Snakes alive!

Two noteworthy, animal-themed Busch Gardens Tampa rides

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The Snake King ogles his victims on Cobra’s Curse. (SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment)

For this month’s “Rode it! Loved it!,” in which I share attractions I’ve experienced through the years exclusively for paid subscribers, I’ve got two rides for you. Both of them are at the same Florida park.

The animals seem benign enough at the African-themed Busch Gardens Tampa. Giraffes merrily munch on lettuce fed to them by visitors aboard safari vehicles. And orangutans playfully interact with guests through large windows in an area known as Jungala.

But one of the mythical creatures at the zoo/theme park is apparently up to no good. An enormous serpent has cast a spell on one of Busch Gardens’ roller coasters. It’s right there in the name: Cobra’s Curse (3.25 out of 5).