He still thanks God today that he survived the hike unharmed. When he thinks back to that day, it gives him goosebumps and he pauses as he describes how the police and animal clinic saved his life.
Mark crawls backMark tried to crawl back, shocked by how quickly the cobra approached. He had no idea what the cobra could possibly want from him.
He did not want to risk getting injured. Being alone, without help, a snake bite would certainly be deadly for him. But somehow, he felt that the cobra posed no threat.
Hiding from the snakeInstead, it seemed to him that the animal needed his help. Nevertheless, he decided to hide first. As he hid from the snake, he saw that it looked very weak.
Something was also different about the snake. It had a huge bulge, which couldn't be normal. Mark came out of his hideout, but then he saw that the cobra was aggressively approaching him.
StumblingMark froze completely, and when he regained his composure, he realized it was too late. In a desperate attempt to escape, he started running but tripped over a branch.
He knew he was in trouble now. The bite of a cobra was deadly, and out here, it would never be possible to bring an antidote in time. Was this his end?
No way outMark trembled with fear and was then surprised that the snake didn't immediately try to attack him. Instead, it wrapped itself around his ankle and looked at him with its button eyes.
Mark was bewildered but didn't pull back. Instead, he stood there and watched as the snake moved its tongue in and out of its mouth. Suddenly, the snake raised its head and let out a soft hiss.
CommunicatingMark was startled, but quickly realized that the snake was trying to communicate with him. Of course, Mark had no idea what the snake was trying to say.
Mark hesitated still. He didn't dare to touch the snake, let alone pull it away from his ankle. He knew it was extremely venomous.
ExhaustedAfter a few minutes that felt like years to Mark, his heartbeat normalized. The urge to run away slowly subsided, and Mark could think clearly again.
He quickly noticed that the snake had very little energy. It looked extremely weak. Then Mark noticed something he had overlooked before on the snake. Something that could explain what was wrong with it.
A massive bulgeMark noticed a huge bulge on the snake's belly. That definitely didn't look normal. He wondered if that could be the reason why the snake was so extremely weak.
Apparently, the snake had eaten something that didn't agree with it. It didn't look good. Mark knew he had to get help. He couldn't just leave the snake here alone.
Mark calls for helpMark decided to call a veterinarian. He could only hope that the vet had enough experience with exotic animals to help him or at least guide him.
At first, the vet was very confused by the call and thought someone was playing a prank on him. But then he instructed Mark to touch the bulge. Something he shouldn't have done.
Mark hesitantly tried to touch the snake. It took a lot of courage, and fear skyrocketed his heart rate. Then, he nearly passed out when the snake started hissing loudly.
The snake became very aggressive towards Mark, and he had to restrain himself from running away immediately. Apparently, Mark had further injured the snake by touching its bulge.
Staying calm and describing the snakeThe veterinarian urged Mark to remain calm and calm the snake as well. However, the snake now looked very aggressive. Angrier and more eager to attack than ever before.
If Mark were to make a sudden movement, he would certainly get bitten. The vet then asked Mark if he could describe the snake to him. When Mark said it was a black snake, there was silence on the line.
A bite could be deadlyThe vet was shocked by what Mark described. He knew that a bite from this snake could be deadly. He was worried about Mark and the snake. Mark had to keep his composure.
But the snake also needed urgent medical help. And to do that, it first needed to be caught. The snake found itself in even more distress due to the stress and commotion.
Snake in distressThe snake continued to hiss as if in great pain. The vet knew that he had to go into the forest because Mark could not catch the snake and help it alone.
How long would it take for the vet to reach this secluded spot? And what should Mark do with the snake until then? The vet came up with a plan to calm the snake.
Giving water to the snakeMark was advised to give the snake some water to calm it down. As Mark reached for his water, the snake followed his every movement, albeit very slowly.
It now looked weak and exhausted. As Mark poured some water from his camping bottle into a glass, the snake slithered slowly and weakly towards the glass.
Calming downThe snake started to drink some water. It seemed like the water had calmed the snake down a bit. Mark felt relieved. For the first time, he felt a glimmer of hope.
At least now, he didn't have to fear for his life anymore. The snake also loosened its grip on Mark's ankle a little. However, the snake still looked terribly weak.
Needs medical helpMark repeated again and again that the vet needed to come to him and the snake immediately because the snake needed medical help, not just a glass of water.
They couldn't wait much longer because no one knew exactly what was wrong with the snake and what would happen in the coming hours. But there was a major problem that couldn't be ignored.
Vet is far awayMark was deep in the forest, and the vet was quite far away. He couldn't simply reach Mark with the necessary equipment he needed by car via a road.
He needed a specially equipped vehicle to traverse the forest at this inaccessible location, far from any paths. There was no other option but to wait.
Vet assured he would comeThe vet assured Mark that he would come if he had a suitable vehicle. This shifted the responsibility back to Mark. However, he did have a solution.
Mark told the vet that he had a friend with a truck that could navigate rugged terrain. That was the perfect solution. The vet quickly went to Mark's friend.
Snake slips awayUpon reaching Mark's friend, the vet wanted to make sure that Mark's friend indeed had the appropriate vehicles to safely bring the vet to this remote location.
Then something happened with the snake. Suddenly, the snake started slipping away, leaving Mark completely astonished. It was as if the snake had an urge to go somewhere.
Snake Slithers AwayUpon arriving at Mark's friend's place, the veterinarian wanted to make sure that Mark's friend truly had the right vehicles to safely transport the veterinarian to this remote location.
Then something happened with the snake. Suddenly, the snake began to slither away, leaving Mark completely astonished. It was as if the snake had the urge to go somewhere.
Mark follows the snakeMark didn't want the snake to die, so he decided to follow the snake to see where it would go. The snake wasn't very fast, and its massive bulge was causing it even more trouble.
Given these circumstances, Mark was easily able to follow the snake. He didn't know where the snake would lead him, but when he realized where it was headed, his jaw dropped.
Following the snake to its nestApparently, the snake had built a nest inside an old tree. Mark was completely amazed, having no idea what he was seeing. However, as he tried to approach, the snake became very defensive. Mark had to be careful.
Meanwhile, the veterinarian had also called the police about a highly dangerous, free-roaming snake. They needed to ensure that the area was secure and that the snake couldn't go anywhere when the veterinarian arrived.
They are on their way tooThe police were shocked by the whole story but immediately sprang into action. They took it very seriously because people would be in danger if the black cobra escaped from the forest into the city. That couldn't be allowed.
The commanding officer made it clear to his colleagues, "We must ensure that the snake is taken back to where it came from!"
Operation under challenging conditionsThe police made sure to reach out to animal protection services as well. They would collaborate to ensure that the snake is returned to its original habitat.
They still had no idea how a highly venomous, exotic snake ended up in a local forest, where only harmless blindworms and similar snakes were found.
Mark in the woodsMark tried approaching the nest from different angles, but the snake continued to defend it. There must be something valuable in the nest. Mark was absolutely sure. Then, after one final approach, the snake gave in.
The snake seemed so weak that it appeared almost lifeless to Mark. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the snake was lying somewhere within the nest. He knew he had to wait for help to find out what it might be.
Vet is already an hour awayMark heard that the veterinarian was an hour away. He had a feeling that the snake might not make it. The veterinarian did everything possible to arrive on time. Luckily for Mark, he heard something in the distance. Someone was approaching him.
Mark felt relieved when he heard sirens; the police and animal protection were already at the scene. They couldn't do much about the snake, but at least it was being safely guarded until the veterinarian arrived. That could happen any moment now.
Quarantine areaOfficer David approached Mark and thanked him for the information. He also told Mark that they would have to quarantine the area because this was a very dangerous animal. Mark was surprised by this. He was not allowed to stay. He tried to resist.
Mark's resistance was futile. David told him that they would have to arrest him if he didn't leave the area. David assured Mark that they would keep him updated about the snake and what would happen next. Reluctantly, Mark walked away.
Dangers of Snake CatchingThen Mark heard cries coming from the snake's nest. Animal control tried to catch the snake, but the snake fought back. Some officers also attempted to help.
Mark knew that only the veterinarian should approach this animal. Then something tragic happened. An officer was bitten by the snake when he got too close. He screamed in pain.
An officer gets bittenHe had never felt such pain before. He was immediately taken back to a police car and had to be treated at a hospital. Officer David wanted revenge after witnessing this.
He rushed towards the snake but was held back by other officers. He wanted to put the snake down. Someone from animal protection told him he couldn't euthanize the snake as it was a protected species. But David didn't care.
Vet arrives just in timeJust as David was about to shoot the cobra, he heard a loud voice telling him to put the weapon down. Mark heard all the commotion and broke through the quarantine area.
David urged him to go back before getting arrested, but then the veterinarian arrived just in time. The veterinarian quickly tried to approach but had to navigate through the police barrier.
Attempting to get closerThe vet ordered David to step away and asked Mark to stay nearby. The veterinarian slowly attempted to get closer to the snake, but the snake wouldn't allow it.
The snake continued to defend its nest. The cobra appeared very angry about all the earlier commotion. The veterinarian had no choice but to sedate the snake.
Sedating the snakeHe shot a sedation dart into the snake but paled as the snake didn't get sedated. That was the only sedative he had with him. What could he do now?
Someone from animal protection rushed to the vet's side. Fortunately, they found some strong sedatives that were enough to sedate an elephant. The veterinarian felt relieved that he could now safely sedate the snake.
Finally, the examination can beginAfter about 10 minutes of waiting, the snake was sedated, and the veterinarian could approach. He could finally examine the snake properly. But then, he encountered the next problem.
The snake was so heavy that he couldn't lift it alone, so he still had no idea what it was protecting. However, the main concern was the large bulge in the snake's stomach. It seemed like something was stuck.
Strange large bulge needs surgeryThe veterinarian concluded that the black cobra needed surgery, but there was a problem. He didn't have the necessary equipment to perform the operation on-site. The snake had to be transported to the city.
With everyone present, including Mark, they lifted the snake out of its nest and carried it to one of the largest vehicles there. They had to transport the snake quickly before it woke up again, as they didn't have any more sedatives. Then Mark noticed something else.