King Cobra
From Wild India
King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
The King Cobra is a venomous snake found in parts of South-East Asia. It is not a true cobra, being placed in its own genus (Ophiophagus) and not in the Naja genus of true cobras. It is the longest venomous snake in the world, known to reach lengths of 18 feet.
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Range
Eastward from India to Vietnam, southern China, Philippines, and southeast through Malaysia and Indonesia.
Habitat
Cool undergrowth of rain forests. Often found near streams, where temperature and humidity does not vary strongly. They are good swimmers, like most snakes. They are known to climb trees. Often found in the tea and coffee estates of the Western Ghats. They are solitary animals.
Appearance
The head is flat on top, with eyes towards the front. When scared or agitated, ribs in the neck flatten out, creating a hood. The hood is narrower than that of the common cobra. The hood also doesnt have the "spectacle" or "monocle" markings of cobras. Colour varies from olive-brown to deep, shiny black. They have cross markings in a chevron-like pattern which vary in colour from white to yellow. In the Western Ghats, they are usually almost black with creamy markings. The average length is about 13 feet.
Bite
Their fangs are relatively small, at half an inch. The fangs are hollow and attached to the upper jaw. The venom contains neurotoxins that paralyze the nervous system, including the impulses for breathing. Symptoms usually appear within 30 minutes of being bitten. Their venom is actually less venomous than the common cobra's, drop for drop. The king cobra compensates by delivering more venom per bite. The quantity of venom could be as much as 7 ml, enough to kill an elephant.
Feeding habits
Ophiophagus means "snake eater", the King Cobra feeds almost exclusively on snakes. They prefer non-venomous snakes, but will eat all kinds of snakes, including small king cobras. They are also known to eat lizards.
Breeding
King Cobras breed in January during the cool, dry season. The female builds a nest and lays 20-50 eggs in it. The female will guard the nest during the 60-70 day incubation, abandoning the nest just before the eggs hatch. Juveniles are about a foot long, and fully armed with venom at birth.
Threats
The adult snakes are not commonly preyed upon, but juveniles are eaten by small mammals such as mongooses and civets. The main threat is through habitat destruction, as more and more of the rain forests are cut down. The coffee and tea plantations of the provide them with a viable alternative habitat, but people kill them on sight out of fear. The status of the King Cobra in the wild is threatened.
External links
- King Cobra at National Geographic (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kingcobra/index-n.html)
- King Cobra at Animal Diversity (http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Ophiophagus_hannah.html)
