Zoo's Deadly Missing Cobra Tweeting Her Whereabouts
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An Egyptian cobra, similar to the one seen here, has escaped from on off-exhibit enclosure at the Bronx Zoo March 25. The exhibit will remain closed until the snake is found, museum officials said. (Mark O'Shea/WHO)
A poisonous Egyptian cobra that escaped from her enclosure at the Bronx Zoo was Monday taking in the sights of New York City -- if her Twitter account was to be trusted.
Pranksters have seized upon the tale of the 20-inch-long (50cm) snake that escaped from her enclosure at the reptile house on Friday and has not been seen since, and have set up an @BronxZoosCobra Twitter account.
"I should take in a Broadway show. Anyone heard anything about this 'Spiderman' musical?" she tweeted on Monday afternoon.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Holding very still in the snake exhibit at the Museum of Natural History. This is gonna be hilarious!" another read.
The brownish cobra, with a uniquely large, broad head, is among the most venomous reptiles on the planet -- its poison can kill a person in fewer than 15 minutes.
According to legend, Cleopatra used its venom to commit suicide, but the tweeting snake didn't want the people of New York to be worried.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Want to clear up a misconception," the tweeting snake wrote. "I'm not poisonous as has been reported. I'm venomous. Super venomous, but not poisonous so don't worry."
The snake has even been responding to her followers -- which by early Tuesday morning numbered almost 24,000.
When asked about the revolution in Egypt, she tweeted, "Obviously I'm a big fan of freedom!"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meanwhile, zoo officials conceded Monday it may take them weeks to find the female cobra, born a few months ago and dubbed Cobra-dini by zoo-goers.
"We understand the interest in this story and that everyone wants us to find the missing snake," James J. Breheny, the zoo's director, said in a statement to the New York Times.
"Right now, it's the snake's game. At this point, it's just like fishing; you put the hook in the water and wait. Our best strategy is patience, allowing her time to come out of hiding."