A followup to the story. As I was suspecting, the snake is only a false water cobra. It's most unfortunate that the snake lost its life for the sake of only being venomous in the technical sense and having the word cobra as part of its name.
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Snake confiscated in Limestone County frozen as evidence
A snake confiscated from the home of a Limestone County man has been frozen for use as evidence in court proceedings Aug. 5, state game officials said.
Turner "Snake Man" Roberts, 61, of Athens, was arrested and charged Wednesday afternoon with possessing the snake, which authorities said was poisonous and not native to this country.
Capt. Johnny Johnson with the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said the snake, described as a rear fanged water cobra, could have bitten someone. He said authorities decided it was best to freeze it because they could not find a zoo in the area that wanted it.
Roberts is charged with possession of a non-indigenous venomous reptile in violation of Alabama law. Acting on a tip, authorities discovered the cobra in a cage in his home. If convicted, he could receive a fine of up to $500.
Brett Daniels, senior biologist with Palm Springs Biological Services in Florida, told the News-Courier of Athens the snake is not a member of the cobra family. "Though it is considered venomous in the technical sense, it is extremely unlikely that a bite would result in anything more than a mild irritation" unless one was allergic to it, he said.
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