9-Foot King Cobra Rescued from Home Near Kumbhirgram Airport

A 9 to 10-foot-long king cobra was rescued from a house in the Kumbhirgram Airport area on Sunday evening, August 9, after a local resident alerted wildlife rescuers. Wildlife conservationist Trikal Chakraborty and his team reached the spot and safely rescued the snake after around an hour of operation. The king cobra was later released into its natural habitat.

According to information shared by Trikal Chakraborty, the rescue team included Joydeep Das, Bishal Bharadwaj and Shakirul Laskar. The team identified the snake as a king cobra after reaching the house and began the rescue operation carefully. A video shared by Trikal shows the rescue process and the subsequent release of the snake into a natural habitat.

The king cobra is a protected wild animal under India’s Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The species was listed under the Act’s protected schedules, and the present law continues to provide protection to scheduled wild animals. The Act provides legal protection for wildlife and regulates activities such as hunting and possession of protected wild animals.

The successful rescue also highlights the importance of cooperation between residents and trained wildlife rescuers when wild animals enter human settlements. People are advised not to approach, capture or harm venomous snakes and instead inform the Forest Department or trained rescuers.

Trikal Chakraborty has been involved in several such wildlife rescues in the Barak Valley. Last week, he led a rescue operation involving a Bengal Monitor Lizard measuring around six feet, which had entered a public toilet near Udharbond Police Station. The animal was rescued safely with the cooperation of local residents and was later released in a suitable natural habitat in the Barail Wildlife area.

In another rescue on June, Trikal and members of the Barak Valley Wildlife Division helped rescue a large Burmese Python from the Tarapur Part-6 residential area near Shibbari Road and Sukanta Road. The snake was safely taken into the custody of the rescue team and was to be released in a suitable forest habitat away from human settlements.

The latest king cobra rescue is another example of efforts to reduce human-wildlife conflict while ensuring that wild animals are returned safely to their natural surroundings. The operation also underlines the role of timely reporting and public cooperation in protecting wildlife.