BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
GUIMARAS – A king cobra was captured by a resident in Sitio Lutong, Barangay Morobuan, Jordan town September 5.
In an interview with an anonymous officer from Guimaras Environment and Natural Resources Office (GENRO), it was confirmed that the king cobra, scientifically known as Ophiophagus hannah, had been handed over to their office before being immediately transferred to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Guimaras for safekeeping.
When asked if the snake might have escaped from a zoo in the province, the officer responded, “There is a zoo in Nueva Valencia, but I don’t believe they have keep king cobras. I’ve visited the zoo before and I didn’t see any.”
This marked the first time king cobra was turned over to their office this year, though there were sightings in June or July, according to the officer. In previous years, three to four cobras have been reported, with the first documented case in 2014.
“In my opinion, these cobras have likely been in Guimaras for a long time. Their natural habitat may have been disturbed, causing them to emerge. They were here long before humans settled in the area,” the GENRO officer added
According to ecologyasia.com, king cobra, one of the most venomous snakes on the planet, has a widespread presence in the Philippines (Sy, 2022) and is known to inhabit the islands of Cebu and Western Visayas, particularly in Negros Occidental and Aklan./PN
