New York’s Bronx Zoo has shut down the World of Reptiles after a poisonous Egyptian cobra went missing Friday afternoon. The 20-inch cobra was being held at an off-exhibit enclosure that is not open to the public. The zoo says in a statement, “Based on our knowledge of the natural history and behavior of snakes, we know they seek closed-in spaces and are not comfortable in open areas. We are confident that the snake, about 20 inches long, is contained in a non-public, isolation area within the building.” They say they’re informing the public out of an “abundance of caution.”
