CASPER
THE FRIENDLY GHOST
As if the missing Egyptian cobra from the Bronx Zoo hadn't already generated enough buzz, it has now inspired a spoof Twitter account that's amassed a considerable number of followers. As of this afternoon, the account -- @BronxZoosCobra -- had more than 154,000 followers. The tweets chronicle the supposed adventures of the wily, 20-inch cobra through the streets of New York. They include witty references to everything from "Sex and the City" to Ellis Island.
A search on Friday revealed the Egyptian cobra had gone missing. According to officials from the zoo, the young snake -- which weighs less than 3 ounces -- will be very difficult to track down. However, they are confident it is still somewhere inside the confines of the Reptile House, which has many nooks and crannies that are perfect for a snake that wants to go unnoticed. The chances the snake has actually gotten out of the Reptile House and into the general zoo area are very unlikely.
This is not the first time that an escaped critter has garnered media attention. In 1908, Nellie the elephant escaped from the Hippodrome Theater in New York at 43rd Street and Fifth Avenue. She made it about a mile before she was lured back into captivity with a loaf of bread. It is believed that the tale is what inspired the popular song "Nellie the Elephant."
More recently, Molly the cow somehow broke out of a halal slaughterhouse in Queens in May 2009. She was recaptured with the help of New York police officers, but not before getting oodles of media attention. In June 2010, two camels and a tiger got away while being transported from a traveling circus in Nova Scotia to the Bowmanville Zoo outside of Toronto. They made their escape in St. Liboire, Quebec, but were ultimately found. As small as the Bronx Zoo Egyptian cobra is, however, there is no telling when he will be discovered. Until he is, it's safe to assume that the spoof Twitter account in his honor will continue to skyrocket in popularity.
A search on Friday revealed the Egyptian cobra had gone missing. According to officials from the zoo, the young snake -- which weighs less than 3 ounces -- will be very difficult to track down. However, they are confident it is still somewhere inside the confines of the Reptile House, which has many nooks and crannies that are perfect for a snake that wants to go unnoticed. The chances the snake has actually gotten out of the Reptile House and into the general zoo area are very unlikely.
This is not the first time that an escaped critter has garnered media attention. In 1908, Nellie the elephant escaped from the Hippodrome Theater in New York at 43rd Street and Fifth Avenue. She made it about a mile before she was lured back into captivity with a loaf of bread. It is believed that the tale is what inspired the popular song "Nellie the Elephant."
More recently, Molly the cow somehow broke out of a halal slaughterhouse in Queens in May 2009. She was recaptured with the help of New York police officers, but not before getting oodles of media attention. In June 2010, two camels and a tiger got away while being transported from a traveling circus in Nova Scotia to the Bowmanville Zoo outside of Toronto. They made their escape in St. Liboire, Quebec, but were ultimately found. As small as the Bronx Zoo Egyptian cobra is, however, there is no telling when he will be discovered. Until he is, it's safe to assume that the spoof Twitter account in his honor will continue to skyrocket in popularity.