King cobras rarely attack humans, but one bite contains enough venom to bring down an elephant.
It seems unfairly menacing that a snake that can literally "stand
up" and look a full-grown person in the eye would also be among the most
venomous on the planet, but that describes the famous king cobra.
King
cobras can reach 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length, making them the
longest of all venomous snakes. When confronted, they can raise up to
one-third of their bodies straight off the ground and still move forward
to attack. They will also flare out their iconic hoods and emit a
bone-chilling hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog.
Their
venom is not the most potent among venomous snakes, but the amount of
neurotoxin they can deliver in a single bite—up to two-tenths of a fluid
ounce (seven milliliters)—is enough to kill 20 people, or even an
elephant. Fortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans
whenever possible, but they are fiercely aggressive when cornered.
King
cobras live mainly in the rain forests and plains of India, southern
China, and Southeast Asia, and their coloring can vary greatly from
region to region. They are comfortable in the trees, on land, and in
water, feeding mainly on other snakes, venomous and nonvenomous. They
will also eat lizards, eggs, and small mammals.
They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, which they guard ferociously until the hatchlings emerge.
King
cobras may be best known as the species of choice for the snake
charmers of South Asia. Although cobras can hear, they are actually deaf
to ambient noises, sensing ground vibrations instead. The charmer's
flute entices the cobra by its shape and movement, not by the music it
emits.
Fast Facts
- Type:
- Reptile
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Average life span in the wild:
- 20 years
- Size:
- 13 ft (4 m)
- Weight:
- Up to 20 lbs (9 kg)
- Group name:
- Quiver
- Did you know?
- Synthetic cobra venom is used in pain relievers and arthritis medication.
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