Watch: Cobra swallows cough syrup bottle in viral video, rescued

A dramatic rescue unfolded in Bhubaneswar when a cobra battled for its life after swallowing a bottle of cough syrup. The incident, shared by Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda on the social media platform X, highlighted the heroic efforts of local snake helpline volunteers.

A Common cobra swallowed a cough syrup bottle in Bhubaneswar & was struggling to regurgitate it.
Volunteers from snake help line gently widened the lower jaw to free the rim of the base of the bottle with great risk & saved a precious life.
Kudos pic.twitter.com/rviMRBPodl

— Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) July 3, 2024

In the video shared by Nanda, the cobra is seen struggling with the bottle stuck in its mouth, unable to regurgitate it. Swift action by the volunteers saved what Nanda described as a "precious life."

"A common cobra swallowed a cough syrup bottle in Bhubaneswar and was struggling to regurgitate it. Volunteers from the snake helpline gently widened the lower jaw to free the rim of the base of the bottle with great risk and saved a precious life. Kudos," Nanda wrote, applauding the bravery and dedication of the rescuers.

The incident sparked a conversation on social media about the dangers of improper waste disposal. Commenters expressed concern and called for more responsible waste management practices to prevent such occurrences.

One user remarked, "How many times must something like this happen before people take responsibility for disposing their waste properly and safely? Thank you for sharing and raising awareness."

Another comment read, "Thank you. Shame on human beings for creating pollution."

This incident underscores the significant threat posed by plastic waste to both wildlife and the environment. It serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for responsible waste disposal to protect animals and prevent such life-threatening situations.