Despite its name, king cobra (lat. Ophiophagus hannah) does not belong to the genus of true cobras (lat. Naja). As befits a royal person, scientists have identified her as a separate genus - Ophiophagus. King cobra is the longest poisonous snake in the world - the length of individual individuals can reach five and a half meters.
But even its average size, about four meters, is impressive. For comparison, king cobras are longer than a crocodile, and standing vertically, by one third of its length, the snake is taller than an adult human, 1.80 cm tall.
However, this cobra earned the title of queen not only because of its impressive size; to a large extent, the reason for this was its gastronomic preferences: the main dish on the king cobra’s daily menu is snakes, including poisonous ones.
This thunderstorm of cobras, pythons, kraits, as well as lizards, birds and rodents lives in the forests South-East Asia, from India to the Philippines and Indonesia, along the banks of streams, mangrove swamps, in bamboo thickets or near tea plantations.
flickr/Vipul Ramanuj
Depending on the area where the king cobra lives, its color can vary from light olive to dark brown, with white, yellow or beige rings. The denser the bush and darker the area, the darker her skin.
The calling card of the king cobra is its hood. When a cobra is angry or frightened, the ribs on its neck straighten, stretching the areas of skin that hang loosely on the sides. The appearance of the hood is accompanied by a loud hiss, as if saying: “I am big and strong, and I can bite you. Stay away from me."
This is exactly what most predators do, without risking attacking a king cobra. Her biggest enemy is , a small animal fast enough to attack the cobra and bite through its neck until it can release its deadly venom. The king cobra does not have any patterns on its hood, which also distinguishes it from real cobras.
Adult cobras change their skin four to six times a year, while young snakes change their skin every month. To speed up the molting process, the king cobra rubs against sharp stones and tree branches. When the molting is completely completed, the cobra will have not only new skin, but also new teeth, eyes, and the tip of its tongue.
For about ten days after this global update, the king cobra will have very poor vision, but when it is restored, the cobra will be able to see objects at a distance of more than a hundred meters.
The king cobra's venom is not the most potent, with the Australian taipan taking the lead here. However, where the cobra is inferior in strength, it gains in quantity - its short, less than one and a half centimeter fangs release a huge (up to seven milliliters) dose of poison. The bite of a king cobra can kill a person in fifteen minutes, and an adult elephant in a few hours.
Luckily, she doesn't like to waste her poison and tries to avoid conflicts with people. King cobras are the only snakes in the world that build nests to lay eggs. Having laid several dozen eggs, the cobra covers them with leaves and lies on top in anticipation of offspring. At this time she is very aggressive and dangerous.
One more photo to show the size...
Somehow it happened that the lion is considered the king of all animals, but this is among mammals. Reptiles have their own hierarchy. The royal title here is deservedly awarded to one of the largest poisonous snakes in the world - the king cobra.
Latin name king cobra - Ophiophagus hannah – translated as “snake-eating”, but it does not belong to true cobras - representatives of the genus Naja, therefore this snake was identified as an independent species.
Dimensions and appearance King cobras truly command respect and fear. Of course, because the average length of its body is 3-4 meters, but there are individuals 5-5.5 meters long!
It is not difficult to recognize this snake. Distinctive feature The king cobra has a narrow hood in the area of the back of the head and neck, decorated with 6 large dark shields in the form of a semicircle. The main color of the snake is brown or greenish-brown. It alternates with dark rings surrounding the entire body.
The queen of all snakes has a vast habitat that extends from India to the Philippines (South India, Pakistan, South China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Greater Sunda Islands and the Philippines).
Habitat of the king cobra Without special reasons The “queen” does not like to show herself. She prefers to stay in dark caves or holes, of which there are a great many in the jungle.
They are also excellent tree climbers and good swimmers, but still prefer to spend most of their time on the ground. When catching prey or pursuing an enemy, the snake can move quickly. Therefore, the chances of escaping from a snake by flight are not so great. You will learn about the reasons for such aggressiveness a little below.
IN Lately There is a tendency for king cobras to move closer to human habitation, and there is an explanation for this.
Firstly, such proximity often occurs during the rainy season and, secondly, the widespread spread of agricultural production in Asian countries leads to deforestation, which is natural environment habitat of these snakes. In addition to this, cobras are often spotted in crop areas where there are many rodents, and where there are rodents, there are also small snakes - the main food of the king cobra.
