Assam: 10-ft-long king cobra makes a late-night visit to a house near kaziranga
The WTI—IFAW team has handled a total of 36 King cobras in the northeast since the initiation of their rescue operations in 2002.
KAZIRANGA- A King cobra measuring around 10 feet, was rescued by the Forest Department authorities assisted by the Wildlife Trust of India—International Fund for Animal Welfare (WTI—IFAW) team, in Panijuri village located in Kaziranga National Park, in Assam.
The WTI—IFAW team has handled a total of 36 King cobras in the northeast since the initiation of their rescue operations in 2002.
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A late-night visit from a massive approx. 10-foot-long King cobra left a family in Panijuri village of Burapahar range, Kaziranga National Park in shock.
Identified as an adult male, the highly venomous snake was discovered coiled behind an almirah on Sunday night. Concerned for their safety, the residents immediately alerted the Range Forest Officer, who in turn contacted the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation & Conservation (CWRC) team, jointly run by the Assam Forest Department, WTI & IFAW, for emergency help.
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Two of their trained rescuers rushed to the location and carefully retrieved the cobra using necessary snake-handling equipment. It was later brought to CWRC for examination.
Dr. Bhaskar Choudhury, Division Head, Wild Rescue and Head Vet NE, WTI said, “We will be microchipping the snake before releasing it back into the wild. So far we have released 27 king cobras back to their original habitat and microchipped 5 individuals for identification purposes.”
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“We are thankful to the public for refraining from hostility towards the snake and, instead, choosing to close the doors and windows of the house while awaiting our rescue team.” he further added.
The King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the world’s longest venomous snake and can grow up to a length of over 18 feet. It is also the only snake species that builds nests on the ground where it lays eggs. In India, it is primarily found in the Western Ghats, Orissa, Bengal, and Assam in addition to other areas including the Terai landscape. King cobras predominantly prey on other snakes. It is believed that their fondness for rat snakes is one of the reasons for their ‘straying’ into human-dominated areas.
