Depending on where you live, it might not be uncommon to encounter a snake in your yard, especially if you have tall grass or a rodent problem. But these snakes are often just the harmless species, like your common garden snake or rat snake. Unfortunately, the next snake they encounter might not be that harmless to an area’s residents. The police are now warning of a highly poisonous snake that runs free in Texas, or rather slips. Read on to find out if you might encounter this dangerous creature.
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A poisonous cobra snake lives in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Officials from Grand Prairie, Texas alerted residents to a missing cobra on Aug. 4. According to the police, the owner of a poisonous West African gang cobra reported his snake missing at Grand Prairie Animal Services at around 6 a.m. the night before: 30 p.m. But after a long search through the night, professionals could not find the snake. On Thursday morning, a representative from the Grand Prairie Police Department confirmed to CBS subsidiary KLST News that no sightings of the snake had been reported.
If you think you’ve seen the cobra, the police say you should call 911.
Police are asking local residents who live in the area to call 911 immediately if they see any type of snake believed to be the missing cobra. According to The Dallas Morning News, the West African banded cobra is black and tan and six feet long. “Do not approach the poisonous snake or try to catch it,” warned Grand Prairie police.
The owner, who asked not to be named, told NBC 5 that he was sorry for causing panic and that his snake may already be dead, either because it was trapped between the walls of his home or by the Creek along I-30, a major highway that runs from Grand Prairie to Dallas. “I made a mistake and I’m very sorry for the community,” said the owner.
The story goes on
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The poisonous bite from this cobra can be fatal to humans.
A bite from this West African banded cobra snake can be fatal. Randall Kennedy, a snake handler with Dallas Fort Worth Wildlife Control, told NBC 5. “It’s an extremely dangerous snake when bitten,” he said. “That could be fatal to an adult.”
Kennedy said the snake will likely hide in bushes when outside and only tend to be aggressive when approaching or provoking. “First they’ll get up and show you their hood and try to warn you to come back,” said Kennedy. “Unfortunately it is very devastating if you are bitten by it. A lot of tissue damage immediately. You can fall into a coma. It can attack the nervous system.”
Grand Prairie Police say they have teamed up with the Grand Prairie Fire Department to alert the area hospitals of the missing snake and “have entered into a protocol with Parkland Hospital to avoid this type of snake bite if it is encountered Treating people ”.
The owner of the cobra could be charged for allowing her to escape.
According to KLST News, the cobra snake owner has a permit to own a non-native snake in Texas. But Texas state’s Parks and Wildlife Department confirmed that despite the permit, these species of snakes are still illegal in Grand Prairie. “Having a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Controlled Exotic Snake Permit does not affect [the municipality’s laws] whatever, “said a department representative from the news agency.
The owner can also be charged with misdemeanor charges for allowing the cobra to escape, be it “recklessly, intentionally, or negligently,” said the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
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