A rare type King Cobra was today captured from a private farm near Mettupalayam in the district.

The farmer, who noticed a snake waiting for its prey, informed Forest Department officials, who rushed to the area on Mettupalayam-Ooty Road, along with snake catchers.

Realising that it was a rarely found King Cobra, the catchers from an NGO captured, without any harm to the reptile and handed it over to the officials, department sources said.

Since the King Cobra of this type has the habit of living alone and that too in cool place, the officials released the 10-foot long cobra into the thick jungles of Kallar near Mettupalayam, they said.