Nicosia, Cyprus. Yiannis Angelis, owner of the Reptile Jungle showroom, has travelled to Thailand to train and assist local people in removing king cobras, which can reach five metres in length, from residential areas.
The reptile enthusiast, who keeps frogs, turtles, lizards and snakes at his premises, said his interest in reptiles began during a Scouts camping trip when he was eight years old.
Reptile Jungle
Reptile Jungle features a downstairs showroom and an upper floor housing animals available for sale. The collection includes terrariums containing frogs, turtles, lizards and snakes, as well as a bird named Harley.
Among the reptiles on display are tree monitors, Asian water monitors and other species that attract visitors, including those who may be reluctant to handle reptiles.
King cobras and vipers
Angelis said king cobras differ significantly from Cyprus’ blunt-nosed viper in size, behaviour and venom. While the blunt-nosed viper is smaller and can strike rapidly from different angles, its venom is hemotoxic. King cobra venom is neurotoxic and can progressively affect limbs and organs.
He said viper bites generally allow between two and eight hours to reach hospital, while survival chances after a king cobra attack are limited. According to Angelis, a viper delivers about a teaspoon of venom, compared with roughly half a glass from a king cobra.
Vipers generally avoid confrontation when unprovoked, he said, while king cobras can detect people from up to 100 metres away, give them a brief opportunity to retreat and then pursue them.
Training and experience
Angelis said he handles cobras by catching them with his hands, placing them in canvas bags, transporting them by moped and releasing them at a safe distance in the wild.
He said his interest began when a snake entered his tent during a Scouts camping trip. While other campers ran away, he caught the snake by its head and handed it to those in charge, who later killed it. He said the incident made him sad and prompted him to learn more about reptiles.
Angelis, 45, said he has been involved with reptiles for 27 years. He later attended the Merchant Marine Academies and travelled internationally, visiting reptile exhibitions. He subsequently spent time in Thailand, where he trained to handle cobras.
