A deadly Egyptian cobra led a New York zoo on a snake
hunt Monday after escaping its enclosure and forcing shut down of
the entire reptile section.
The Bronx Zoo said the "Reptile House will be closed until
further notice" while keepers scoured for the venomous cobra, which
is an adolescent and still only 20 inches (50 cm) long.
The zoo said New Yorkers had nothing to worry about in the wake
of the snake-out late Friday.
"Based on our knowledge of the natural history and behavior of
snakes, we know they seek closed-in spaces and are not comfortable
in open areas. We are confident that the snake, about 20 inches
long, is contained in a non-public, isolation area within the
building," the zoo said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for the zoo could not immediately comment on
progress in the hunt Monday.