An Indian man reached for what he thought was a leather belt on the dining room floor, before the king cobra rose up and spread its hood.
Here's what to know
The encounter took place at the home of Varghese Thomas, known locally as Babu, in Erumely, Kerala, according to Onmanorama.
Babu alerted forest officials after moving his family outside and securing the room.
Specialist help was needed because of the king cobra's size; personnel from the Mundakkayam Forest Range Office called on Vandampathal's Rapid Response Team to assist.
Rescuers trapped and captured the snake beneath a bedroom table. It had stayed coiled until their capture attempt began, then moved through an adjoining bathroom before darting into the bedroom.
More background
An open front entrance was the suspected route into the home, according to Onmanorama.
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The raised hood and hiss alerted Babu to the danger. He had taken the snake lying beside a helmet for a belt and bent down to pick it up.
The overlap of development and habitat help explain why wild animals attack humans. According to residents, the forest boundary was a frequent release site for captured snakes, and the practice put surrounding areas at risk.
What's being done?
The king cobra was taken 31 miles from Angel Valley and released in the forest interior near Gavi's Kakki Dam, Onmanorama reported. Forest staff also released an Indian cobra along with 13 pythons removed from populated areas.
Locals wanted a representative present for the release. Their objections to relocations close to their homes led to the decision to take the snakes farther into the forest.
Grama Panchayat member Tom Kalapparambil oversaw the relocation.
Babu said: "I survived by a fraction of a second. The moment it hissed and rose right before my eyes, I froze in terror. To this moment, I don't even remember how I managed to scramble out of that room."
Where can I learn more?
Other people in India have had similarly close encounters with cobras.
• In Udaipur, a family discovered a five-foot cobra curled up inside a cooler.
• In Gurugram, rescuers opened a toilet seat after a family heard a cobra hissing inside.
• In Rajasthan, a family found a hooded black cobra in a rat trap at 1 a.m.
• A schoolboy reached for his bicycle seat before a spectacled cobra spread its hood.
• In Udaipur, a wildlife rescuer moved a cupboard and discovered a rare white cobra underneath.
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