Cobra snakes in at party, rescued

A five-and-a-half feet long cobra was rescued from a farmhouse in Sultanpur by the Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Team on Thursday night.

The snake, which had gatecrashed a party at the farmhouse, was rescued and relocated to a safer location in its natural habitat. The operation was challenging for the team due to the presence of many people. “It was nearly midnight when the 24-hour rescue helpline (9871963535) at Wildlife SOS received a call.

The caller reported that a long black snake had turned up at a party he had hosted at his Sultanpur farmhouse, according to a press release issued by the helpline.

The caller added that he suspected the snake was a cobra and that it had caused panic among the guests.

The rescue team, which immediately reached the site, confirmed that it was indeed a cobra — possibly the largest they had seen in the city.

The team found the snake, which was alarmed by the flashlights and the crowd, with its hood flared.

Wildlife SOS Rescue co-ordinator Harshad Solanki said: “The guests had gathered around to catch a glimpse of the snake. This can result in a potentially dangerous situation because the snake feels cornered and threatened.”

The reptile was later released into its natural habitat once it was ascertained that it was not hurt.

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder, Wildlife SOS said: “Such operations are extremely delicate as the safety of both the animal and people around is of utmost importance. Our trained team works round-the-clock to make it possible for people to co-exist with wildlife and to be more tolerant towards animals.”