THE INDEPENDENT (Johannesburg, S Africa) 18 March 05 Residents relieved that snake has been found
Stockholm (Sapa-dpa): An escaped cobra that forced tenants to evacuate their apartment building in a Swedish town was captured on Friday.
The runaway monocle cobra was found alive under the floorboards of owner Andreas Nordin's apartment in Sundsvall, 394km north of Stockholm.
Snake expert Kristian Saukkonen, who captured the snake, described it as "beautiful".
The snake was one of three monocle cobras Nordin kept. They escaped when he dropped the box in which he was moving them. He managed to catch two of the venomous snakes but the third escaped.
Experts earlier used special cameras to see if the snake was hiding in the ventilation shaft, but no trace was visible.
In addition to setting up several traps, Saukkonen also dusted the floor of the apartment with flour to track the snake.
The monocle cobra originates from South Asia and can reach a length of 1.3m. The escaped snake was half that length.
Nordin's neighbours told reporters they were relieved that the snake had been captured and that they could return to their apartments.
Residents relieved that snake has been found