Cobra snake - interesting facts. The king cobra, like a snake, is very dangerous and fast.

Snake venom - this phrase evokes not the most pleasant associations in humans. It is clear why, because such a waste product of snakes most often leads to a deterioration in health. But this is only in natural conditions, if a snake has bitten a person. Fashionistas and people who care about their health know that snake venom is used in many areas of life. Cosmetology and medicine have long adopted this natural component to create drugs that help people.

What properties does this substance have? When does poison help us? And in what cases should you beware of it? Let's look at some options for using snake venom.

Keeping a king cobra at home

Herpetologists consider this snake extremely interesting and extraordinary, but advise beginners to think a hundred times before keeping it at home.
The main difficulty lies in accustoming the king cobra to new food: you will not feed it snakes, pythons and monitor lizards. A more budget option (rats) is associated with some difficulties:

• with long-term feeding on rats, fatty liver degeneration is possible;
• rats as food, according to some experts, negatively affect the reproductive functions of the snake.

Adult snakes need a terrarium at least 1.2 m long. If the cobra is large, up to 3 meters (for newborns, containers 30-40 cm long are enough). For the terrarium you need to prepare:

• snags/branches (especially for young snakes);
• a large drinking bowl (cobras drink a lot);
• substrate on the bottom (sphagnum, coconut or newspapers).

Maintain the temperature in the terrarium within +22+27 degrees. Remember that king cobras love moisture: air humidity should not fall below 60-70%

It is especially important to monitor these indicators when the reptile is molting.

And do not forget to use extreme caution during all manipulations with the king cobra: wear gloves and keep it at a safe distance. https://www.youtube.com/embed/BH5QhLcJk60?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=BH5QhLcJk60%3F

Notes[edit | edit code]

1. ↑ 1 2 Cobras / Vasiliev B. D. // Kireev - Congo. - M.: Great Russian Encyclopedia, 2009. - P. 367. - (Big Russian Encyclopedia: [in 35 volumes] / chief editor Yu. S. Osipov; 2004-2017, vol. 14). — ISBN 978-5-85270-345-3.
2. ↑ 1 2 3 Russian names are given according to the source: Ananyeva N. B., Borkin L. Ya., Darevsky I. S., Orlov N. L. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Amphibians and reptiles. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., 1988. - P. 343, 349. - 10,500 copies. — ISBN 5-200-00232-X.
3. ↑ 1 2 Darevsky I. S., Orlov N. L. Rare and endangered animals. Amphibians and reptiles: Ref. manual / ed. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Higher School, 1988. - P. 381. - 463 p., [16] l. ill. — 100,000 copies. — ISBN 5-06-001429-0.
4. ↑ W. Wüster et al (2007): The phylogeny of cobras inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences: Evolution of venom spitting and the phylogeography of the African spitting cobras (Serpentes: Elapidae: Naja nigricollis complex). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 45, S. 437-453 (Volltext (unavailable link))
5. ↑ V. Wallach, W. Wüster & D, G. Broadley (2009): In praise of subgenera: taxonomic us of cobras of the genus Naja Laurenti (Serpentes: Elapidae). Zootaxa 2236, S. 26-36 [1]

Indian cobra nutrition

The Indian cobra, like most snakes, feeds on small mammals, mainly rodents and birds, as well as amphibious frogs and toads. They often destroy bird nests by eating eggs and chicks. Other species of reptiles are also used for food, including smaller poisonous snakes.

A large Indian cobra can easily swallow a large rat or a small hare at one time. For a long time, up to two weeks, a cobra can go without water, but having found a source, it drinks quite a lot, storing liquid for the future.

The Indian cobra hunts at different times of the day and night, depending on its habitat. It can search for prey on the ground, in water bodies and even in high vegetation. Outwardly clumsy, a snake of this type excels at crawling through trees and swimming in water, looking for food.

