A state of emergency was declared in Castelginest after a photo of a suspected Indian cobra sparked panic and a search operation.
Emergency declared in Castelginest
A state of emergency was declared in Castelginest, a commune in the Haute-Garonne department, after a photo of a strange snake in tall grass near a field raised concerns about the presence of an Indian cobra, a highly venomous species typically found in India and neighboring countries. Area closed for safety
The incident, which occurred on May 12, led to the closure of parks, riverbanks, a high school, and leisure centers in the area near Toulouse. Authorities wanted to ensure public safety while searching for the snake. Search efforts over the weekend
Approximately fifty gendarmes and firefighters searched for the reptile over the Ascension weekend, but the animal was never found. The search covered several areas around the location where the snake was reportedly seen. Uncertainty about the snake's presence
According to Marion Guérive Condomines, the wildlife risk officer for the firefighters of Haute-Garonne, the snake "could have been killed by a predator or by a car," though there is no absolute certainty that the animal was present in the area. Similar case in the past
Emmanuel Mouflier, an inspector of the environment at the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) in Hauts-de-France, referenced a similar case in Château-Thierry, Aisne, at the end of 2011, where a monocled cobra had taken refuge in an unspecified location.
