KING COBRA ARRIVES

SSSS SPINE CHILLING!!! The King Cobra that was brought to Thrissur zoo yesterday. The 12ft snake weighs around 9kg. Picture by K Anup A NEW guest arrived at the zoo yesterday, causing some frightening moments for the visitors. A 25-year-old King Cobra, caught from the Nerimangalam- Neendapara region of the Idukki district, is now in a glass cage at the zoo. The 12ft snake weighs around 9kg. The temperature inside the cage has been brought down as it is highly essential for its survival. King Cobras are usually found in tropical forests. They come out of forests in search of prey. "Rat snakes are their favourite food," says Joseph, the snake keeper at the zoo, who caught the snake. The snake suffered bruises while taken into 'custody'. Treatment has already been given by the zoo authorities. "If provoked, the highly venomous snake will rise more than 8ft," Joseph said. Its poison can kill a man within seven seconds of the bite. At the zoo, the king is cool as visitors gather before the cage.