Police Probe Snake Breeder's Death

[Arthur Little]

Police in Nottingham have launched an investigation into the circumstances in which a man is believed to have died following a bite from one of the reptiles he bred behind his home in the city's Eastwood area.

Apparently he'd been due to open his 'King Cobra Sanctuary' to the public this weekend.

At first, it was thought the man had suffered a massive heart attack ... but, upon subsequent medical examination, it was discovered he'd succumbed to the effects of poisonous snake venom after being pronounced dead at the scene.

[Englishman2010]

A KIng Cobra's venom is powerful enough to kill an elephant.

If you play with matches, you're going to get burned.

Similarly Lion/Tiger tamers who put their heads in these creatures mouths sometimes get them bitten off

[Arthur Little]

A KIng Cobra's venom is powerful enough to kill an elephant.

If you play with matches, you're going to get burned.

Similarly Lion/Tiger tamers who put their heads in these creatures mouths sometimes get them bitten off

indeed, Ian ... s !!!

[Tawi2]

I have seen King Cobra (banakon) in Mindanao.

[Englishman2010]

I have seen King Cobra (banakon) in Mindanao.

Yeah, I've seen the snake charmers playing with them at Anjuna in Goa. I always suspected that they had done something to stop the venom flowing...is that possible?

[Tawi2]

I always suspected that they had done something to stop the venom flowing...is that possible?

De-fanging.

[Doc Alan]

The King Cobra is the largest venomous snake in the world, up to 5.5 metres long. Snake charmers do indeed remove the fangs or venom sac from such snakes, although this may be illegal. It does live in the Philippines and other parts of South East Asia - there is also the much smaller Philippines cobra ( up to a metre in length). Rice farmers are the usual victims in the Philippines, where there may be 200-300 deaths / year ( numbers are only approximate ).
It's estimated there are about 5 million snake bites in the world each year, but only 2% are fatal, the majority being non-venomous.
In the UK the only indigenous venomous snake is the adder, snake bites are uncommon, and the last fatal adder bite was about 30 years ago, to my knowledge.
However, about 10 UK residents are bitten by foreign snakes, either while travelling abroad or from captive snakes here. They should be assumed venomous, and the victim promptly admitted to hospital. With prompt treatment most such bites are not fatal ( even the King Cobra's bite may not use the full 7 ml of venom ). The sad thing about this fatality is that King Cobra antivenom is available in the UK ( and also, of course, European viper venom antiserum for adder bites).
The National Poisons Information Service has information on identification, management, and supply for bites by certain foreign snakes and spiders, stings by scorpions and fish. Surely this breeder ( who allegedly had 24 King Cobra snakes ) would have been aware of this, and even have a supply of specific antivenom
The neurotoxin in the venom probably did cause a heart attack ( cardiac arrest ).