Picture used for representative purpose only.
A black cobra was spotted in Eldeco Utopia, a residential society in Sector 93A, Noida, on Thursday morning. Residents have been keeping away from the green areas in the society since.
The cobra was seen outside flat number 16 on the ground floor of Sylvan View tower heading towards flat number 18 (also on the ground floor) in the same tower. After a dog started barking, residents came out to see what the matter was.
The owner of flat number 16 said, “The door facing the lawn was open and my three-year-old daughter was going to step out. I immediately informed the security and Capt. Vikash Tuli, a resident who manages the society’s security.”
The black-coloured cobra was reportedly 3.5 feet long and had come through the boundary wall of Sylvan View tower. A huge drainage line runs outside the tower along the boundary wall . There are also bushes on the sides of the drainage line.
Capt Vikash immediately called up wildlife SOS helpline and urged them to send snake catchers. A team of two snake catchers reached the society within an hour. But they could not catch the snake as it had slithered somewhere towards the lawn or the bushes outside the boundary wall. They searched for the reptile in the lawn and other places where the snake could have gone, especially a pile-up of stones, bricks and wooden pallets.
Suraj Pal, an officer with the Wildlife SOS, said, “On receiving complaint, we left for the spot immediately. We reached the society within 50 to 55 minutes of getting the call. But the snake had slithered somewhere before we reached.”
Capt Vikash said that the Wildlife SOS has told him that the snake would be caught when it is trapped in a place, such as bathrooms and enclosed basement, from where it can get out on its own.
He added that the problem is not a new one as a snake was spotted a few months ago too. “The society has initiated precautionary measures, such as removal of piled-up stones, bricks and wooden pallets. Plants are being trimmed so that snakes cannot hide in them.”
