Cobra Photo: VCG

Many people have a fear of snakes, especially venomous ones. So, imagine the shock when a 66-year-old woman in East China opened her door to find a cobra waiting outside.

On May 26, around noon, a female villager surnamed He from a mountainous area, was relaxing at home watching TV when she heard what sounded like knocking on her door.

Assuming it was a neighbor, she opened the door only to come face to face with a cobra. "I think the snake wanted to cool off inside because it was too hot outside. It started at the door and now it's inside," she said.

Panicked, He quickly fled the house and called police for help. 

Upon receiving the call, officers rushed to the scene. They deduced that the snake, over a meter long, had come from the nearby forest due to the high temperatures that day and sought refuge inside the house. Once inside, the cobra stayed in a dark corner without causing any chaos.

Firefighters arrived shortly after and carefully captured the snake using a snake-catching tool, placing it in a bag for safe transport. The cobra was later released back into the wild.

Netizens are also appeared to be shocked by the incident with some saying it serves as a reminder of the importance of coexisting with wildlife and the need for proper precautions when encountering potentially dangerous animals.

Cobras, known for their potent venom, are a species of snake under the Elapidae family. As of 2023, 31 species of cobras are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Endangered Species, with two species classified as endangered and three as vulnerable. The Zhoushan Cobra and the Bengal Cobra (wild population) are included in China's list of terrestrial wildlife with significant ecological, scientific and social value. 

Global Times