Over 200 monocled cobra snakelets have escaped from a breeding farm in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing, prompting a mass search operation to locate the potentially-venomous serpents.

日前，中国东部城市南京的一家养殖场的200多条孟加拉眼镜蛇幼蛇外逃，相关部门随即开展了大规模的搜寻。

The whereabouts of around 50 remain unknown, as medical authorities are on standby in case of snakebite reports.

目前仍有大约50条眼镜蛇下落不明，防蛇咬险情出现，医疗部门正严阵以待。

The slippery reptiles¹, which belong to Chunyi Breeding Cooperative in the suburban² Liuhe district in Nanjing, broke free on August 26.

这些光滑的爬行动物为南京六合区的春益养殖合作社所有，它们于8月26日外逃。

But the farm owner, Qin Guorong, failed to report the case to the police and has now been detained for investigation³.

但是，该养殖场场主秦国荣却并未及时将情况通报给当地警方，现已被拘留调查。

Qin said rain had caused cracks in the room flooring where the snakes were kept. "The snakes could slither away as long as there is a crack," Qin told thepaper.cn.

秦国荣在接受《澎湃新闻》采访时表示，接连的下雨天致使养殖房地面产生裂缝，这批蛇苗只要有一点裂缝就可以跑出去。

He defended himself saying he believed the snakelets would not pose a serious threat as they would "die in several days since temperatures were falling."

他还辩称，自己相信幼蛇不会造成太大严重危害，因为他们"再过几天就会因气温下降而死亡"。

Around 150 of the snakes have been caught and killed, and the search for the other 50 or so is still underway.

目前已经约有150只幼蛇或被捉获，或被打死，但仍有50多条下落不明。

Local authorities have dispatched an emergency medical team equipped with antivenom as a precautionary measure.

当地政府部门已经成立应急救治小组，调来抗蛇毒血清作为预防措施。