Genus: Desert cobras

Egyptian desert cobra

The Egyptian desert cobra is an inhabitant of the deserts and wastelands of Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and some other countries in this region.

Active at night. In addition to small mammals and lizards, the diet also includes other snakes.

Like most cobra species, before biting a person, it makes warning lunges several times. Only if a person does not understand that the snake is serious does it decide to bite.

Egyptian desert cobra.

Conditions of detention

Keeping a Sinaloyan milk snake in captivity is not a very difficult task. It is not difficult to comply with a small list of requirements. Therefore, this species is recommended for beginners. However, there is a “but” here: the Sinaloyan milk snake is able to get out of the terrarium if there is a hole where its head can fit. If there is such a hole in the terrarium, then she will definitely escape. This snake loves to explore space, and therefore after escaping it will be very difficult to find, since it can crawl far away quite quickly. The choice of terrarium must be approached with special care.

In addition, it is imperative to keep Sinaloyan milk snakes alone.

Terrarium: It is recommended to choose a terrarium for terrestrial species, i.e. horizontal type. The size of the terrarium should depend on the size of the lighting fixtures that will be placed in it, because... the lamp must be at a height of at least 40 cm from the floor. Thus, the size of the terrarium excluding the lamp should be at least 50x40x40 cm for one individual.

Substrate: river pebbles, coarse sand, coconut shavings, or paper can be used as the main substrate. The main thing is that the substrate is always dry, but not dusty. It is necessary to place sphagnum moss at the heating point so that the snake can burrow into it. In addition, sphagnum moss will help maintain the moisture level necessary for the reptile.

Lighting: during reptile active seasons, daylight hours should be 12 hours

Compliance with the daily rhythm is very important for the snake, since the time of its activity falls precisely on the period of twilight. The presence of a lamp with a UVB spectrum in the terrarium is a prerequisite

In order for a snake to feel comfortable in captivity, it must be hibernated in winter and brought out closer to spring. To do this, at the end of autumn - beginning of winter, for 2-3 weeks, daylight hours are gradually reduced and night temperatures are reduced. When there are 8 hours of daylight, the snake needs to stop offering food and turn off the night heating. When daylight hours are reduced to 4 hours, it is necessary to turn off the daytime heating, and the temperature should be maintained at 15-17°C. At this time, the snake should be placed in a dark, dry and well-ventilated place. This could be a light-proof cage with sawdust. However, humidity must be maintained at 40-50%, and a drinking bowl must be provided regularly. Wintering lasts about 2 months, after which the snake must be brought out of hibernation at the same rhythm. Food should be offered when there is 8 hours of daylight.

Content temperature: during the daytime, the background temperature in the terrarium should be maintained at 28-30°C, at night the temperature should drop to 20-21°C. An excellent option would be to gradate temperatures in the terrarium so that the reptile itself can choose a comfortable place. To do this, it is enough to organize a warming up point where the temperature reaches 30-32°C during the day (moss should be placed in the same place). But don't forget to hang a thermometer on the other side of the terrarium as well to monitor the background temperature.

Maintaining Humidity: A large and heavy (so that it cannot be knocked over) water bowl, in which the snake can not only drink, but if necessary, dive (especially during molting) and defecate, will also be an excellent source of evaporation to maintain humidity. The water in the drinking bowl needs to be changed daily. In addition, sphagnum moss and daily spraying with warm water will perform the same role.

Decoration: two thirds of the space in the terrarium can be left free, the rest must be filled with all kinds of shelters. This can include shelters in the form of rocks, grottoes, stumps, as well as pieces of tree bark and even parts of broken clay pots. Three walls of the terrarium must be covered with decoration, especially if the terrarium is located in a public place.

