Among the many jobs in the world with unusual dangers is that of the zookeeper. Proximity to wild animals is often dangerous, but handling poisonous snakes definitely puts zookeepers in danger.
According to Yahoo Life the health check was performed on Sultan, a very large King Cobra(Ophiophagus hannah)). Australia has its own venomous snakes but because Sultan is bger than most of them he may the most dangerous snake on the island continent.
Special precautions had to be taken to protect the zookeepers in danger.
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Yahoo said:
“Australian zookeepers have successfully performed a health check on a highly venomous snake. Sultan the King Cobra, a resident at The Australian Park, is known to be incredibly deadly and one bite often proves to be fatal without the treatment of antivenom. To be able to handle the exotic species, the Park were required to have specialised antivenom imported from overseas. King Cobras are among the largest snakes in the world, often exceeding 5 meters in length when fully grown. Astonishingly, Sultan measured a whopping 3.4 meters long and weighed an impressive 5.5 kilograms (cq). Already at this length, Sultan very well could be the longest venomous snake living in Australia. The most dangerous task during the health check was milking the cobra. King Cobras are notorious for producing substantial venom yields, making them one of the deadliest snakes in the world. Milking the cobra was essential to evaluate the health of its venom, while also providing an opportunity to closely inspect its fangs. During the milking process, Sultan yielded an astonishing 350 milligrams of venom.”
According to Britannica:
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The king cobra is an active hunter. It preys almost exclusively on other snakes, prowling in forests, fields, and villages in the daytime as well as at night. The king cobra’s greatest predators are humans, who harvest it and use certain body parts for food, medicine, and leather.
It is not normally aggressive to humans—bites are rare—but it is hostile and dangerous during the breeding season or when cornered or startled. When threatened, the king cobra lifts the front part of its body so it stands roughly perpendicular to the ground. Its threat display also includes the spreading of its hood, which is just below its head, and the utterance of a low-pitched hiss. In this posture it can move or lunge forward to strike its victim. The king cobra’s paralyzing venom is so copious and powerful that elephants have died within three hours of a bite to the toe or trunk. In captivity it is aggressive to strangers but recognizes its keeper and anticipates feeding time.”
As mentioned, cobras are native to India not Australia. Australia has its own deadly snakes. Worldwide snakes kill about 150,000 people annually only 5 of those deaths is likely to occur in the United States. Australia, despite the presence of dangerous snakes, loses about two people annually. India, however, loses an estimated 58,000 people annually.