Come summer, and Agumbe throws surprises. Ever heard of a king cobra in a car?

Yes, that is the kind of surprise we were in. We received a frantic call from the owner saying the villagers spotted a king cobra dash into the bonnet of his Hyundai i10 Car after being chased by dogs. We rushed to the spot. Settled under the bonnet, he was probably watching the crowd between the gaps. It was through the same gap we saw his bulging scales. Typically, all it would take is to gently open the bonnet, safely uncoil his curls, and bag him.

Just as we got about doing this, he threw another surprise. The mid-morning heat and probably the warmth of the car had charged him well. As any king cobra would do, he tried to escape the hold and slither away presenting another challenge in disentangling him from the nooks and corners. These were testing times, and testing times call for patience and perseverance.

We knew well that the rescue was to be done with the least stress to the snake. We grabbed a flexible stick and started to prod it from different angles, staying alert to handle him once he dashed out. It took a good over 30 minutes of prodding, waiting, nudging, and holding him before he came loose.

The crowd watched in anticipation as we pulled this 10-foot-long serpent from an uncomfortable space. We bid goodbye to the villagers and, so did the King Cobra who went back into his kingdom soon after his release. As always as I say, it is the people's patience, support, and concern that saves King Cobra's lives in Agumbe.