Earlier this month a snake fell onto Texas woman Peggy Jones while she was mowing her lawn. According to FOX59, the snake tightened itself around her, and a hawk came down and attacked the two before flying away with the snake. 

This story is unusual because snakes do not typically attack people. 

“They usually attack humans because they feel threatened,” said AHS biology teacher Mr. Knost.

Knost shared some tips on the dangers of snakes and how to avoid being attacked by wild animals. 

“If you’re in an area with rattlesnakes, listen for that kind of stuff. You need to be watching for that stuff because as humans, we’re 5 or 6 feet off the ground, and we’re looking at eye level, but snakes are gonna be at our feet, so pay attention to where you’re walking and stepping.” 

When the hawk came down to attack the snake, it also attacked Jones as well. 

“They could tear into your flesh pretty good,” Knost said. “They have really sharp talons, if you’ve ever seen somebody who handles hawks or other birds, they wear a thick leather glove they attach to their arm so they’re not cut by the talons that they have.”

According to Knost, when a hawk attacks its prey, it’ll grab the animal with its talon, pierce its skin, and tear them apart with their talons and beak. If they feel threatened, they will also attack using their talons and beak. Although a hawk could injure a person, unless they pierce an artery and you bleed out, it’s unlikely that you’ll die from a hawk attack.

Jones survived the attack and was taken to the emergency room, where she was treated for her bruising from the snake, and her cuts from the hawk. Although she wasn’t bit by the snake, she was very close to being bit.

“I discovered the lens on my glasses was broken and there was snake venom on my glasses,” Jones said in the KPRC interview.