Cobra trapped for weeks in bottle-cap ring rescued

The snake, found in Mulund, faced serious risk of respiratory distress and tissue damage before being safely freed

The careless disposal of large plastic containers and their caps continues to endanger wildlife and animals. This time, an Indian spectacled cobra in Mulund was found with its head stuck inside a plastic tamper-evident band of a bottle cap, suffering blunt cuts and bruises from its head down to its hood. Fortunately, the reptile was safely rescued, and the plastic band was removed. The cobra is currently under observation and is out of danger.

The tamper-evident band in which the cobra’s head was trapped

Honorary Wildlife Warden of Thane and President of NGO RAWW, Pawan Sharma, told mid-day that a few days ago, their helpline received a call from residents of Model Town in Mulund West regarding the sighting of an Indian Spectacled Cobra in their locality.

“Our team reached the spot and, after conducting a recce, observed that the reptile’s head was stuck in an unidentified object. After tracking it for a couple of days, the snake was spotted again near the locality, hiding inside a hole with its head hanging outside. Our team members, Ritik and Sahil, assessed the situation after speaking with locals and found that the venomous reptile’s head was trapped inside a discarded plastic tamper band of a bottle,” said Sharma.

Upon rescuing the snake, it was discovered that the 4.5-foot-long cobra had sustained blunt cuts and bruises on its head, extending to its hood. “During the medical examination, it was determined that the injury was caused by the plastic bottle band, which had been stuck around the cobra’s head for at least three weeks, making movement difficult. Snakes, including cobras, have a highly flexible skull that allows them to swallow prey whole,” Sharma added.

According to an Instagram post by NGO RAWW, a cobra’s skull bones have specialised joints and connections that provide flexibility and expansion. The reptile’s prolonged entrapment could have resulted in respiratory distress due to restricted airflow. The constriction might have caused swelling and tissue damage around the snake’s neck and head. In such cases, prolonged entrapment can lead to hypoxia, which may result in brain damage, organ failure, or even death.

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