An extremely venomous cobra that stowed away on a ship headed for New Jersey has been taken to the Bronx Zoo.
The container ship was on its way from Singapore to the Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal in New Jersey on Dec. 10 when the crew discovered the Indian cobra in the hold.
Two herpetologists from the Bronx Zoo rescued the roughly 18-inch snake on Monday once the ship docked after a request for help from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
It took them about half an hour to spot the cobra, which is a protected species, and the creature was cold, dehydrated and exposed to oil residue when they found it.
The snake is now being treated by veterinarians at the Bronx Zoo and its condition has improved since it arrived.
“When we located the snake deep below the deck of the container ship, it was in very poor condition,” Bronx Zoo staffer Kevin Torregrosa said in a statement. “We are cautiously optimistic regarding its recovery."
The snake is about one year old and its sex is still unknown, according to Torregrosa.
Indian cobras are native to Southern Asia and they can be found in urban and rural areas as they feast on rodents.
The snake may or may not stay at the zoo for good, Bronx Zoo Director Jim Breheny said in a statement.
“We have not yet determined if the cobra will remain at the zoo permanently," he said.
“At present, the snake is in quarantine and under treatment at our wildlife health center. Our main concern is to restore it to good health."
