Venomous Cobra Roaming City Center Captured in the Netherlands After One Month

Found Near Doorframe of Escaped House
Local Police Conduct One-Month Search

A highly venomous cobra escaped from a household in Lelystad, Netherlands, causing a commotion. Local police were able to safely capture the cobra after a month-long search operation.

The Lelystad city government announced on its official news website on the 18th (local time) that "the escaped cobra was safely captured around noon on Monday." The cobra was lying in a door frame on a street near the escaped residence, and the police took advantage of this to capture it.

Cobra captured by local police [Image source=Relistad homepage]

The city government stated, "Police who responded to a citizen's report of the snake's first sighting captured the snake within minutes and it is currently being safely kept," adding, "The snake has weakened somewhat due to the cold, but its life is not in danger. The snake will be transferred as soon as possible to a shelter on the outskirts of Lelystad." Cobras mainly inhabit warm areas with temperatures between 27 and 33 degrees Celsius. The Netherlands, a Western European country, is known to have a climate unsuitable for cobras.

The cobra is known to be a venomous snake primarily found in South Africa. It was about 50 cm long and had been living in a household before escaping. The news of the snake's escape was first reported on the 20th of last month, about a month ago. At that time, the Lelystad city government issued an emergency press release urging nearby residents to "keep all windows and doors closed, and if you spot the snake, do not try to catch or chase it," and "immediately maintain distance and report to the police."

Local police deployed snake experts to search for the cobra and actively requested citizens to report sightings. Fortunately, the species is not highly aggressive and was more likely to stay in warm and dry places rather than passing through crowded areas. A snake expert speculated, "It is highly likely that the cobra has not yet left the vicinity of its owner's house."

The cobra is classified as a very dangerous species among venomous snakes because its neurotoxin can destroy the human nervous system. Although cobras are not highly aggressive, if they become excited or feel threatened, they are known to straighten their bodies and hiss. Approaching them rashly at this time poses a risk of attack.