One bite can produce enough venom to kill an elephant. Much like the Gaboon viper, which can grow some of the largest fangs of all venomous snakes, the king cobra is considered an extremely dangerous animal. It hasn’t been found, and some snake lovers say it might not ever be, as king cobras are experts at hiding. That fact terrified many residents after the 8-foot king cobra escaped Sept. Some of those are zoos and wildlife reserves, but others are people keeping the animals at home. Records show that more than 60 people in Orange, Osceola, Seminole Lake, Volusia, Brevard and Polk counties have permits to keep venomous or potentially dangerous reptiles. “Like most of us, he has a genuine interest in these amazing animals,” Dewitt said. Smith is a retired science teacher, and Dewitt said that helps him appreciate the snakes “from a less-biased perspective.” “He follows all the rules set in place by FWC and has been keeping them safely for around 40 years,” Dewitt said in an email. Police said they counted about 16 to 18 venomous snakes in locked cages at Smith’s house Thursday night.ĭavid Dewitt, who is also permitted to keep venomous snakes at his Winter Garden home, said he knows Smith and that he’s a “great guy and a responsible venomous keeper.” The Gaboon viper that bit him was one of two that he owns and was only about an arm’s length - fairly small considering they can grow up to 6 feet long.įish and Wildlife spokesman Greg Workman said the man has all the proper permits and cages to keep the “highly venomous” snake. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he is recovering. He was attempting to feed the snake when it struck his left hand, a Winter Park police report states. to a home on the 2500 block of Temple Drive near Howell Branch Road, where they found 73-year-old Robert Smith had been bitten, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “Getting struck by lightning is much more likely than being hurt by this animal,” he said.That happened earlier this month when a king cobra escaped from its owner’s home, and again Thursday, when a Winter Park man was bitten by his Gaboon viper. Nevertheless, Kennedy points out that it’s unlikely anyone will get bitten. And, a bite from one can kill an elephant. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission advise that, if you come across a snake, do not try to catch it.Īccording to National Geographic, king cobras are shy when it comes to humans but, if cornered, get riled up. However, Kennedy said he believes it’s within 100 yards of the building, because it’s not acclimated to captivity and afraid of human interaction. “All it wants to do is stay hidden,” he said. It probably won’t be easy to find either, as the area is densely wooded. The missing snake slithered out within the past 24 hours, wildlife officials said Wednesday afternoon. Kennedy is licensed to own the deadly snake and told authorities that his other venomous snakes, including a female king cobra, in the home are in their enclosures. Kennedy said the situation is his “worst nightmare.” ![]() ![]() “It has been incredibly traumatic for me and my family.” “It’s horrible that this has happened,” he said. Kennedy was especially upset by the snake escape. They’re all experienced snake handlers, according to the FWC.Īn FWC biologist is assisting in the capture plan, and officers are patrolling a nearby elementary school. The ensuing flooding, then, allowed the snake to escape.Ĭurrently, 10 people are searching the 10-acre property where the king cobra went missing, including a Kennedy team and one from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Kennedy said the snake escaped from its cage because of weather-related events.Īfter a series of storms, a limb fell on Kennedy’s house, where the snake’s cage is located. The snake’s owner, Mike Kennedy, described it as male and 8 feet long – not as big as king cobras go but, still, a very venomous visitor to central Florida. The snake is green and white and is probably hunting for other snakes, lizards or small mammals. – Orlando residents are still on high alert Thursday after a king cobra slithered its way out of its cage Wednesday. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated.
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