CHONBURI – Mr. Nirut Chomngam, also known as Nick the Herpetologist, an expert in snakes and reptiles, spoke with Matichon Online on January 10 about the huge king cobra that was captured on a golf course after the Ban Bueng Rescue Team Association of Chonburi Province asked him to examine it.
A large king cobra was seen on a golf course on January 2 in Chonburi’s Village No. 6 in the Khlong Kiew Subdistrict of the Ban Bueng District. On that day, rescuers from the Ban Bueng Association caught him and took him to the office. The snake measured 4 metres, 20 centimetres long, and weighed 12 kilogrammes.
Mr. Nirut confirmed that the king cobra was unusually huge. After some observation, it was determined that this snake was most likely unwell. He had a wound on his back as well as symptoms of lethargy and inactivity. There is a protruding spine, and the ribs are cracked. It is assumed that he had fled a forest fire on the mountain and was thirsty.
“We decided to send this snake to the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute in Bangkok, a venomous snake husbandry facility, rather than releasing him into the wild, especially during the forest fire season. The institute has veterinarians who can best care for this huge king cobra’s health,” Mr. Nirut stated.
Mr. Nirut believes there are two possible explanations for this king cobra’s extremely big size: 1. Because there is a unique gene, or a certain feature, which is extremely tough to locate. 2. Because the area has a plenty of food, particularly pythons.
“If a king cobra consumes a similar-sized python, it can grow to be this enormous,” he stated.
