Cobra Gone Missing in NYC

[zzmac]

Deadly Egyptian cobra missing from Bronx Zoo

By Deborah Brunswick, CNN March 27, 2011 12:25 p.m. EDT

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/27/new...ex.html?hpt=T2
New York (CNN) -- A venomous Egyptian cobra went missing from New York's Bronx Zoo, prompting the closure of the zoo's reptile house until further notice.

Staff was alerted Saturday that the adolescent Egyptian cobra was missing from an off-exhibit enclosure, according to a statement from the zoo. Staff members closed and secured the reptile house.

Zoo officials said they are confident the 20-inch-long snake is contained in a nonpublic, isolated area of the building.

"Based on our knowledge of the natural history and behavior of snakes, we know they seek closed-in spaces and are not comfortable in open areas," the zoo statement said.

The Egyptian cobra is most commonly found in North Africa. Its venom is so deadly that it can kill a full-grown elephant in three hours -- or a person in about 15 minutes, according to wildlife experts. The venom destroys nerve tissue and causes paralysis and death due to respiratory failure.

Scholars believe the Egyptian cobra was known in ancient times as the asp. Legend has it that Cleopatra, the ancient Egyptian queen, used an asp to commit suicide.

[rustyBob]

Thats not good....
hope they find it....

[James Stern]

What I read was the Asp bit Cleo on the Asp. But you can't believe all that you read. Back to Bob.

[patrickt]

I remember back in 1983 two idiot teenagers slipped in to our National Zoo and managed to steal two Gaboon Vipers. These venomous snakes have fangs about the length of my little finger. The idiots put them in a plastic bag and then slung them over their shoulders as they got on a bus. I don't remember whether they eventually lived or died, but it made for quite a story. http://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/08/us...ecovering.html

[STEVE-O]

Maybe it was going to the Columbus Circle cobra cruise-in. Didnt say what color stripes it had so it might be hard to pick out.

[Mark IV]

[quote=patrickt;1119157]I remember back in 1983 two idiot teenagers slipped in to our National Zoo and managed to steal two Gaboon Vipers. These venomous snakes have fangs about the length of my little finger. The idiots put them in a plastic bag and then slung them over their shoulders as they got on a bus. I don't remember whether they eventually lived or died, but it made for quite a story. http://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/08/us...ecovering.html

QUOTE]

Darwin at work.........