04/01/2012 – Day 11
10:00
Hot, low humidity.
FC01 was sunning in dappled light. On sighting us it moved to the safety of a nearby low tree and bushes. When it felt secure in the bushes it stopped and turned to look at us.
It looks to be in the same condition as when it was released 11 days ago.
Approx 82m from last known position.
With a final look...
FC01 slithers into the bushes
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03/01/2012 – Day 10
12:00
Very hot, high humidity.
FC01 was located in a large termite mound under a shady tree.
Approx 109m from last known position.
No visual of the snake.
The termite mound provides relief for the visiting snake
A grand entrance to the 'air conditioned' termite mound
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01/01/2012 – Day 8
14:00
38c, high humidity.
FC01 appears to be skirting the fenceline – perhaps reluctant to venture into the adjoining pineapple fields.
Approx 450m from last known position.
30/12/2011 – Day 6
11:00
High humidity.
No physical sighting but we are glad to report that FC01 is still on the property despite having moved further towards the edge of the property.
Approx 20m from last known position.
27/12/2011 – Day 3
11:00
No wonder we couldn’t find it yesterday! The forest Cobra has moved to the other side of the property (and in a different direction to the one it was heading on release day).
Using our telelmetry equipment we located Forest Cobra 01 – FC01 to a region of bush to the south of our property. Trekking into the bush we located FC01 to an area where we felled a non-indigenous cactus tree, walking around the tree to see if we could get a glimpse of FC01 we were ecstatic to see a little Forest Cobra face peeking out at us from the trees above us. FC01 had managed to find an area of lower humidity with a little breeze 400m from his release site.
We were looking for FC01, but it was already watching us!
Even a large Forest Cobra, is well camoflagued and at home in trees.
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26/12/2011 – Day 2
Location unknown – we searched for it at various times throughout the day. But no, it appears to have gone AWOL.
25/12/2011 – Day 1
18:00
Weather: Hot with short, light rain showers.
On release forest cobra climbed into the trees to soak up the remaining sun rays from on top of the canopy.
We thought the fallen tree was an excellent site to release FC01
Straight into the tree, before climbing up, up and up !
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Yes, that’s right, the second phase of our snake telemetry project has begun. At 18:00 today (25/12/2011) we released FC01 – the first Forest Cobra (Naja melanoleuca) of the second phase of our snake telemetry project.
Read more and follow FC01 here!.
The first snake in the second phase of our telemetry project.
Time to relocate the transmitters lovingly made by Nyalas).
So, it is 12:00 and it is time to pick up the Forest Cobra and go to the vets.
1.4 kg – similar in size to one of our first Forest Cobras – Gizmo – and yet much bigger and with more muscle mass – how?! It doesn’t make sense to us either, how does more snake = lighter.
Everything is ready, lets begin!
The safety gear
After popping him in the clear tube we gave the Forest Cobra the right dosage of anaesthetic and popped it back in the box to wait for it to take effect.
Nope, not asleep yet...
And waited…
and waited…
and waited some more…
When an hour had passed and it still wasn’t asleep, we added a bit more, and once more waited (we even had time to collect some hibiscus flowers and leaves to give the iguanas at the lodge a treat!).
Another 30 minutes later we looked in the box, and to our surprise…
...the forest cobra was even more awake!
We then decided to try a little gas to push the Forest Cobra into sleep.
2 hours and still awake!
But no, so we then decided to tube the Forest Cobra and try some more concentrated gas – after two hours of waiting for the Forest Cobra to sleep this finally worked, so we got started before it woke back up again.
Forest Cobra In safe hands
The surgery went without a hitch and we are expecting a speedy recovery.
NB:
Two days on and the Forest Cobra is awake and even managed to eat a medium sized rat – release date is 19th December.
