PHUKET: Rescue workers are urging villagers to beware king cobras in the Moo 2 area of Pa Khlok after four large king cobras each measuring over five metres long have been caught in the area in the past month.

The latest large king cobra was caught late yesterday (Feb 5), Nattaphong Kongkim of the Kusoldharm Rescue Foundation explained.

Rescue workers were called to the house, located in the middle of a rubber plantation, by Northeast native Ponma Thanasom, who was visibly frightened and pointing to a large rack for hanging rubber sheets to dry, where he said a very large cobra was hiding.

The rescue team soon had safely snared the snake, which measured about five metres long and weighed more than 10kg.

“This is the fourth large king cobra we have caught in the area in the past month, and certainly the largest,” Mr Nattaphong said.

More snakes of similar size are expected to still be in the area, he added.

“The king cobras we have caught all have similar markings and are all about the same size, so it is likely they are all from the same nest,” Mr Nattaphong explained.

He urged caution in the area, notably Moo 2, where the snakes have been caught as he believes the area is perfect for snakes, especially if they all originated from the same nest in the area.

“The area is all rubber plantations and there is a natural creek nearby. There are fish and crabs in the creek, and rats often come out for their food, so snakes come out for prey and chase them into the local farmer’s homes,” Mr Nattaphong explained.

Mr Nattaphong urged people to not engage with any large snakes they might find.

“Just call us and we will come and safely catch the snake,” he said.

All the snakes caught in the area are handed over to wildlife officers at the Khao Phra Thao Non-Hunting Area natural reserve and released into the wild, he added.

 

 

The Phuket News