In more than 200 baby monocled cobras that escaped from the Chunyi Livestock Farm in Nanjing, 150 were caught or killed and some 50 more are not yet recaptured.
The local government has been alerted of the incident after a villager from Liuhe District found and killed a snake inside his house.
Upon notification, local authorities began a search for the unrecaptured snakes and started disseminating information within the neighborhood. They also set up a medical team, complete with an anti-venom from Shanghai and some ambulances, in case of any snake-biting situation.
They also reassured the residents that the young snakes are less toxic than the mature ones, and being adapted to the tropical weather, they are not likely to survive the arrival of winter.
Qin Guorong, the owner of the farm who failed to report about the escape, said that the incessant rain weakened the foundations of his farm, causing cracks on the cement floor. The baby snakes, which measure 20-centimeter long, slipped and found their way out through these cracks.
In August, Qin bought almost 2,000 monocled cobra eggs from Guangdong Province, and 1,500 of these survived hatching. He started breeding snakes last year in the hope to sell them to restaurants.
But because of the incident, the authorities closed the farm and subjected the owner to investigation.
The monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia) is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is called monocled because of its O-shape hood pattern. Its usual length is 4 feet to 5 feet, and the maximum can be up to 7.5 feet.
According to Reptiles magazine, its venom is one of the fastest acting snake venoms in the world with the potency depending on the location of the snake. It can cause death within an hour of the bite. The victim may experience drowsiness, neurological problems and muscle issues.