A routine family drive in Tennessee turned into a startling wildlife encounter when a large snake suddenly emerged from under the hood of a moving car and slithered onto the vehicle's hood.
The moment, captured on video by Tennessee resident Analissa Hensley, is a vivid reminder of how closely people and wildlife can overlap, especially in areas where roads and development intersect with natural habitat.
Here's what to know
While traveling on Callis Road in Lebanon, Hensley and her family saw a snake emerging from the hood area of their car, according to UPI. Hensley estimated that it was about 5 feet long.
Hensley described the moment to WKRN-TV: "I'm sitting there like, 'We have a huge snake on the hood of our car.'" She added, "We were on our way to Mount Juliet, going to pick up some soccer stuff for my youngest daughter, and we're just having a conversation and my husband's like, 'There's a snake.'"
As the family attempted to pull over, the snake jumped away before the vehicle had fully stopped.
According to Mallory Tate, a biodiversity biologist for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the animal in the video appeared to be a gray rat snake, a nonvenomous species commonly found in Tennessee. Still, finding one coming out of a car hood is unusual.
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UPI also noted similar cases involving moving vehicles, including a 2023 incident in The Village, Oklahoma, in which police captured and relocated a snake.
More background
People and wild animals are increasingly sharing space. Habitat disruption and expanding human activity can increase the likelihood of these run-ins.
Fortunately, the snake did not attack anyone. But an animal suddenly appearing on a hood or windshield could easily distract a motorist, creating dangerous conditions for both the people in the vehicle and the animal itself.
What can be done?
When wildlife appears in or around a vehicle, experts generally advise staying calm and avoiding direct contact with the animal. Pulling over in a safe location and contacting local animal control or wildlife authorities is often the safest response.
Drivers in areas with abundant wildlife can also reduce the odds of surprise stowaways by checking around parked vehicles, especially if a car has been sitting outside for a while. That can be especially useful near wooded areas, brush, or fields where snakes are commonly found.
At a broader level, public education from wildlife agencies can help prevent panic and reduce the risk of harm. Knowing that a species such as a gray rat snake is nonvenomous, for example, can keep an already tense moment from escalating.
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