'Tweeting' Egyptian cobra missing from Bronx Zoo found alive

Bronx - A deadly Egyptian cobra snake that went missing from New York's Bronx Zoo has turned up alive and well, coiled and huddled in a corner of the zoo's reptile house.

The 20-inch (50cm) long snake went missing last Friday and almost instantly the carnivorous reptile became an internet celebrity when a Twitter user began impersonating the snake and feeding tweets to over 220,000 followers. Zoo officials said the snake was located after a week-long search, coiled in the corner of the reptile house. It is said to be in good condition and no worse for wear following its six-day disappearance, reports BBC US. A statement released by the zoo said: "When we are certain that the snake is in good condition, we will reopen the Reptile House and plan to have the animal on exhibit". During the serpents' truancy zoo keepers said it would be difficult to find and that it would probably have gone missing in an area of the reptile house that is not accessible to the general public. A fully-grown Egyptian cobra can grow between 6 and 8 feet long (1.6m and 2.4m) and its distinguishing features includes its large, depressed head and broad snout together with wide bulbous eyes. Yahoo News reports that zoo's director Jim Breheny told a press conference on Thursday morning: "We're really happy right now to announce that the cobra that has been missing for the past seven days is here and alive and well." The tweeting has now stopped with the last entry logged five hours before being found claiming to be in the Yankee Stadium.