As if Florida didn’t have its fair share of reptiles already, residents in Orlando now need to be on the lookout for a large king cobra that is on the loose.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that since the 8-foot-long snake escaped from its owner’s home and is now slithering around town somewhere, students at a nearby elementary school were forced to stay indoors Thursday. A school official said that all classes were held inside one main building.
There are concerns growing for citizens all over Orlando as Florida Fish and Wildlife officials have still not been able to track down the cobra, which got out of its cage after a series of rainstorms.
CNN noted that the snake’s owner, Mike Kennedy, who does have a permit to own the animal, is very upset that the reptile is missing.
"It's horrible that this has happened," Kennedy said. "It has been incredibly traumatic for me and my family."
Cobras are venomous creatures and not native to Florida. They are found in parts of Southeast Asia and grow up to 18 feet long.
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