A veterinary student died after being bitten by a cobra he rescued.
Kyle Ian Tablon, 24, was transferring the 5-foot reptile into a plastic box to be taken to a wildlife center when it latched onto his arm, pumping his bloodstream with venom on February 8.
The experienced king cobra rescuer, who had previously survived a brush with death from a snake bite, was rushed to the hospital in Bukidnon province before collapsing as the powerful toxin ravaged his body.
He was intubated, but despite doctors’ efforts, he was pronounced dead on February 9.
In an online tribute, the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Central Mindanao University wrote:
“Kyle was known not only for his drive and dedication as a student but also for the warmth and sincerity he brought to those around him. His passion, commitment, and quiet determination touched the lives of his peers, mentors, family, and friends, leaving cherished memories that will not be forgotten.”
“Our foremost concern is the well-being of Kyle’s family. We extend our deepest sympathies to them and respectfully ask that they be given the space, time, and privacy to grieve this sudden loss. We stand with them in this period of mourning.”
Kyle’s friends said he was a student-leader who founded a university organization dedicated to wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. He also volunteered at a venom research facility, where he personally helped capture the dangerous snakes.
Footage shows the snake enthusiast handling various types of serpents, some of which he kept at home.
Before his death, he said he “knows the threats of cobras intimately” after being bitten by one last year.
He added: “The anti-venom that saved my life was produced from the very rescues I had performed in the past. I saved them, and then they saved me. How can I stop now? My survival is proof of a larger crisis. Envenomation from snake bites is a neglected tropical disease in desperate need of accessible treatment. My life was spared so that I might help spare others, both human and serpent alike.”
The Philippines is home to numerous cobra species, with the most well-known being the Philippine cobra and Samar cobra.
An estimated 550 people die to snake bite deaths in the country each year, though actual figures may be higher due to underreporting.
— ViralPress via Reuters Connect; with reports from Jeline Malasig
