13-foot king cobra wrestled from sewer in Thailand

BANGKOK - A feisty four-meter (13-foot) king cobra was pulled from a sewer in southern Thailand in an hour-long operation, a rescue foundation said Tuesday, describing the reptile as one of the largest they had ever captured.

Footage of the daring capture showed a man chasing the cobra -- the world's longest venomous snake -- into a dark and cramped drainage pipe.

The cobra splashed around in water and tried to slither back into the pipe, but was pulled out by the tail after multiple attempts.

A security guard on the housing estate where it was found first alerted the rescue group on Sunday.

"Seven rescue workers, including me, went there," said Kritkamon Kanghae, 26, adding that the estate was built on a plot that was once jungle.

Kritkamon said the snake was more than four meters long, weighed 15 kilos (33 pounds), and was the third-largest they had found.

It was later released into the wild.

Thailand is teeming with reptiles, and several species of cobra are native to the southeast Asian country.

References to the deadly snake fill folklore.

The main international airport was built on an area that used to be called "Cobra's Swamp".

Snakes have increasingly become a headache for residents in the Thai capital, where the fire department is sent out to respond to calls from alarmed residents.

Authorities are reluctant to get rid of the reptiles because they help to control a rat population that could otherwise threaten crops and food stocks.

King cobras, however, mainly feed on other snakes -- particularly the rat snake.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Escaped cobra terrorizes German town

A deadly cobra was on the loose in the German town of Herne on Tuesday, with local residents told to keep their windows closed and steer clear of long grass.

The meter-long snake, a monocled cobra whose bite can be fatal, has been missing since Sunday after escaping from its owner in the western city of Herne.

Four buildings in the area where the snake was last seen have been evacuated with residents in the surrounding area told to shut all doors and windows.

Local authorities said the evacuated buildings will "remain locked and we will be regularly checking for any trace of the snake".

"Of course, this is not nice for the residents, but security must come first," added a city spokesman. 

"We assume that the snake will most likely remain in the building" where its owner lives.

One method of tracking the cobra involves spreading flour in the buildings under surveillance in the hope the snake will leave a trail.

Locals should remain vigilant and "if possible, stay on paved paths and avoid walking in tall grass or dense vegetation," urged the spokesman.

The owner has already had around 20 other snakes seized from his collection since raising the alarm.

"We are waiting for a snake experts' assessment", added the spokesman.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

LOOK: Lovi Poe poses with snake in FHM cover

MANILA - Actress Lovi Poe has again graced the cover of FHM with an animal companion. But instead of posing with an elephant, the sexy temptress, this time around, had a snake wrapped around her body.

"I've had shoots with snakes before, but never like this. I've never had to wrap one around me like that. Ang bigat niya!" she said. "But I just let the snake go and executed the poses we had planned. Snakes are not really one of my primal fears. I'm much more afraid of heights."

Her confidence in dealing with snakes showed, as she looked comfortable with the creature while wearing a skimpy two-piece lingerie. The snaps are part of the men's magazine's October issue.

"I don't know why people think of me in the way they see me when I pose for a magazine, but sometimes I like to think that I'm the exact opposite," said Poe.

"Honestly, I may look like this onscreen, I may pose like this on magazines, but I'm really very shy. People would say, 'she's such a flirt,' 'she shows too much skin,' but honestly, if you ask the people I'm close with, they'll say that I'm very shy. But I guess what I can say is, I can probably seduce a guy with my awkwardness," she added.

Poe last graced the cover of FHM in 2011. She was included in the magazine's annual list of "Sexiest Women in the Country," landing in 34th place this year.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com