Wildlife specialists in India successfully trapped the white snake and then
released it back into the wild.
A residence in India had to be cleared of a highly dangerous and
potentially lethal albino cobra after the white snake entered after a heavy
downpour.
On May 3, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu state, southern India, neighbors saw a
pale cobra crawling out of quickly moving water on the ground and into a
tunnel next to the home. After the snake was securely captured by
specialists from the Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust (WNCT), it was
put back into the wild.
An albino Indian cobra (Naja naja), measuring 5 feet (1.5 meters) long, was
found, according to WNCT officials'
Facebook
post. The species, sometimes known as spectacled cobras, is one of India's
"big four" snake species and is thought to be the cause of the majority of
snakebite incidents there.
Animals with albinism, a hereditary disorder, are unable to produce the
pigment melanin, which gives their skin, hair, feathers, or scales color.
Given that the gene is recessive, both parents must carry it in order to
pass it on to their offspring. Albino animals also lack pigment in their
irises, resulting in pink or crimson eyes that impair eyesight or render
them completely blind. Additionally, their skin is extremely vulnerable to
sunburns.
Albinism is often a death sentence for animals. Many young animals in the
wild perish as a result of predators spotting them because of their white
colouring. The Coimbatore cobra, however, appears to be fully developed and
has not been much impacted by its condition based on its size.
Albinism isn't always a drawback, either, at least for some snakes.
Researchers tested whether albino or white snakes were more vulnerable to
avian predation than snakes of other colors in a study that was published in
the February 2022 issue of the journal
Zoology. The findings revealed that albinism did not increase the incidence of
predation, possibly as a consequence of the birds' confusion over the
snakes' skin patterns as a result of their discolouration.
Because of the snake's great venom potential, it was crucial to safely
capture it. If not treated right away, their poison "can cause paralysis and
even death," according to WNCT reps. Because any misstep might have serious
repercussions, it is imperative to handle these snakes with extreme caution
and experience.
According to the
World Health Organization(opens in new tab), snakebites account for between 81,000 and 138,000
fatalities each year in India.
Cobras are also capable of giving dry bites, which have no venom. An
unknown species of cobra bit an 8-year-old child in India in November 2022,
causing him to bite the snake in revenge, killing it.
