A neighborhood in Raleigh, North Carolina is on edge after someone’s pet cobra slithered out of its enclosure and vanished earlier this week.
The snake, known as the zebra cobra, was spotted on the porch of a home on Sandringham Drive in northwest Raleigh around 5:10 p.m. Monday and hasn’t been seen since, according to WRAL-TV.
Animal control responded to the scene but the cobra was nowhere to be found, Fox 8 reported. Police issued an urgent alert overnight Tuesday, which resident awoke to later that morning.
As of late Wednesday morning there had been no further sightings.
The species is indigenous to Africa and capable of spitting or delivering a poisonous bite that can cause tissue damage or even death, according to reports citing the African Snake Bite Institute.
The nocturnal snake can grow to about 4 feet in length and has black stripes and a dark black or brown head. The species is not aggressive and would typically try to avoid a confrontation unless it becomes cornered, experts say.
Anxious residents said they were shocked to find out that such a dangerous animal was being kept as a pet in their community. Some expressed immediate concern for children and pets.
“It is pretty alarming,” said Mark Pavlic, who lives there in the neighborhood, according to WRAL. “It seems like a pretty dangerous snake, and dogs like to sniff in the grass and check things out. It’s an extreme worry.”
North Carolina law states a resident can own a venomous snake so long as the reptile is kept in a sturdy, escape-proof enclosure. It was unclear if the owner, whose name was not disclosed, would face any charges.
Police advised residents to call 911 if they see the snake.
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