ORLANDO, Fla. — More than 4,500 animals have been removed from Orange County roads since 2014. Eighteen of those were snakes, yet experts said odds are the next time a missing king cobra is seen, it will be dead on the side of the road.
"This snake is not looking to attack people in day care centers, nursing homes, hospitals or backyards for that matter. This snake is looking for other snakes to eat and a place to thermo-regulate," said herpetologist James Peters, who adds that roads are often a place where snakes will regulate their body temperature; a deadly location for the reptiles.
“The reason that you don't see indigos and other large terrestrial snakes in your yard is because of the high mortality rate they face when crossing the road," said Peters. “Smooth surface like this, they have no traction, so once they enter a roadway, they are slipping and sliding, therefore they don't have the ability to put on that burst of speed to get out of the way of a car."
Photos: King cobra escapes
Raw: What to do if you spot a poisonous snake | Cobra Facts
Orange County roadkill crews have been told to keep an eye out for any snakes found in the vicinity of North Apopka Vineland Road, where the cobra escaped its enclosure.
“If we got 18 (snakes) in 24 months, we’d be lucky to get half of that because the rest would be carried away by some kind of critter,” said Orange County contractor Russell Barnes.
Barnes said unlike larger animals that are called in to the county’s 311 lines, snakes are often overlooked by drivers who may not know that they’ve hit the animal. Not only does the snake’s size make it difficult to spot, but once it is hit, it's an easy meal for other animals that feed off roadkill.
Florida Fish and Wildlife has scaled back its active hunting efforts to find the snake alive. The agency said it is reviewing the license of the man who owned the cobra before its escape.
WJAX
