King Cobra Empire at Pilikula Nisargadhama

[email protected] (CD Network)
August 1, 2011

Mangalore, August 1: The country's only King Cobra (in captivity) breeding centre at the Dr Shivaram Karanth Biological Park at Moodushedde near here marked the success with 32 out of 147 eggs laid by three female King Cobras hatching increasing the slithery tribe by 32.

Authorities of the Park has confirmed that 32 out of 147 eggs laid by 'Rani', 'Nagaveni' and 'Nagamani' - female King Cobras at the park procreating late on Sunday and juveniles started emerging from the shells ending 134-day long vigil of authorities.

Park Director H Jayaprakash Bhandary informed that the 1,000 square feet exclusive enclosure for captive breeding of king cobra, the only one of its kind in the world, has all the necessary biological requirement of the King Cobra,” and added, “So far, captive breeding of king cobra has not taken place anywhere in the world. Though a few others claim to have taken up captive breeding, there are no proper records for the same.”

"However, this process of breeding has been documented and it will help to analyse the scientific insight in to world of King Cobras and their reproduction cycle," he said.

The baby King-cobras which measures at 17 inches during birth carry enough venom to kill two fully grown adults in a matter of half-an-hour, Jayaprakash said.

Scientifically known as Ophiophagus hannah King cobras have always inspired awe and fear among human beings. Its venom can even kill an elephant, said Mr Bhandary.

“The enclosure would be as natural as its natural habitat,” he added.

The Park has already installed microchips in all the 14 king cobras. All the king cobras have also been named. Their names include Nagendra, Nagini, Karkotaka, Raja, Manju and Joy among others. Joy is named after a person (Joy Mascarenhas) in Ujire who rescued the snake and brought it to the Park!

Pilikula Biological Park is the biggest Snake House in Karnataka and the only King Cobra Breeding Centre (in captivity) in India, selected by the Central Zoo Authorities in New Delhi in November 2007.

There are 14 king cobras in Pilikula, the largest collection in the world for cobras in captivity, informs Gerald Vikram Lobo, the Scientific Officer at the Park.

The longest king cobra in the Park measures 15 feet. In all, the Park has nearly 30 species of snakes numbering 125 (in 22 enclosures) including the seven endangered species - King Cobra, Indian Cobra, Checkered Keelback, Striped Keelback, Indian Rock Python, Rat Snake and Russell's Viper. If you think 125 is a small number, you are wrong, as the Park authorities very frequently leave the snakes in the reserve forests in Charmadi, Someshwar and Kudremukh.

During the captivity, Vikram Lobo, Scientific Officer, Roshan Menezes, Assistant Curator, K Dinesh and Ashok, caretakers and J R Lobo, Executive Director of the park have extended their cooperation, said Mr Bhandary.


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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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News Network
December 1,2025

hindutvaboy.jpg

Udupi, Dec 1: A horrific case of alleged rape has unfolded in Udupi, where a worker from a Hindutva organisation, previously arrested and released on bail for harassing a young woman, is now accused of waylaying and sexually assaulting her.

The arrested individual has been identified as Pradeep Poojary (26), a member of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike's Nairkode unit in Perdur.

Poojary had allegedly been relentlessly harassing the young woman, pressuring her to marry him. When she bravely stood up to him and refused his demands, she filed a formal complaint at the Hiriyadka police station. He was subsequently arrested in that initial harassment case but was later granted bail.

According to police reports, driven by the same malicious grudge, Poojary allegedly intercepted the woman again on November 29. While she was walking through a deserted area, the accused is claimed to have threatened her by grabbing her neck. When she again refused to marry him, he allegedly proceeded to rape her.

The survivor immediately informed her family about the traumatic assault. Following this, her parents lodged a complaint at the Udupi women’s police station.

Police arrested Poojary again and produced him before the court. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.

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