Snakes are the main food of the king cobra Her favorite food is rat snakes. But given any other opportunity, she is not averse to hunting other species, including poisonous ones. In cases of their deficiency, the “queen” can switch to large lizards, but this does not happen so often.
A potent venom that has a neurotoxic effect helps the snake quickly deal with its prey. It causes paralysis of the respiratory muscles, which leads to respiratory arrest and, as a result, death. The amount of poison injected into the victim during a bite is about 6-7 ml. Such a dose can be fatal even for an elephant, let alone a human.
Despite the highly toxic venom and aggressiveness, deaths from king cobra bites are rare. This is due to the fact that the snake will not waste its “weapons” in vain. First of all, it is necessary for hunting, and in order to intimidate a person, the cobra often inflicts “idle bites.” They occur without the injection of poison or very little of it to be fatal. If a person receives a full-fledged bite, then he has no more than half an hour to live. Only timely administration of the antidote – antivenin – can save him.
Interestingly, the king cobras themselves have developed immunity to their venom, so during “fights” for the female during the mating season, none of the gentlemen dies from the bites of an opponent.
January – beginning mating season when the male goes in search of a female. If there are several contenders, then ritual battles take place. The winner gets the main prize - a female. Then a short acquaintance occurs, during which the male becomes convinced that the female does not pose a danger to him, and the final stage begins mating games- mating.
The king cobra is one of the few snakes that builds a nest for its eggs. It is a large pile of rotting leaves, located on a small hill (so that it does not flood too much during tropical downpours). There the female lays from 20 to 40 eggs, and then constantly maintains a certain temperature in it (from 25 to 29 C°).
After laying eggs, the female becomes very aggressive. She guards them around the clock and is ready to attack anyone who passes by her “treasure.” Be it a small harmless animal or an elephant. As a result, she is often attributed to aggressive behavior and assault without apparent reason, although all its aggressiveness is most often associated with the close location of the nest. In addition, during this period the toxicity of its venom increases, which leads to even more deaths from its bites.
Incubation period lasts about 3 months, after which small, but already highly poisonous cubs hatch. Before this, the female goes in search of food so as not to eat her babies out of hunger. As a result, out of 20-40 baby snakes adult life reach only 2-4.
In India, the cobra is considered a sacred animal, and its killing is punishable not only by religion, but also by law. Since 1972, there has been a law prohibiting the killing of cobras unless absolutely necessary. Punishment is imprisonment for up to 3 years.
King cobra is a sacred animal Images of K. cobra can often be seen in temples. Hindus believe that she understands mantras - sacred spells. According to their belief, this snake has purity and holiness and brings wealth to the house.
Once a year, a festival dedicated to the king cobra is celebrated - Nag Panchami. On this day, Hindus bring snakes from the forest and release them in temples or right on the streets. Daredevils put them on their hands, necks, and wrap them around their heads. And all these pranks with animals go unpunished. According to Indian beliefs, snakes do not bite anyone on this day. After the end of the holiday, all the cobras are taken back to the forest.
King cobras live for about 30 years and constantly grow throughout this period.
Among all the representatives of snakes living on Earth, cobras are one of the largest. In addition, cobras are famous for their poisonousness and aggression. Is this really so, we will try to figure it out.
There are about 29 species of cobras on our planet (28 of which are in the genus called True Cobras, and one - the king cobra - is a representative of the genus King Cobras). All these snakes belong to the slate family. Undoubtedly, the most famous cobras, whose name is always heard by the inhabitants of the Earth, are: Indian cobra (aka -) and Egyptian cobra and king cobra (aka -).
In terms of size, cobras are not small snakes; the smallest specimens reach a length of just over 1.5 meters, and the largest species grow to almost 5 meters (we are talking about hamadryads). These reptiles have high body mobility, despite their size. Identify cobras by external signs in a state of calm it is very difficult, unless you are a herpetologist (a specialist in the study of snakes). But if you anger this animal, you can identify cobras by their characteristic defensive “stance” and swollen “hood.”
The skin color of cobras is most often nondescript. Blackish-brown shades predominate, as well as brownish-yellow shades. Sometimes, however, you can also find a brightly colored cobra, such as the South African shield cobra (has a coral skin tone) and the red spitting cobra (red-brown in color). In addition, the pattern of cobras can be complemented by stripes or spots located on the body or head. A striking example is the spectacled snake: when it “opens” its hood, two disc-shaped spots similar to glasses are visible on its back side.
