August 28, 2015

Of snakes and bisons, selfies and playing dead.

1. "A Lake Elsinore man could lose his hand after being bitten by a rattlesnake he was holding and taking pictures with.... 'I was going to take it off my neck and do something else with it, but it turned sideways, and it sunk its one tooth into … my hand,' [Alex] Gomez said. 'I was terrified and I said "What a fool. Stupid. He could die,"' his mother Debra Gomez said."

2. "Bleeding and flat on the ground, Chris Baker tried to play dead in hopes the huge bison that had just gored him would lose interest and wander off. The animal sniffed, snorted and stood over Baker before finally trotting off. Baker pulled himself to his feet and staggered along a trail near Tower Peak on Catalina Island, looking for help."

16 comments:

Bob Ellison said...

"The conservancy uses contraception to keep the island’s bison population at 150..."

I want video.

Sydney said...

Contrary to previous reports, Baker, who founded American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit organization that focuses on environmental projects, was not taking photos of the bison before the attack but was surveying the area for the creation of trails on the island

Probably better reconsider that project.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Good God. The stupidity defies meaningful comment. The New Era of Magical Thinking is not going well for some. Also, thank God for pragmatic yet worldly parents who could impart information like snakes bite, riptides drown, politicians lie, point the gun away from anything you don't want to shoot, brush your teeth, get an education...Where did this tidal wave of tattooed, dependent, ignorant fools spring from?

No offense to those of you who are tattooed, fiercely independent, responsible and wise.

mikee said...

I have seen a Yellowstone bison become enraged by a sage brush in his path, and the destruction of the sage down to dust. Giant animals with bad eyesight and heads made to plow snow - a design made to stay away from.

madAsHell said...

You're bit while posing with a rattlesnake, and then go on TV to tell everyone what an idiot you are??

In my best Obiwan voice....."The stupid runs deep in this one."

"Use the stupid, Luke"

Big Mike said...

Baker, who founded American Conservation Experience, ... was surveying the area for the creation of trails on the island.

Made me think of this scene from Jurassic Park. Do you think they'll have that on the tour?

Quaestor said...

In India most snakebite victims are agricultural workers just going about their business. Rats like standing crops, cobras like rats, ergo 46,000 deaths each year and more than 200,000 injuries.

In America stupidity is the overwhelming snakebite risk factor. If tattoos on the body exceed teeth in the mouth the risk of snakebite goes up exponentially.

Quaestor said...

Here and there are tiny Protestant congregations that claim the title Pentecostal. They are an odd bunch. On the one hand they have ministers who are also world renowned scholars, like dinosaur paleontologist Robert Bakker (Ph.D. Yale) and on the other hand there are whooping, jabbering charismatics who drink strychnine and dance with rattlers.

I root for the snakes, generally.

khesanh0802 said...

Both these incidents happened in California, right? 'nuff said!

Bob said...

*Steve Irwin voice* Crikeys, what a little nippah!

jimbino said...

These fools, especially if they're breeders, would qualify for the Darwin award if they died.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

Yay! Lake Elsinore! My home town! Residence of morons!

Skeptical Voter said...

There are a number of rattlesnake bites each year in the Southern California foothills. Emergency room docs say that those snake bites usually involve the "Three T's--Tequila, Testosterone and Twenties--I.e. Young drunks playing with snakes".

Well with the advent of selfies it looks like the age level has moved to 36. This was weapons grade stupidity.

Anonymous said...

I love hiking Catalina so interesting article, thanks. To first poster: they tag and inject females for bc, iirc, similar to a vaccine. The bison have been having a really hard time with the drought as well.

Later addendum to the article says he was NOT taking a selfie: Contrary to previous reports, Baker, who founded American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit organization that focuses on environmental projects, was not taking photos of the bison before the attack but was surveying the area for the creation of trails on the island, according to his mother and a spokeswoman for ACE.

Douglas B. Levene said...

Full grown male buffaloes can weigh two thousand pounds. And they can be mean and ornery. What the story leaves unsaid is exactly what this idiot was doing to attract the attention of this bison, but I suppose we can imagine.

Larry J said...

Perhaps the Darwin Awards committee needs to establish a separate selfie category.