King cobra hides under bedroom floor, triggering hours-long rescue operation

A king cobra that disappeared beneath a bedroom floor in Assam, India, stayed out of reach for nearly two days before resurfacing, triggering a muddy rescue that stretched for hours and ended with the snake safely relocated.

What happened?

On June 11, Ankur Nandi — an Assam University researcher and wildlife rescuer — said he was called to a resident's house after a king cobra went into a tunnel below the bedroom floor, the Barak Bulletin reported.

To avoid hurting the animal, he said, he tried to draw it out with water and smoke.

But the attempt did not succeed. Nandi said the tunnel was too long, and the cobra stayed hidden despite hours of effort. He then closed off the tunnel, leaving one exit open, and left the site.

According to Nandi, he got another call the following day saying the snake had come out and was near a field beside the house. He returned and, with help from local residents, spent about three hours rescuing the king cobra in rainy, muddy conditions before it was later released into a protected habitat with assistance from the Assam Forest Department.

Why does it matter?

Because king cobras are protected wildlife, encounters like this can put both people and animals at risk.

A large venomous snake beneath a bedroom floor poses an immediate safety risk for any family, but panic can easily lead to harm on both sides if trained responders are not involved.

Unfortunately, encounters like this are becoming more common worldwide as human activity and urban development push wildlife out of their natural habitats. Wild animals may increasingly seek out food and shelter as a result, making human-dominated spaces more susceptible to sightings and encounters.

What are people saying?

Nandi said wildlife rescue work must safeguard people while also preventing harm to protected species, framing the operation as a balance between public safety and conservation.

The response aimed to give the snake a way out before it was ultimately moved to a protected habitat.

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