King Cobra (Snakes Of Peninsular India)

King Cobra

Ophiophagus hannah

INTRODUCTION

Venomous Elapid
Largest Venomous Snake and not a "True" Cobra.
Threatened by habitat destruction in SE Asia.
Neurotoxic Venom : Paralyzes muscles leading to respiratory and cardiac failure.

IDENTIFICATION

Brownish-black body with light cross-bands along body that slightly fade with age.
Display hood when threatened and have a very large head of golden shade .
Have large occipitial scales behind head unlike other cobras.
Pale yellowish shade on it's ventral part of the body.
Very heavy-bodied and adults average 10 feet with some growing 15+ feet.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

Mostly Western Ghats and Northeast India . Sometimes found in extreme northern parts of India like western Himalayas.
Inhabit Tropical forests, Bamboo Thickets and sometimes agricultural land mostly nearby rainforests.
Females build nests using leaf litter to house eggs and guard it aggressively. Only snakes to make nests.
Rarely sighted as they avoid encounters with humans and move away quickly.

DIET AND BEHAVIOR

Majority of diet consists of other Snakes. Notoriously known as snake eaters.
Occasionally feed on Monitor lizards and birds when food is scarce.
Diurnal as it hunts during the day and rarely seen at night.
When threatened, they raise their hood and let a "growling" hiss with their mouth wide open.
Can lift their body a very significant portion off the ground and lunge towards a threat.
Extremely smart in comparison to other snakes. Aware of surroundings and plans it's attacks.

Toxicity	Venomous