Update: As of 4/1/11 our little friend was found safe in the reptile house. She(!) is in good health and is back in her home sweet home, so our tale has a happy ending!
OK. This is wickedly and delightfully funny and a lovely break from all of the sad and distressing news coming out of Japan and the Middle East the last few weeks.
I am not sure if you have been following the news out of the Bronx Zoo in New York, but unfortunately their baby Egyptian cobra has gone missing.
I suppose I should mention at this point that I do not find this bit of the story wickedly delightfully funny. The cobra is absolutely venomous so I worry about the safety of anyone who might tangle with our little slithery friend.
On the other hand, I also worry about the little baby cobra because the northern half of the States has been having a very cold spring (currently 39F/4C at 2:43p.m. in Chicago as I type!) and I am worried that he might get a really bad 'head cold' and be under the weather. Note: I'm being polite. Actually what I'm delicately trying to say is that I'm worried that the little guy might just get sick and kick the bucket.
Yes, of course, I too hope that our little friend is found safe and sound quickly and gets back to his enclosure.
So what I do find so wickedly and delightfully funny about our poor missing baby cobra is that for such a young age he is one sharp, tech savvy cobra as it seems that he has set up a twitter account.
I can read your mind "Oh, that's nice, his keeper is twittering to try to see if anyone in New York has seen his cobra."
Nope. That is not what I mean.
I mean that the baby Egyptian cobra is twittering himself!
(Dramatic pause in writing while I let this sink in for a moment...)
"Um...What exactly does a baby cobra twitter about?" you might ask. Great question!
It seems that our little reptilian friend is chatting about his adventures in the Big Apple. In one of his posts, he tweeted about visiting the Egyptology exhibit at the Met. (No duh. Of course he would head over to see the exhibit from his homeland.)
If you would like to follow the adventure of the baby cobra, head on over to twitter and follow #SnakeOnTheTown.
Required Reading
The Elusive Bronx Zoo Cobra Emerges — On Twitter ~ Time Magazine
Lost Cobra May Hide for Weeks, Zoo Says ~ New York Times
Essential Vocabulary
distressing ~ causing great stress or worry
wickedly ~ from wicked. Slang. Used in the States and UK. Meaning: So evil/bad it is brilliant. Black humor
venomous (adj) ~ something secreting venom. poisonous
bit ~ part
tangle with ~ to encounter
slithery ~ something that slithers
on the other hand (transition phrase) ~ to look at the other side of an issue
to be under the weather (v) ~ to be mildly ill or slightly sick
to kick the bucket (v) ~ to die
to be found safe and sound (v) ~ to be found in a dangerous situation healthy and alive
enclosure ~ a pen or holding area usually for an animal. In this case it refers to the cobra's home at the Bronx Zoo.
sharp (adj) ~ intelligent
savvy (adj) ~ practical/worldly knowledge
to let this sink in for a moment ~ a pause in which something very complicated or unbelievable is reflected upon
the Big Apple ~ New Yorkers pet name for New York City
No duh (slang) ~ meaning 'it is obvious'. Something that should be understood by everyone without mentioning it. Usually said deadpan or sarcastically then proceeded with laughter by the speaker
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