![]() Snake charming is “often a sad con game in which an exhausted cobra is put on the defensive, yet conditioned (with pain) not to strike the flutist,” Smithsonian’s National Zoo says. Although cobras can hear, they are actually deaf to ambient noises, sensing ground vibrations instead. King cobras may be best known as the species of choice for the snake charmers of South Asia. ![]() ![]() They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, which they guard ferociously until the hatchlings emerge. They will also eat lizards, eggs, and small mammals. This species feeds mainly on other snakes, venomous and nonvenomous. They are comfortable in a variety of habitats, including forests, bamboo thickets, mangrove swamps, high-altitude grasslands, and in rivers. 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. King cobra venom affects the respiratory centers in the brain, causing respiratory arrest and cardiac failure. 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-is enough to kill 20 people, or even an elephant. King cobras can reach 18 feet in length, making them the longest of all venomous snakes. It will also flare out its iconic hood and emit a hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog. When confronted, they can lift up to a third of its body off the ground and still move forward to attack.įortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible. ![]() The king cobra-one of the most venomous snakes on the planet-can literally "stand up" and look a full-grown person in the eye. Unfortunately, antivenin is still not widely available in the rural parts of the mamba’s range, and mamba-related deaths remain frequent.Įncroachment on the black mamba's territory is not only putting pressure on the species but contributes to more potentially dangerous human contact with these snakes.Current Population Trend: Decreasing What is the king cobra? Venomīefore the advent of black mamba antivenin, a bite from this fearsome serpent was almost always fatal, usually within about 20 minutes. If an attacker persists, the mamba will strike not once, but repeatedly, injecting large amounts of potent neuro- and cardiotoxin with each strike. However, when cornered, these snakes will raise their heads, sometimes with a third of their body off the ground, spread their cobra-like neck-flap, open their black mouths, and hiss. Behaviorīlack mambas are shy and will almost always seek to escape when confronted. They get their name not from their skin color, which tends to be olive to gray, but rather from the blue-black color of the inside of their mouth, which they display when threatened. They are also among the fastest snakes in the world, slithering at speeds of up to 12.5 miles per hour. They are Africa’s longest venomous snake, reaching up to 14 feet in length, although 8.2 feet is more the average. Range and characteristicsīlack mambas live in the savannas and rocky hills of southern and eastern Africa. For these reasons, the black mamba is widely considered the world’s deadliest snake. They have been blamed for numerous human deaths, and African myths exaggerate their capabilities to legendary proportions. Current Population Trend: Stable What is the black mamba?īlack mambas are fast, nervous, lethally venomous, and when threatened, highly aggressive.
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