A high school football player in Arkansas made it through preseason drills with an especially dangerous surprise hidden in his equipment: a venomous cottonmouth coiled inside his helmet.
The snake remained tucked inside the helmet padding for more than an hour before the player reported that something felt off and coaches discovered the source of the discomfort, USA Today reported.
Here's what to know
According to the outlet, the incident took place at Maumelle High School on Aug. 6.
The athlete completed part of practice before anyone realized a cottonmouth was in his helmet.
When the unnamed player said something did not feel right, coaches examined the helmet and found a roughly 2-foot snake curled inside the lining.
According to USA Today, Maumelle Animal Services removed the snake without incident and later relocated it to woods away from campus.
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Thankfully, the young athlete was not bitten and was otherwise unharmed.
More background
Cottonmouth bites can cause severe pain, swelling, and tissue damage and may require immediate medical treatment to avoid complications.
Following the unsettling incident, school officials reminded athletes to inspect their gear before practice.
Schools, neighborhoods, roads, and sports fields are often built near the same areas snakes and other animals use to travel, shelter, or rest.
As the BBC explained, scenarios like this are becoming more commonplace as average temperatures climb and habitats vanish.
Warmer weather, land development, and human encroachment are all factors in a higher rate of human encounters with what are often dangerous wildlife species, as this incident evidenced.
In warm-weather states where outdoor sports are a major part of the school calendar, equipment left in accessible places can become a hiding spot, and athletes may put on helmets, shoes, or pads without realizing an animal has slipped inside.
What can be done?
Equipment inspections can be built into a normal practice routine.
Helmets, pads, bags, and shoes can be checked before use, especially during the hotter months, when animals may seek shade or cover.
Keeping gear off the ground and in enclosed or monitored areas can reduce the chances that a snake or another animal will go unnoticed inside.
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