Texas officials locate loose 8 to 10 foot long King Cobra

TEXAS -- Law enforcement officers say they have located a missing King Cobra in a Texas neighborhood.

Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday afternoon that officials were searching for the snake, which is 8 to 10 feet long. Crews targeted an area off of Cloudt Road in Needville, southwest of Houston. Texas Game Wardens assisted in the search.

The sheriff's office said the school district and neighbors were advised.

The department later shared a humorous photo online of the sheriff searching for the snake - while he stood on top of a car in an elevated position.

The caption read, "We might get fired, but we just have to share this pic of Sheriff (Troy) Nehls looking for the snake in Needvile from an 'elevated' position!"

Shortly after 4 p.m., the sheriff's office notified residents the snake had been located in a Facebook posting.

The snake was found alive and has been captured.

According to National Geographic, a single king cobra bite is enough to kill 20 people or one elephant. They are generally shy and try to avoid humans but will become aggressive if cornered.

The king cobra is considered the world's longest venomous snake and can grow as long as about 18 feet.

(KLTV - Aug 24, 2016)

North Carolina: Orange Co man bitten by cobra charged with illegal animal ownership

NORTH CAROLINA -- Authorities in Orange County have charged 21-year-old Ali Iyoob - who was bitten by a King Cobra in his home earlier this month - with seven counts of illegal animal ownership.

Court documents list two counts of venomous reptile ownership, two counts of crocodilian ownership, two counts of large constricting snakes ownership, and one count of keeping wild and dangerous animals.

Iyoob tried to drive himself to the emergency room after he was bitten by the snake May 2.

Iyoob made it about six miles down Highway 54 before pulling to the side of the road and telling a 911 dispatcher he was having trouble seeing and felt "nauseous." EMS picked him up and rushed him to the Intensive Care Unit at UNC Hospitals.

Photo taken from Iyoob's Facebook page

King Cobra antivenin was flown in from the Riverbank Zoo in Columbia, S.C., to treat Iyoob where he was listed in critical condition for days.

Iyoob is a former UNC biology major who works with Reptile Rescue of the Carolinas and has a clear passion for snakes.

After he was bitten, expert snake handlers spent six hours in his home identifying and removing 60 animals.

In addition to the King Cobra, a search warrant lists a cottonmouth, puff adder, Egyptian Cobra, Sharknose Viper, Lancehead Viper, 2 Zebra Spitting Cobras, Gavan Spitting Cobra, Banded Egyptian Cobra, 2 rattlesnakes, Whitetail Lancehead, Fer de Lance, Tree Viper, and 2 Monocled Cobras - in addition to many non-venomous snakes and other animals.

It's against an Orange County ordinance to keep venomous snakes. Officials said some snakes were un-permitted native wildlife species and others were in violation of a state statute that specifies the safe-keeping of venomous reptiles.

The venomous snakes were taken to a holding facility outside Orange County arranged by the Museum of Natural Sciences and the constrictor snakes are at the NC Zoological Park.

(WTVD-TV - May 25, 2016)