Types of cobras, names and photographs

• King cobra (hamadryad) (lat. Ophiophagus hannah ) is the largest venomous snake in the world. Many herpetologists believe that the concept of king cobra includes several subspecies, since this reptile is very widespread. The snake lives in Southeast and South Asia. Inhabits India south of the Himalayas, the southern part of China to Hainan Island, Bhutan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan, Singapore, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Found in forests with dense undergrowth and grass cover, it rarely crawls near human habitation. The average size of an adult king cobra is 3-4 meters, with some individuals growing up to 5.85 meters in length. The average weight of a king cobra is 6 kilograms, but large individuals can weigh more than 12 kg. The adult snake has a dark olive or brown body with or without light oblique rings, and a dark olive to black tail. Juveniles are usually dark brown or black with white or yellowish transverse stripes. The snake's belly is light cream or yellowish in color. A distinctive feature of the king cobra is the additional 6 scutes on the back of the head, which differ in color.

The king cobra spends most of its time on the ground, although it successfully climbs trees and swims deftly. It is active during the day, usually hunting for its own kind, eating both poisonous and non-venomous snakes (cobras, boigs, kraits, keffiyehs, pythons, snakes), sometimes the cobra also eats its cubs. Only occasionally, for variety, can he snack on a lizard.

This species is oviparous. First, the female builds a “nest” by raking leaves and branches into a heap with the front part of her body. There she lays her eggs and covers them with rotting leaves on top. She herself is placed nearby, jealously guarding the future offspring from anyone who inadvertently dares to approach him. Sometimes the father also participates in security. Cubs are born 50 cm in size, with shiny skin, as if tied with a yellow-white ribbon.

The venom of the king cobra is very strong: even elephants die from its bite. A person bitten by a king cobra can die within 30 minutes. The reptile actively warns approaching enemies by emitting a high-pitched whistling hiss, adopting a “cobra pose”, but at the same time rising 1 meter higher than other cobras and not swaying from side to side (royally). If a person who notices the snake’s threatening pose freezes in place, the cobra will calm down and crawl away. The snake is impatient and not attentive only if someone is near its nest.

Photo credit: Greg Hume, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo credit: Rushenb, CC BY-SA 4.0

• The spectacled snake (Indian cobra) (lat. Naja naja ) lives in Asian countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, South China.

The length of the snake is from 1.5 to 2 m, weight reaches 5-6 kg. She has a head rounded at the front, without a noticeable cervical interception, passing into a body covered with smooth scales. The Indian cobra is quite brightly colored, although the color and pattern of populations living in different places can vary greatly. There are yellow-gray, black and brown individuals. The ventral part can be yellowish-brown or light gray. Young individuals are decorated with dark transverse stripes, which first fade with age and then disappear completely.

A distinctive feature of the Indian cobra is a white or milky pattern on the upper side of the body, which becomes noticeable only when the hood is opened - these are ring-shaped spots reminiscent of eyes or glasses. This adaptation helps the cobra avoid being attacked by predators from behind.

Photo credit: Jayendra Chiplunkar, CC BY-SA 3.0

• The Central Asian cobra (lat. Naja oxiana) is found in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and Kyrgyzstan. It takes refuge among stones, in rodent burrows, in gorges, among sparse vegetation, near rivers, in the ruins of man-made buildings. It also lives in the depths of dry deserts.

This poisonous reptile reaches 1.8 meters in size and is distinguished by the absence of a pattern in the form of glasses on the dorsal side of the neck. The color of the dorsal part of the cobra varies from dark brown to light beige, the belly of the snake is yellowish with dark transverse stripes, narrower and brighter in young individuals. As the reptile matures, the stripes on the abdominal part are replaced by spots or specks. The species does not form large groups, and even in spring it is not possible to detect more than 2-3 individuals in one area. In spring, under favorable conditions, Central Asian cobras hunt during the day. In hot areas they are noticeable only in cool mornings and evenings. In autumn they can be seen much less frequently, but at this time of year they are active during the day. The cobra hunts birds, amphibians, small rodents, and reptiles (lizards, boas, etc.). She also eats bird eggs. The mating season of the snake begins in the spring, and in July the cobra lays 8-12 eggs 35 mm long. In September, juveniles 30 cm in size emerge from them.

