The famous Skansen open-air museum on the island of Djurgarden in the Swedish capital had to be evacuated over the weekend because a king cobra escaped from its vivarium.
The snake in question, which happens to be named, rather appropriately, Houdini, is said to be up to two meters long and is still missing. It has recently moved to Skansen, having been there for only a few days.
“All of a sudden this happens, which must never happen,” an unnamed staff member told the newspaper Aftonbladet. “It cannot get out among the visitors," the employee added.
The vivarium employed three experts to find the snake and said it was only a matter of time before the reptile was found. However, the search continued throughout the weekend without any success.
A wedding party took place elsewhere on the island - not far from Skansen - but the guests were never told what danger they were in.
“In terms of security, it feels a little strange that we haven't been told anything at all. One would have liked to know about it,” one of the partygoers complained to Aftonbladet.
As the search party failed to capture the fugitive, staff at the vivarium issued a statement in an attempt to soothe people's fears.
“This is a cunning type of snake, but [king cobras] are very calm and are used to people, so they don't hunt people,” Jonas Wahlström of Skansen told national broadcaster SVT. “We know roughly where it is - we now just have to get to it," he added.
Three years ago, a man was badly bitten by a crocodile at Skansen.
The king cobra is the world's largest venomous snake and can grow up to almost 6 meters long and 30 centimeters wide at the neck. Its neurotoxin-based venom that is carried in its 10-millimeter-long fangs can kill a full-grown elephant in three hours.
The king cobra can raise a third of its body off the ground, which means that the largest ones will tower above the average human. Like other cobras, the king cobra can also spread its neck to give it its characteristic hood.