Bhadrak: Wildlife department officials rescued 131 cobras from a thatched house at Paikasahi village in the district.

These venomous creatures were rescued by wildlife department with the help of Snake Helpline team members.

The reptiles were inside a termite nest adjacent to mud wall of Bijay Bhuyan's house.

Bhadrak divisional forest officer Amlan Kumar Nayak said all the snakes would be released in the Hathgarh Sanctuary of Keonjhar by Sunday night under the supervision of veterinary surgeon.

"Around 100 cobras were rescued from the termite mound. "Possibility of discovery of more snakes can't be ruled out," said Nayak.

Cobra can lay about 20 to 40 eggs at a time and incubation period is between 60 to 180 days. S.K. Mirza of Snake Helpline said he along with his four team members rushed to the village after getting the information.

After the news of emergence of snakes from a house spread, hundreds of local resident rushed to witness the incident. The local police could managed the crowd after erecting barricades around the house.

A source said the wildlife department was informed after Bhuyan's daughter detected a snake on Friday. Twenty snakes were rescued on Friday, about 101 on Saturday and some more on Sunday. Out of rescued reptiles, five were adults while the remaining were juveniles. The adult snakes measured around 8 ft.

People in Bhadrak generally don't harm snakes due to religious beliefs.