The venom of the Central Asian cobra has a pronounced neurotoxic effect. An animal bitten by it becomes lethargic, then develops convulsions and quickens breathing. Death occurs as a result of paralysis of the lungs. But a cobra rarely bites, only when in a desperate situation. At first, she always takes a warning, demonstrative pose, hisses and gives the attacker the opportunity to leave. Even if the attacker does not retreat, she first makes a false bite - she quickly rushes and hits the enemy with her muzzle with her mouth tightly closed. This way she protects her valuable teeth from possible breakage and saves the poison for real prey.

Photo credit: Omid Mozaffari, CC BY-SA 3.0

• The Indian spitting cobra (lat. Naja sputatrix) lives in Indonesia (on the Lesser Sunda Islands: Java, Bali, Sulawesi, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Komodo, Alor, Lomblen).

She has a wide head with a cervical intercept, a short muzzle with large nostrils and rather large eyes. The body color is uniform - black, dark gray or brown. The hood is light on the ventral side. The average length of the snake is 1.3 m, and the cobra weighs just under 3 kg.

The snake throws poison towards the attacker at a distance of up to 2 meters, trying to get into his eyes. The poisonous teeth of a spitting cobra have a specific structure. The external opening of their venom-conducting channel is directed forward, not downward. The reptile injects venom using strong contractions of specialized muscles. The jet hits the target very accurately. The reptile uses this method of defense only for defense against large enemies. Cobra venom that gets into the eyes causes clouding of the outer membrane of the eye and in this way stops the attacker. If your eyes are not rinsed with water immediately, complete loss of vision may occur.

Photo credit: Wibowo Djatmiko, CC BY-SA 3.0

• The Egyptian cobra, gaya, or true asp (lat. Naja haje) lives in northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula (in Yemen). Lives in mountains, deserts, steppes and near human settlements.

A real adder grows up to 2.5 meters and weighs 3 kg; its expanded “hood” is much narrower than that of the Indian cobra. The color of the dorsal side of the cobra is uniform - dark brown, red-brown, gray-brown or light yellow, with a light, creamy ventral side. Several broad dark stripes on the neck become visible when the snake assumes a warning posture. Young reptiles are brighter and have patterns of wide light yellow and dark brown rings.

Gaia is active during the day; the cobra's diet consists of small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds. The snake can swim and climb trees.

Photo credit: Ricardo Hurtubia, CC BY 2.0

• The black-necked cobra (lat. Naja nigricollis) is known for its ability to accurately shoot venom into the eyes of its attacker. The snake lives in the southern tropical zone of Africa - from Senegal to Somalia and to Angola in the southeast.

The body length reaches 2 meters, the weight of the cobra reaches 4 kg. Coloring ranges from light brown to dark brown, sometimes with indistinct transverse stripes. The neck and throat are black, often with a transverse white stripe.

When irritated, a cobra can shoot venom up to 28 times in a row, releasing a portion of 3.7 mg. It accurately hits its target, but sometimes confuses shiny objects with its eyes - trouser buckles, watch dials, etc. The venom of the black-necked cobra does not cause inflammation, but if it gets into the eyes, it will cause temporary loss of vision. By studying the process of releasing venom in this type of cobra, scientists found that during the contraction of special muscles, the entrance to the reptile’s trachea also closes. This ensures a directed flight of the jet, which is not displaced by the air flow.

The cobra hunts small rodents, lizards, reptiles and birds. Since it lives in a hot region of the planet, it is active more often at night, and during the day it hides in tree hollows, termite mounds, and animal burrows. This is an oviparous animal; a clutch can contain from 8 to 20 eggs.

Photo credit: Rivera0997, CC BY-SA 4.0

• The black and white cobra (lat. Naja melanoleuca) lives in Central and Western Africa: from Ethiopia and Somalia in the east to Senegal, Guinea and Gabon in the west, from Mozambique, Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe in the south to Mali, Chad and Niger in the north . Lives in forests, savannas, and mountains up to an altitude of 2800 meters above sea level. Can climb trees.

