4-Foot-Long Snake Stuck Inside Beer Can Rescued [Watch]

A venomous snake was rescued in India after its head got stuck inside an empty beer can.

Animal rescuers were called to a village in Puri, a city in the Indian state of Odisha, after local residents found the venomous 4-foot-long cobra. Its head got stuck in the beer can's opening and was struggling to free itself, Times Now reported.

The rescue attempt, which was captured on camera, has since gone viral on social media. The distressed reptile could be seen struggling as rescuers carefully cut out the bottom of the can with a pair of shears so that the snake could breathe. They then covered the snake's mouth with a transparent open-ended plastic tube to continue cutting the tin without aggravating the venomous serpent, according to the Indian Express.

About 20 minutes into the rescue attempt, officials were able to free the cobra by cutting open the whole can.

The snake sustained minor injuries and was treated with antibiotic spray. Rescuers released the reptile back into its natural habitat.

In recent years, man-animal conflicts have increased as more creatures venture into urban areas in search of food. The rescue video has reignited a debate about the careless disposal of waste and the harm it causes to wildlife and aquatic animals.

"Food doesn't stop being food when it hits a landfill. And all sorts of animals are all too happy to swoop down and gorge themselves on our scraps," Natural Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit, said on its website. "Our waste has the power to disrupt animal reproduction and create population booms. It can remake ecosystems and upend social structures."

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has advised people to completely separate lids from tin cans using a can opener before disposing of them. People should cut open all six-pack beverage holders plastics "so that there are no closed rings," the organization said.