Coimbatore : Forest officials on Wednesday captured a cobra and a python in a fighting mood from a canal near Mettupalayam and released them into deep jungles.

The forest department in Mettupalayam range received information that a 3.13-metre-long cobra was trying to prey a 1.47-metre-long python in the canal near a railway gate on Coonoor Road at 1.30 pm, department sources said.

A team of forest department officials, led by forest officer, Selvaraj rushed to the spot and managed to capture the reptiles safely around 2.30 pm.

Since the reptiles were in healthy condition, the officials released them to Kallar reserve forest around 5 pm.