The ventral side of the body of this cobra species is yellow with black stripes and irregularly shaped spots scattered over it. Adults are dark brown or brown with a gray metallic sheen and a black tail. Young reptiles are dark-colored with light transverse thin stripes. The length of the cobra often reaches 2 meters; individuals of 2.7 m are less common.

The reptile does not spit poison. In nature, a snake lives for about 12 years; a record lifespan of a cobra of 29 years has also been recorded. The reptile is active during the day and feeds on fish, rodents, amphibians, birds, monitor lizards and other lizards. Its venom ranks second in strength among African snakes after the venom of the Cape cobra. She lays up to 26 eggs in animal burrows and tree hollows. Juveniles 35-40 cm long appear after 55-70 days.

Photo credit: Warren Klein, CC BY-SA 3.0

• The Cape cobra (lat. Naja nivea) lives in Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Botswana. Prefers desert, steppe and mountain landscapes, often settling near bodies of water.

It is a venomous snake and often has a transverse brown stripe on the underside of its neck. The color of the cobra can be amber yellow, light yellow, bronze, brown, copper, solid or with spots. The length of its body varies from 1.2 to 1.5 m, although there are individuals measuring up to 1.8 m or more. In addition to live prey, it eats carrion. It hunts during the day, but on hot days it is active in the evenings; it can crawl into people’s homes in search of mice and rats. Its poison is considered the most powerful in Africa. The female lays up to 20 eggs.

Photo credit: JonRichfield, CC BY-SA 3.0

• The ringed water cobra (lat. Naja annulata) is a poisonous animal with a small head and a dense body, up to 2.7 m long and weighing 3 kg. The average length of an adult reptile varies between 1.4 and 2.2 m. The dorsal side of the reptile is yellowish-brown, covered with transverse light stripes. Diving to a depth of 25 meters, she catches fish and eats mainly only them. Less commonly it feeds on frogs, toads and other amphibians. Can stay under water for up to 10 minutes.

The ringed water cobra lives in Cameroon, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Angola. The snake's habitats include rivers and lakes, where it spends most of its time, as well as nearby areas: shores and savannas overgrown with bushes and trees.

Photo credit: Al Cortiz, CC BY-SA 3.0

• The collared cobra (lat. Hemachatus haemachatus) is separated into a separate genus due to some important distinctive features. Unlike other cobras, it does not have any other teeth behind its poisonous teeth. It is not a very long snake, reaching a maximum of 1.5 m, with a dark brown or black dorsal part, along which intermittent oblique transverse stripes are scattered. Darker varieties of the reptile are often found, but the head and lower neck of this reptile are always completely black, and the belly has transverse black and yellowish-cream stripes. Almost completely black species always have a light stripe on the neck. The hood of this poisonous snake is quite narrow.

The collared cobra lives in South Africa (Zimbabwe, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland). Here, for its ability to spit venom, it was nicknamed “spui-slang” - a spitting snake.

Photo credit: Hectonichus, CC BY-SA 3.0

• The monocle cobra (Naja kaouthia) is an oviparous snake that is found in China, Cambodia, Myanmar, India, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and is also believed to be found in Nepal. The reptile swims well, settles both on plains, in forests and fields, and in mountainous areas, crawls into pastures and rice plantations, and can live near cities and villages. The animal is active both during the day and at night, but prefers to hunt at night.

There is only one light circle on the hood of a poisonous snake, and not two, like other spectacled snakes. The average length of the reptile is 1.2-1.5 m, the maximum length is 2.1 m. There are individuals with creamy-gray, yellow and black colors. The monocle cobra has a rather nervous and aggressive character.

Photo by: Vassil, CC0

• The Siamese cobra (lat. Naja siamensis) lives in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. According to some reports, it is also found in Myanmar. The reptile settles in lowlands, hills, plains and forests, sometimes approaching human habitation.

