Gurugram, April 12 (IANS): A five-and-a-half-foot-long black cobra was found in the park of a Gurugram housing society on Friday and safely rescued by a wildlife expert.

Guards at Imperia the Esfera Society in Sector-37C discovered the snake in the morning and immediately contacted the Wildlife Department and wildlife rescuer Anil Gandass.

According to Gandass, who reached the spot and caught the cobra, the snake had entered the park from the nearby forest area.

"The cobra was very dangerous and poisonous. It was an Indian cobra which was about five-and-a-half feet long and seemed to be about 15 years old. These snakes are responsible for around 50,000 deaths across the country per year," he said.

"The snakes have just come out of hibernation due to the heat and are coming towards our homes in search of food. We should not sleep on the ground while sleeping at night," he said, adding the snake had been safely returned to the forest.