Where do cobras live?
These reptiles can be found in Africa and Asia. Cobras are very heat-loving creatures; they will not live where it is too cold or where there is snow. But there are exceptions to every rule - the Central Asian cobra, which lives in the northern part of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
In nature, cobras can be seen in the driest places. They prefer bushes, deserts, and are sometimes found near river banks, but you will not find these reptiles in very damp and swampy areas. Some species choose mountainous terrain as their home, but they do not rise above 2400 meters above sea level.
Cobras, by their way of life, are solitary animals, however, of all the snakes living on the planet, they are the only ones who form pairs during the mating season (other snakes, as you know, after mating, immediately scatter in all directions and never see each other again)
What does a cobra eat?
The main food of this reptile is small rodents and birds. In addition, cobras hunt frogs, toads, lizards and small snakes, and also eat bird eggs. Cobras, noticing potential prey, rush at it and bite it, injecting a toxic substance into the victim’s body.
The venom of all cobras is fatal if it enters the human body! The most “long-lasting” toxin is considered to be, death occurs after a few hours. As for the venom of the king cobra, after its bite a person dies within 30 minutes.
The breeding season for these reptiles occurs once a year. All species, with the exception of the collared cobra, lay eggs (from 8 to 70 pieces). The collared cobra gives birth to live young (up to 60 babies in one season).
KING COBRA - SNAKE KILLER
The largest of all venomous snakes in the world is not without reason called the king cobra. Medium sizes adult- three to four meters, but there are individual specimens reaching a length of five and a half meters. This poisonous monster can be found in India, Southern China, Malaysia and Indonesia, the Greater Sunda Islands and the Philippines. The king cobra prefers remote areas of the jungle, covered with dense undergrowth or tall grass, but sometimes appears in residential areas. It is very easy to recognize: on the king cobra’s head behind the back of the head there are six large scutes arranged in a semicircle. The body of the snake, which has a yellowish-green color, is surrounded by black rings, vague and narrow near the head and clearer and wider closer to the tail.
The snake itself has a rather nasty character and an unpleasant habit of chasing its opponent when he tries to escape. The king cobra is an excellent swimmer and excellent tree climber, making it very difficult to hide from it. True, the aggressiveness of the snake is simply explained. Most often, her attacks are associated with protecting a nest with eggs. Travelers who encounter a king cobra in the jungle and are forced to shoot it or flee for their lives talk about the reptile's seemingly causeless attack. However, they may not realize that they were actually passing by a snake's nest.
Yes, oddly enough, the king cobra is the only snake that builds a nest for its offspring. The cobra uses its body to rake grass and dry leaves into a pile until it forms a low, round cushion. Having laid eggs there (usually from twenty to forty pieces), the snake settles on top and “hatches” them like a real bird. Sometimes the female is replaced by the father of the offspring, just like the mother, ready at any moment to take off and punish anyone passing by, be it a person or an animal.
True, after the birth of baby snakes, parents stop all care of them. But small cobras do not need protection and with early childhood are able to provide their own food.
In India, the king cobra is treated with great reverence. One reason is that the cobra feeds mainly on snakes. Along with harmless snakes Its diet includes kraits, whose venom is the most terrible in the world, and ordinary cobras. That is why the king cobra was given a scientific name, which translates as “snake eater”.
sacred reptile
As already mentioned, despite the terrible danger this snake poses, Hindus idolize the king cobra. The seven-headed king cobra Shesh Naga serves as a bed and protection for the god Vishnu. Very often in temples there are images of Vishnu standing under the open hood of this giant cobra. IN long hair the god Shiva is also woven with figures of small snakes - symbols of his magical power and wisdom. Indians say that the king cobra is the only snake that understands sacred spells - mantras. This snake has purity and holiness, and it is called upon to bring wealth to the house and protect it from enemies.
The appearance of a king cobra in a temple is a sacred event. So, in September 2005, a white king cobra crawled into one of the Hindu temples in Malaysia during a service and wrapped itself around the statue of one of the saints. The parishioners took the appearance of the albino snake as a sign from above, and the temple immediately organized offerings of food and drink for the cobra and even cash to benefit the temple. The snake “stayed” for several days and during this time the sanctuary was visited by more than four thousand pilgrims.
