12. 11 Venomous Indian Cobras Discovered in Missouri
Location: Missouri’s Springfield
Year Found: 1953 Estimated Value: $1,650*
India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Nepal are home to Indian cobras. One of the species most commonly found causing snakebite incidents in India is the Naja naja. The extremely poisonous snake can quickly cause ventilatory failure with its painful and potent bite.
Discoveries of 11 poisonous Indian cobras in Missouri ©Three shutterstock/Alienz
The center of the United States is perhaps the last spot you’d expect to encounter an Indian Cobra, yet that’s exactly what happened in Missouri in 1953. From August to October, eleven of these deadly reptiles made their way through Springfield’s streets, leaving locals on edge. When these snakes were encountered by a number of inhabitants, they used garden hoses and other available tools to repel them. It wasn’t until thirty years later that it was discovered that the proprietor of a nearby pet store had released these deadly snakes.
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