The average size of a poisonous snake is 1.2-1.3 m, the maximum is 1.6 m. Within the species, there is variability in the color of reptiles. In eastern Thailand, Siamese cobras are uniformly olive, greenish or light brown. In the center of the country there lives a population with contrasting longitudinal or transverse black and white coloring in the form of alternating stripes. In western Thailand, this type of cobra is black in color. The pattern on the hood is also somewhat different. It can be V-shaped or U-shaped.

The Siamese cobra is oviparous and active at night.

Photo credit: Tontanthailand, CC BY-SA 4.0

• The South African shield cobra (lat. Aspidelaps lubricus) is an inhabitant of the south of Angola, Namibia and the Cape Province of South Africa.

This is a venomous oviparous snake, 0.45 to 0.7 m long, with a rounded head covered in front with large triangular shields. The cobra's head is red with two black stripes, one of which runs from the nostrils to the top of the head, branching to the eyes, the other, transverse, crosses the first at neck level. The body of the cobra is pink, yellowish or orange, crossed by transverse black rings.

The South African shield cobra is a nocturnal animal that lives in burrows or under rocks, preferring semi-deserts and sandy areas. The cobra's food is small vertebrates, mainly reptiles.

Photo credit: Ryanvanhuyssteen, CC BY-SA 3.0

Habitat of adders

Reptiles can be found in the tropics and subtropics in Asia, Australia, Africa, North and South America. Some species are found in temperate latitudes. Aquatic versions live in the Pacific and Indian oceans.

Australia is considered the historical homeland of reptiles of this family, since the most ancient representatives, as well as most of the genus, live on this continent. Due to convergent adaptation, species began to appear that outwardly resembled representatives of the family Pitaceae.

Late species do not penetrate this continent, making it easier for herpertologists to observe the development of the family.

In Africa, you can also find ancient species, since this place is the second center of distribution of asps. Only on this continent are found arboreal species and those species that live only in the water surface.

The population of Asia is represented by young species of animals that have adapted to life on this land. Most reptiles here lead a terrestrial or burrowing lifestyle. The largest species represented in the family is the king cobra.

The American continents received adders later than everyone else, so not so many snakes live here, and they are not so diverse. All continental inhabitants have a shortened upper jaw and a reduced number of teeth.

The distribution area of ​​reptiles is practically unlimited - they can live in wet forests, dry steppes or deserts. Animals are highly adaptable.

What does a cobra eat?

Most cobras are predators; they eat amphibians (frogs, toads), birds (ground-nesting small passerines, nightjars), reptiles (more often than other snakes, less often lizards), mammals (rodents), and fish. They can eat bird eggs. Some species do not refuse carrion.

Photo credit: Lip Kee, CC BY-SA 2.0

Cobra venom and its uses

Cobra venom is an expensive liquid that is used in medicine, biology and cosmetology for the following purposes:

• To make an antidote - a serum that is administered after a poisonous snake bite.
• The nerve venoms of cobras are capable of blocking nerve impulses. This property is used to neutralize impulses caused by diseases.
• A mixture of Central Asian cobra venom (nayaxin), a solution of table salt and novocaine has an analgesic effect.
• A mixture of cobra and viper venoms is used to stop the growth of malignant tumors.
• A substance with an antithromboplastic effect has been isolated from the venom of the Central Asian cobra.
• With the help of cobra venom, epilepsy, chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and pneumonia, spasms of heart vessels, joint and muscle inflammation, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's syndrome and schizophrenia are successfully treated.
• A component of cobra venom is used to suppress substances that reject transplanted organs.
• The components of the poison are used in biological research as test substances for the conductivity of nerve impulses and the functioning of the cell membrane.
• The poison is added to anti-wrinkle cosmetics that can temporarily paralyze facial muscles and act like Botox. It is made in the form of a cream.

