed specific species.
“She was an incredibly sweet cat,” he remarked. “She was always calm and pleasant.”
