A 5-foot-long rattlesnake, which was spotted swimming in a saltwater creek, was killed by a man on a South Carolina barrier island resort after it became a threat to a family.
According to UPI news, Lonnie Deal of Statesville, North Carolina said he is comfortable around snakes and collected them as a boy. But when a rattlesnake raced toward a man, his wife and three kids, he decided to kill the reptile on spot.
The dead snake was found to be an eastern diamondback, the largest species of rattlesnake that is commonly found in the Hilton Head. Deal now plans to get the dead snake stuffed and mounted.
Diamondbacks love the saltwater area because of presence of food -- marsh rabbits.
