King Cobra gets ultrasound

WILMINGTON — The 14-foot-long King Cobra at the Cape Fear Serpentarium received quite a checkup Monday.

A veterinarian performed an ultrasound on the snake to examine a growth that has been getting bigger over the past six months.

The growth has affected the King Cobra’s ability to eat and its caretakers are concerned for its health.

Samples taken Monday will be sent to labs to be tested for cancer.

Serpentarium owner and director Dean Ripa said, “We’re trying to check it out and find out what it is and what we can do about it. We’ve had other snakes to develop this and some end up fatally.”

The King Cobra is one of the deadliest snakes in the world. It’s venom can kill an elephant within three hours.