Venomous West African Cobra on the Loose; Is Snake Ownership Allowed?

The Grand Prairie Police Department announced yesterday that a cobra is on the loose after its owner reported that it's missing this week.

A Mail Online report specified that officials had asked people who pot the highly venomous and poisonous West African banded cobra, considered an aggressive creature, not to go near or approach it.

According to the police department, it has partnered with the local fire department to alert hospitals in the area of the missing snake and initiate a protocol to treat anyone bitten by the bitten snake.

West African Banded Cobra

The cobra's owner, who has not been identified, was authorized by the State of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to have the snake.

Nonetheless, in an NBC 5 report, they said the poisonous snake might have been caught inside the walls of the owner's house and died, or it may have died from the heat in Texas. In the said news report, the owner apologized, admitting to making a mistake and feeling sorry for the community.

Recalling what happened, he also said he left "to go get food" for his other animals down the street. When he returned, the snake owner saw its cage door open by an inch. He continued and said the cobra might have found a way to open the cage.

A West African banded cobra's bite, even though new to science, is considered fatal to humans. This was according to a study, Integration of nuclear and mitochondrial gene sequences and morphology reveals unexpected diversity in the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) species complex in Central and West Africa (Serpentes: Elapidae), published in Zootaxa.

According to the Animal Diversity Web, this snake is considered a subspecies of the forest cobra, one of the world's most poisonous snakes.

Snake Ownership in Texas

A similar report, Fort Worth Star-Telegram through MSN News said, according to the Dallas County rules, poisonous snakes are considered forbidden animals.

In the entire state, Texans can usually own nonpoisonous snakes unless their county orders otherwise. However, snakes that are native to Texas or are considered venomous or unusual require a permit issued by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in order to be owned.

In particular, African rock pythons, green anacondas, Asian rock pythons, and reticulated pythons are considered hazardous and exotic.

Unlike guidelines for many other exotic animals, Texas law does not indicate the form of the enclosure a snake must be kept inside.

Texas laws include specifications for types of enclosures for specific dangerous wild animals, but snakes are not included on the list of such creatures.

Nonetheless, a TWPD representative said that an individual could be charged a class A misdemeanor penalty for deliberately, recklessly, or carelessly allowing the snake's escape.

Earlier Report of a Missing Snake

The African Snake Bite Institute said that the snakes, including West African banded cobra, can reach a maximum of nine feet in length, although bites from this group are considered infrequent.

In June, a spitting zebra cobra was reported to have escaped at its owner's house in Raleigh, North Carolina, and this ignited fear in the neighborhood.

However, the snake was sooner or later captured by Raleigh's police department after using glue traps to capture and take out the reptile safely.

A report about the missing cobra is shown on CBSDFW's YouTube video below:

Check out more news and information on Venom in Science Times.