THE HINDU (Chennai, India) 24 November 05 Albino cobras at crocodile bank - Pair acquired from Sri Lanka National Zoo 18 months ago (P. Oppili)

Chennai : Starting Thursday, the Madras Crocodile Bank on East Coast Road will be displaying a new attraction — a pair of albino cobras.

The pair was acquired from the Sri Lanka National Zoo about a year and a half ago.

Harry Andrews, director of the bank, said the albino pair was obtained in exchange for a gharial and a pair of king cobras. "The pair arrived at the bank, when they were one year old and now they are two-and-half-years old," Mr. Andrews said. "On arrival, they measured only about 25 cm in length; now the male cobra measures 1.6 meters and the female 1.5 meters."

Mr. Andrews said, "It is for the first time in captivity that a breeding albino cobra pair is being displayed. In Sri Lanka, the sighting of albino cobras in the wild has been recorded. Similarly, they are bred in captivity in the U.S. and European countries for the pet trade. These reptiles are priced very high, with a new-born albino cobra costing up to U.S. $500."

When asked about their feed, Mr. Andrews said the reptiles would be provided with rats and white mice.

The reptiles would be bred and the offspring would be distributed to the zoos in the country, he added.
Albino cobras at crocodile bank

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