A 2.4m King Cobra Escapes from Zoo Enclosure by Slithering through Light Fixture.
Skansen Aquarium in Stockholm, Sweden, had to partially close after a 2.4m king cobra named Sir Vass escaped from its enclosure, New York Post reported on October 26. The snake slithered out through a light fixture on October 22, just days after arriving at the zoo. Zoo director Jonas Wahlstrom stated that following the incident, the snake has been renamed Houdini, after the famous escape artist.
Staff scattered flour to try to track the “fugitive” and set up several sticky traps. They also installed special cameras designed to monitor the plumbing in search of hard-to-reach corners.
The enclosure at Skansen Aquarium has housed king cobras for about 15 years, but Houdini managed to find a way out in just a few days, Wahlstrom noted. He explained that the snake had an advantage over its predecessors because zoo staff had recently replaced the old light fixture with a low-energy bulb.
“The old light was so hot that no snake wanted to go near it. But now it’s not hot at all; the new king cobra discovered this and slithered between the bulb and the fixture, successfully escaping the enclosure,” Wahlstrom said.
King Cobra Houdini managed to escape in just a few days.
The reptile area of the zoo has been sealed off and will remain closed until Houdini is captured. Wahlstrom stated that there is no risk of it escaping outside. Even in such a case, it would not survive the cold outdoor weather. Wahlstrom also emphasized that king cobras are generally quite calm and do not often attack.
The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the longest venomous snake in the world. Adult individuals typically reach about 4m in length, but some can exceed 5.5m. King cobras are found in India, southern China, and Southeast Asia. These snakes usually hunt during the day, targeting prey such as other snakes, lizards, eggs, and some small mammals. While king cobras primarily hunt on the ground, they can also climb trees and swim.
