Indonesian snake handler killed by king cobra — his pet of 5 years

A snake handler in Indonesia was killed by one of his deadly pets despite living with the venomous predators for years.

The victim, 49-year-old Imam Rokhani from Trenggalek, East Java, is known for posting videos showcasing dangerous stunts with his pet king cobra, which measures 4.5 meters in length. In some videos, he would kiss the cobra in its snout without seemingly bothering the giant snake.

Ironically, on Sunday, the cobra bit Iman in the arm as he reached into the snake’s enclosure to replace its water. Iman phoned his brother, who rushed over to take the victim to the hospital.

Sadly, Iman slipped into unconsciousness on the way to the hospital and died soon after.

“The snake bit the victim. He had kept [the snake] for five years,” a friend of the victim, Wahyu, said.

Iman also kept another cobra at home, measuring 2.5 meters in length. Both snakes were evacuated by firefighters and the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), and are expected to be placed in the care of a conservation agency.

Also read — 7-meter python swallows woman whole in Indonesia