5-foot-long cobra rescued from Noida varsity in Uttar Pradesh

Animal rescue and rehabilitation organisation Wildlife SOS rescued the cobra and released it back into its natural habitat

A five-foot-long cobra was rescued from the premises of a technical institute in Sector 110 on Monday. The snake, coiled around a 20-foot pole on a football field, was spotted by the staff of the Maharishi University of Information Technology, officials said.

According to authorities at Wildlife SOS, a two-member rescue team from the NGO’s rapid response unit was immediately dispatched to the spot. The team proceeded with caution to ensure the cobra did not suffer a potentially lethal fall from the pole. (HT Photo)

Animal rescue and rehabilitation organisation Wildlife SOS rescued the snake and released it back into its natural habitat. “We received a call from the university about the snake at our helpline 9871963535,” said a statement from Wildlife SOS.

According to authorities at Wildlife SOS, a two-member rescue team from the NGO’s rapid response unit was immediately dispatched to the spot. The team proceeded with caution to ensure the reptile did not suffer a potentially lethal fall from the pole, they said.

“After two gruelling hours, the snake was safely extricated from the pole and transferred into a transportation carrier. Post a medical examination at the NGO’s transit facility, we released the snake back into its natural habitat,” the statement said.

According to the forest department, the city houses several micro habitats to support snakes. “During the monsoon, snakes are spotted more frequently because their habitats are often affected due to rain. There are many snakes in the city area due to several habitats that support them. We urge people not to engage with the snakes if they spot any,” said Pramod Kumar Srivastav, divisional forest officer, Gautam Budh Nagar.

“Cobra rescue calls, in general, need to be handled wit the utmost caution since cobras are venomous snakes. In this case, we had to be doubly cautious because the snake could have been severely injured if it fell from such a height. Our team is meticulously trained to carry out such precarious rescue operations keeping in mind the safety of the animal as well as the public,” said Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS.