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Bronx Zoo Cobra Vanishes, Inspires Hilarious Tweets
11 Sep
Summary
- An Egyptian cobra escaped its Bronx Zoo enclosure in 2011.
- A viral Twitter account, @BronxZooCobra, provided humorous commentary.
- The snake was found after a week and named Mia through public vote.
Fifteen years ago, an Egyptian cobra made an unexpected bid for freedom from its enclosure at the Bronx Zoo. The two-foot, 3-ounce reptile's escape in 2011 captured public attention across New York City and beyond. During the week-long search, a Twitter account, @BronxZooCobra, emerged, offering witty and memorable commentary that quickly garnered a large following.
The elusive snake was finally discovered on March 31, 2011, coiled in a secluded, dark corner a few hundred feet from its enclosure. Zoo officials used specialized tongs to safely retrieve the cobra and return it to the Reptile House. Following the extensive media coverage and public interest, the Bronx Zoo initiated a naming contest for the famous escapee.
Thousands of votes were cast, with the public ultimately selecting 'Mia' as the snake's new name, which secured 27% of the approximately 59,000 votes. The @BronxZooCobra Twitter account humorously reacted to the official renaming, with one post stating its true name was 'Mrs Justin Bieber.'
