RUPANDEHI, Nov 13: A 12-foot-long King Cobra, one of the world’s most venomous snakes, was discovered alive in Devdaha Municipality of Rupandehi on Wednesday — marking the first recorded sighting of the rare species in Nepal’s Tarai region.
The snake was spotted at the home of Lemkumari Rana Magar in Devdaha-10 and was safely rescued by the Butwal Snake Rescue Team led by rescuer Bishal Pandey after nearly three hours of effort. The King Cobra measured 12 feet 3 inches in length and weighed around 7.2 kilograms.
According to Pandey, this is the first time a live King Cobra has been found in the area, though a dead one was discovered in Butwal’s Phoolbari nearly 14 years ago. The rescued snake was later released into a safe habitat under the supervision of the Division Forest Office, Rupandehi.
Rare King Cobra sighted in Ghatan, Myagdi
Experts say the King Cobra, which primarily feeds on other snakes, is generally shy and avoids human contact. While around 82 species of snakes are found in Nepal, the King Cobra remains among the rarest.
Herpetologists suggest that changing climate patterns and rising temperatures may be driving species like the King Cobra to move toward new habitats.
