Expert handles dangerous snake

1:00pm Wednesday 30th July 2008

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A SNAKE expert from Herefordshire met some slithery customers on a wildlife trip with a difference.

Nigel Hand, the snake man of Ledbury, was confronted with dozens of deadly creatures on a research mission to Southwest India.

But the man with an admiration for adders had eyes for one creature – the world’s most venomous snake.

Mr Hand studied the king cobra and other species during last month’s expedition to the Western Ghats region.

Gerry Martin, India’s foremost snake expert, led the trek across many types of terrain. The highlight came at a rainforest research station, where king cobras are studied and protected.

“Adders are a big passion of mine and the opportunity came up to meet Gerry Martin and see the king cobra,” he said.

“Most people think of tigers as the symbol of India, but I found the king cobra to be equally impressive.”

Measuring 18 foot and capable of killing an elephant, the cobra is extremely deadly but docile in nature.