Baripada, April 25: Wildlife officials rescued two injured king cobras and kept the snakes under observation in a nursery after surgery here today.

A snake expert team, led by Krushna Chandra Gochhayat, rescued the snakes, each around 10-ft long, from Agnikuanri village in the Dukura forest range.

The villagers had injured these highly venomous snakes by pelting them with stones and beating them with sticks. One of the snakes, supposedly a male one, received more injuries on its body.

Dukura forest range officer Batakrushna Padhi said: "The villagers attacked the snakes with stones and sticks when they were mating. The mating process lasted for an hour."

A team of surgeons from the local veterinary centre and the Similipal Tiger Reserve treated the reptiles. Surgery was performed on the male snake, which was grievously injured. The operation lasted for two hours and multiple stitches were made near its stomach. "Both of them are lodged in a nursery here," said Padhi.

Veterinary surgeon Nrusinga Sahu is monitoring their health conditions. The surgery was carried out without administering anaesthesia.

Abhisek Acharya, a team member, said: "We caught them tactfully. After that, necessary treatment was given to them."

Sahu said the wounds would take some time to heal and the snakes could be released after two weeks depending on their health.

Veterinary surgeon of the tiger reserve Piyush Soren said: "Condition of one snake was very serious as its intestines were out after a rupture. Reptile wounds take longer to heal. It could take two weeks. However, the other snake, which was given a dressing and some antiseptic treatment, could be released early."

"They could be given eggs and fowls as a diet," Soren said.

Wildlife activist Abhisek Acharya had rescued a 15-ft king cobra from a private poultry farm at Pithabata on Monday.

It was released in deep forest under the supervision of the wildlife officials.