Photo: BSS

CHITTAGONG UNIVERSITY, April 12, 2026 (BSS) - A highly venomous king cobra, measuring approximately 12 feet in length, was rescued from the Chittagong University (CU) campus, just two days after another rescue of a similar species.

The snake was rescued on Sunday around 4:30 pm from in front of the extension practice room of the Department of Dramatics. The rescue operation was carried out by members of the Society for Snake & Snakebite Awareness (3SA).

The incident was confirmed by Associate Professor of the Department of Zoology at CU and adviser to the 3SA snake rescue team, Dr. Ibrahim Al Haider.

He said that students of the Dramatics Department spotted the snake around 4:00 pm and immediately informed the rescue team. Acting promptly, the team rushed to the scene and successfully rescued the reptile. The snake had taken shelter beneath a concrete slab in front of the building, which had to be broken to rescue it.

Dr. Haider said the rescued snake was approximately 12 feet long. Known locally as 'Shankhachur', the king cobra is one of the most venomous snake species in the world. The snake is currently in the custody of the rescue team. If required, it may be handed over to the Venom Research Centre of Chattogram Medical College. otherwise, it will be released into a dense natural habitat within the campus after collecting necessary scientific data.

Mahmud, a student of the 2021-22 session of the Dramatics Department, said they were practicing at the department around 3:00 pm when he stepped outside to receive a phone call and noticed the snake. He immediately informed the university's snake rescue team, who later rescued it. No one was harmed in the incident.

Responding to a question about the increasing presence of snakes in human settlements, Dr. Haider said the hilly areas adjacent to the western side of the campus are not under university authorities. Local farmers regularly carry out cultivation there, often setting fires and using herbicides, which disrupt the natural habitat of snakes and force them to move into safer areas, including human settlements.