5-Foot-Long Cobra Checks Into Dilli Haat, Rescued

New Delhi: A Delhi Tourism corporation office at Dilli Haat in Pitampura had an unlikely visitor - a nearly 5-foot-long cobra.

The venomous snake was found inside the assistant engineer's office of the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) branch yesterday, a wildlife NGO today said.

"The snake was rescued. It is currently under observation and will be released back into its natural habitat once deemed fit," an official of Wildlife SOS said.

Assistant Engineer, Deepak Kumar Saxena said, "I was shocked to discover the large cobra inside my office room."

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said, "Being one of the four most venomous snake species to be found in India, our team had to exercise a lot of caution while conducting the rescue in order to avoid any unnecessary casualties.

"We request people not to handle any wild animal or reptile themselves as it can prove to be dangerous, especially in cases involving venomous reptiles."

Meanwhile, a nearly 7-foot-long rat snake was rescued by the NGO today from the official residence of the Senior Superintendent of Police in the Baluganj area in Agra, it said.

"Rat snakes are a non-venomous snake species that primarily feed on rodents, toads, small birds, lizards and eggs," Mr Satyanarayan said.

They often wander into the human habitation due to depletion of natural prey base. However, due to their resemblance to cobras, this species is often misidentified as the highly venomous snake and is met with hostility and fear, the NGO said.