Cobra bites at hand that feeds it

[emad]

NICOSIA (Reuters) - A snake handler in Cyprus was fighting for his life Tuesday after a king cobra bit the hand that fed him, authorities said.

The hooded snake bit his master when the man, 43, stuck his hand into a cage holding food at a traditional Cypriot religious festival attended by thousands of people Monday evening.

Poison from the king cobra, the longest venomous snake in the world, is highly toxic and can kill within minutes. The man was taken to a hospital where he was placed on a ventilator.

Attacks by king cobras, indigenous to the Indian sub continent and southeast Asia, are rare. Researchers say they strike only if they feel threatened.


http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=2005-06-21T124159Z_01_L21687777_RTRIDST_0_ODD-CYPRUS-COBRA-DC.XML
© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.

[hobbit709]

1. The king cobra's diet

consists mostly of other snakes. Its venom is not one of the more toxic ones, but a large snake can inject a large amount.

[RedCloud]

2. Still, final score: Cobras: 25,212 Non-Christians 0

[hobbit709]

3. I doubt

that cobra venom or any other kind is religion specific.

[Magrittes Pipe]

5. ...is that a "Divine Mr. J" reference?

:o

[Old_Fart]

4. "Duh" Keeping it in a basket might have made it feel threatened

:shrug: