Poisonous Cobra Missing at Bronx Zoo

An Egyptian (and deadly) Cobra has been missing from the Bronx Zoo in New York since Friday. Zoo officials do not think the 20-inch-long snake has traveled far from the zoo. However, the snake could be in a public area which is extremely dangerous.

The snake’s home in the Reptile House at the zoo has been closed for the whole weekend and will not reopen until the snake has been found. Zookeepers said it’s “out of abundance of caution.” People are hopeful that the snake is contained in an isolated, non-public area around the zoo. Snakes are known to prefer closed areas.

The snake has made deadlines all around the country and even has her own Twitter account, more like an online spoof, about her adventures around the city. The snake has over 22,000 followers (and growing).

One of the Tweets said,”Leaving Wall Street. These guys make my skin crawl.” Another said, “It’s getting pretty cold out. I think it’s probably time to crash. Oh look, an apartment window someone left open just a crack. Perfect!”

Officials have said that the snake is a juvenile of the species and will emerge once it is hungry and thirsty enough, which will make it easier to find.

The Egyptian Cobra is most commonly found in North Africa. The cobra’s bite is deadly and can lead to death due to respiratory failure if it is not treated correctly. According to wildlife experts, “Its venom is so deadly that it can kill a full-grown elephant in three hours — or a person in about 15 minutes.”

Zoo officials admitted it might take weeks to finally locate the snake, also known as “Cobra-dini.” According to legend, the ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra used the cobra to commit suicide.

“Right now, it’s the snake’s game. At this point, it’s just like fishing; you put the hook in the water and wait. Our best strategy is patience, allowing her time to come out of hiding,” said James J. Breheny, the zoo’s director, in a statement to the New York Times.

Photo by quantumbutterfly via flickr