King cobras are protected in India not only by religion, but also by secular decrees. In 1972, the government passed a law prohibiting the unnecessary killing of cobras. The offender faces imprisonment for up to three years. Special reserves for reptiles have been opened in the central and southern parts of the country. And in 2002, a special clinic even opened in India to treat wild snakes injured in the jungle.
Snake celebrations
Once a year, Hindus hold a king cobra festival. We have already written about it, it is called Nag-panchami. So, on this day there is universal worship of nagas - king cobras. Hindus bring snakes from the forest, release them in temples and right on the streets, feed them honey and other sweets and give them milk to drink. People wrap snakes around their heads, hang them around their necks, and wrap them around their arms. And what’s most interesting: not a single snake even tries to bite anyone. But they also do more risky things with them. For example, men compete to see whose snake is longer. They take the reptile by the tail, use a stick to hook the cobra under the base of the hood and pull it high up. The one with the highest snake head will win. And all this is done not with harmless snakes, but with real king cobras, freshly brought from the jungle. Indians firmly believe in the legend, repeatedly confirmed by practice, that on the Nag Panchami holiday snakes do not bite anyone.
At the end of the celebration, the residents carefully take the tired cobras back to the jungle and begin to fear them again, until the next holiday.
If the cobra itself comes to a residential building as an uninvited guest, then they do not kill it, but try to appease it with offerings and persuade it not to harm the residents. During heavy rains Cobras strive to leave the jungle and hide in people's houses. When one of the villages is subjected to such an invasion, the residents abandon their homes and turn to the nearest snake charmer for help, so that he would relieve people from this scourge painlessly for the cobras. And in some rich houses, king cobras constantly live as pets - favorites of the whole family and excellent guards. Domestic cobras perfectly distinguish their owners from strangers, and while they can allow their own to be treated fairly freely, it is best for uninvited strangers to stay away from them.
Queen among snakes
King Cobra ( spectacled cobra) is the largest poisonous snake on our planet. Its usual length is four meters, but there are also individuals up to six (!) meters in length! This “snake queen” lives in warm countries: in India, the Philippine Islands, Indochina. It lives in burrows, where it lays its eggs, from which king snakes hatch. The spectacled cobra hunts at night, but during the day it hides from the burning southern sun in its hole. Its main prey is small rodents. By the way, by killing them, the cobra brings considerable benefit to landowners. The king cobra (the photo of which should not be confused with the Indian cobra) is considered the most dangerous and most aggressive snake in all of India, which is already infested with poisonous snakes.
Stage one: warningThe king cobra is a highly poisonous snake. Her characteristic feature is that in most cases she will never bite without warning about it in advance. Let's look at this situation in more detail. The cobra warns a person or animal carelessly approaching it with a menacing hiss and an inflated hood, on which a pattern in the form of glasses is depicted (for which it was given the second name - spectacled).
Taking a fighting stance, she makes several warning attacks towards her opponent, postponing the mortal fight until the last. The most recent “Chinese” warning is a snake head-butt on the enemy, without opening its mouth. Interestingly, for its repeated warnings before an attack, this cobra was nicknamed the noble snake. Without them, the king cobra bites only in two cases: if it is grabbed with a hand or stepped on with a foot.
If repeated warnings from the king cobra are ignored, then a fight begins between the snake and its opponent. When defending itself, the king cobra will definitely bite, most likely fatally poisoning its offender, and its poison is very strong. She introduces it into the enemy, judging by the size of the snake itself, in large quantities... The consequences of a bite appear after about 10 minutes and are usually disastrous. In order to properly inject the poison, the cobra just needs to grab onto its offender with a death grip, holding him like that for some time. If the snake was immediately torn off (which is unlikely - given its size!), then there may not be any particularly serious consequences from the bite, but this is provided that it was not able to bite again. If the cobra grabbed tightly, and at the same time “chewed” its offender a little, then there is no chance of survival! The battle between a cobra and its opponent resembles something like hand-to-hand combat, because if, for example, a viper “hits” from a long distance and then jumps back, then a cobra does not! This fight can pose a danger to the life of the cobra itself, so the fact that its opponent has already been “sentenced” is of little comfort to the snake.
Remember that, for all its nobility, the king cobra is a rather temperamental snake, and if you do not heed its polite warnings in time, an attack is inevitable. Having become enraged, it aggressively begins to fight, and may begin to pursue a retreating enemy... Although, no matter what the cobra is - king, Indian, Central Asian or any other, it is first of all a snake with poison that is fatal to humans, from which it is always better to stay away further away.