This unfortunate incident is a reminder that cobras are wild animals and not entertainers
This week, it was reported that Indonesian pop star Irma Bule died after being bitten by a cobra during a performance.
While performing a song, Bule accidentally stepped on the cobra, and the cobra reacted by biting her on the leg.
“It is an absolute tragedy that Irma sadly lost her life from a snake bite whilst performing on stage,” said Priscilla Ma, U.S. Executive Director, World Animal Protection.
Ma concluded, “This accident once again highlights that wildlife, such as cobras are not playthings and can be extremely dangerous.”
Through our Wildlife Not Entertainers campaign we have been spreading the message far and wide that animals, like cobras, should not be part of tourist attractions.
If you can ride, hug, or take a selfie with a wild animal, don’t do it.
Our report Checking Out Cruelty has revealed that 75% of surveyed animal tourist attractions around the world have a negative impact on wild animals. That’s more than 550,000 animals living in misery.
Snake charming has been a street entertainment activity for hundreds of years, and the latest twist on this includes kissing a cobra in Thailand. Cobras are commonly used for performing even though they are venomous and their bites can be fatal to humans. The cobras are usually captured from the wild, then they are defanged with metal pliers and their venom ducts are either blocked or removed – often with un-sanitized equipment. This often results in painful infections, and can kill the cobras.
As a result of our work and because of supporters like you, over 100 travel companies worldwide have committed to stop offering these cruel activities. We will continue to work with travel companies across the globe to ensure that many others join our movement.
Sign up and become part of an incredible movement of more than 250,000 people. Add your voice and call for more tour operators around the world to join us and protect wildlife.
Cobras are commonly used for performing even though they are venomous and their bites can be fatal to humans.