Friday, February 26, 2010

A close encounter with an elusive Cobra

I was walking back from college today as I heard a soft rustel in the
roadside bushes. When I looked towards that direction, I was stunned
to see a huge snake. Not sure whether it was a Cobra or Rat Snake, I
went into the bushes to have a closer look. It sensed my presence and
started inflating its hood. I was mesmerised as this was my first very
close encounter with a wild Cobra in the open. I was so astonished to
see it that I forgot the fact that I had a cellphone with me and could
have captured a snap. All the snakes I have seen in the wild,
including other Cobras, give priority to running away. But this guy
was coming towards me. I was in a dilema whether to catch it or let it
go. The reason for the latter thought coming into my mind is that I
didn't want to do any roadside stunts and the animal was huge. But my
first thought was more realistic as it was very close to the road and
if, by chance it had come on the road, it would have got crushed for
sure as it is a very busy street.

The problem was with the size. Putting a 5 feet Cobra in a college bag
was near to impossible. I opened my bag to check how much space I had
to accomodate it. When I looked into my bag, the Cobra was infront of
me, not even at a meter distance. I looked in the bag for a second and
turned my head up to find out the astonishing fact that the snake had
disappeared. There was no sound or movement an how could it escape so
fast? At first, I thought it would be its amazing camouflage that is
allowing it to be undiscovered but I searched the whole area to find
out that it was actually gone. How can an animal disappear from
infront of you within a fraction of a second without making any sound
or leaving any trail? This was the most elusive creature I have ever
seen. I hope it would have gone into the deeper bushes and not towards
the road.

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