The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission(FWC) issued an appeal to caution due to the escape of a potentially dangerous king cobra.
On Tuesday, Sept. 1, the venomous snake slithered away from its confinement and has not been spotted since. It is green and white and looks very similar to the snake in the picture provided by the FWC, but it is larger in size. According to its owner, Mike Kennedy, the reptile is about 8-feet long and is the male partner of the queen cobra from the image.
Kennedy, who stars in the Discovery Channel's Airplane Repo, is an exotic animal expert and dealer. He assured the authorities that the rest of the reptiles are safely enclosed in their cages and pointed out that king cobras tend to shy away from human presence and get defensive only when cornered. Being a snake hunter, it is likely that the serpent is on the hunt for smaller snakes, lizards or small rodents.
The State of Florida allows private owners to keep dangerous animals as pets, but they are obliged by law to report missing creatures on the spot. The officials confirm that Kennedy followed the proper procedure when declaring the incident, but there is talk about a possible fine for negligence and endangering public safety.
Some residents are reacting strongly to the incident.
"I'm going to go load my guns. Well, they're already loaded, but I'm going to have them ready for sure," said Kennedy's neighbor, James McLeod.
Others have expressed concern for their families or pets.
The heavily wooded estate where the pet has disappeared is located in the vicinity of the 4800 block of North Apopka Vineland Road. For the brave Americans who are considering taking on the king cobra on sight, know that a bite from one is capable of killing an elephant. So, if you intended to travel to that part of Florida, you might want to delay your trip it until the deadly snake is detected and returned to its shelter.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission advise the citizens to immediately announce any sighting to the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922)
