A stow-away Indian Cobra was rescued from a container ship bound for the APM Terminals at the Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal in New Jersey. On December 10th, the ship was heading from Singapore to the United States when the crew discovered the 18-inch long cobra in the hold. The snake was in a poor condition – dehydrated, cold and exposed to oil residue.
Once the ship docked in New Jersey, two herpetologists, Kevin Torregrosa and Shuter, equipped with snake tongs and hooks, a snake bag, headlamps, and antivenin, from the U.S. Bronx Zoo rescued the snake. It took approximately half an hour to locate the Cobra, and it was placed in a snake bag, hoisted back to the deck and brought to the Bronx Zoo.
Kevin Torregrosa said, “When we located the snake deep below the deck of the container ship, it was in very poor condition. We are cautiously optimistic regarding its recovery.”
Jim Breheny, Bronx Zoo Director and WCS Executive Vice President of the Zoos and Aquarium, said: “We have not yet determined if the cobra will remain at the zoo permanently. At present, the snake is in quarantine and under treatment at our wildlife health center. Our main concern is to restore it to good health. We were happy to assist the ship’s crew and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with this rescue.”
Source: NBC newyork
