Missing cobra from US zoo found

An Egyptian cobra that became a star on Twitter after escaping from the Reptile House at the Bronx Zoo last week has been found after a six-day search, zoo officials said.

"FOUND! Bronx Zoo cobra found alive & well in Reptile House in non-public area. The key was patience," a Twitter message from the zoo said.

Officials made the announcement at a news conference, where they showed a photograph of the adolescent snake resting comfortably in a secure enclosure.

"The snake was found this morning in a non-public, off-exhibit area. After being at liberty in the Reptile House for a week, the snake will be placed under observation and evaluated," a zoo statement 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."

"As you can imagine, we are delighted to report that the snake has been found alive and well," said zoo director Jim Breheny.

The reptile section of the zoo was shut down after the cobra, which is an adolescent female around 50cm long, escaped from its enclosure on Friday.

A Twitter account claiming to be that of the venomous snake meanwhile attracted more than 200,000 followers.

Among the tweets from the missing snake BronxZoosCobra:

- "A lot of people are asking how I can tweet with no access to a computer or fingers. Ever heard of an iPhone? Duh."

- "Leaving Wall Street. These guys make my skin crawl."

- "It's getting pretty cold out. I think it's probably time to crash. Oh look, an apartment window someone left open just a crack. Perfect!"

- "Donald Trump is thinking about running for president?! Don't worry, I'll handle this. Where is Trump Tower exactly?"