Photo credit: Barry Rogge, CC BY 2.0

The use of snake venom in cosmetology

Those who want to stay forever young are constantly experimenting with unusual means of saving youth. The secret of the special glands of reptiles has found its place of application in this area. Snake venom is used in cosmetology to smooth out wrinkles - it replaces Botox. That is, such a product is not analog, but in terms of the final effect they are similar. The poison at the site of application helps smooth out facial wrinkles. These age-related changes in some cases are reduced by 40–50% with long-term use of creams with a “poisonous” component.

Creams and cosmetics are also used:

• in massage parlors for skin;
• in the East, tinctures with snake venom are used as a medicine to increase potency;
• it is added to shampoos to improve hair growth.

Defensive behavior of the Central Asian cobra

If the Central Asian cobra is disturbed, it takes a characteristic pose, raising the front part of its body upward to a height equal to approximately one-third of its length. At the same time, the cobra expands its neck and the part of its body adjacent to the neck, emitting a loud hiss.

If the animal or person who disturbed the cobra, despite the warning, comes close to the animal, then the cobra often does not make a “kill” attack, but instead tries to scare away the aggressor by inflicting a fake bite on him. For this purpose, the cobra sharply throws the front part of its body forward and hits the enemy with its head with its mouth closed, thereby protecting its poisonous teeth from possible breakage.

The Central Asian cobra reaches a large size - up to two meters.

It should be noted that a demonstrative defensive threatening pose is an innate behavioral element, and snakes that have just hatched from eggs take this pose in any danger.

Classification[edit | edit code]

According to DNA analyses[4], 28 modern species were identified into four subgenera[5][2]:

• Naja Naja atra
• Monocleated cobra (Naja kaouthia)
• Naja mandalayensis
• Indian cobra (Naja naja)
• Central Asian cobra (Naja oxiana)
• Philippine cobra (Naja philippinensis)
• Naja sagittifera
• Naja samarensis
• Siamese cobra (Naja siamensis)
• Indian spitting cobra (Naja sputatrix)
• Naja sumatrana

King Cobra Conservation

It is very sad to realize that in many countries where this majestic snake lives, poaching is rampant, which causes serious damage to king cobra populations. Do not forget, but legal business, which is associated with active operations in snake territories, destroys a considerable proportion of snakes. If we take into account the fact that only 10 percent of the young survive from the entire clutch, the picture is completely depressing, since it does not show a future on our Planet for the king cobra.

In some countries, conservation measures have been taken seriously, since the king cobra is on the verge of complete extinction as a species. In India, a law passed at the end of the last century is still in force, which states that it is prohibited to kill and illegally catch these reptiles. Violation of the law is punishable by a prison sentence of 3 years. Residents of India consider the king cobra to be a sacred creature, so in every Hindu home you can see its image. They believe that the snake can bring wealth and prosperity to their home.

The wisdom and greatness of this reptile is revered by many peoples. Unfortunately, this is not enough. It is better to make more efforts to ensure that the king cobra feels comfortable on our Planet and no one interferes with its life.

Nutrition

They feed on everything that moves and that they can handle. These are rodents, birds, frogs, lizards, toads, and other smaller snakes that can feast on the eggs of snakes and birds. Only the king cobra creates its own menu. Even her relatives are afraid of her. She is a cannibal, eats only snakes, and prefers poisonous ones.

A kind of resistance hunt, with all the risks available. She is interested in lizards only when there is no more worthy food. When attacked, they jump a third of their body. If the snake itself is about 4.5 m long, the cobra's throw covers 1.5 m.

The cobra has many opportunities to hunt, but its favorite food is other snakes

The hunter's prey is killed immediately by injecting up to 5 mg of a powerful neurotoxin. A favorite hunting technique is to grab the victim’s throat. The poison begins its effect almost instantly, paralyzing the victim. However, the predator does not immediately release the prey, but squeezes it with its teeth for some time, recording the greatest impact of the poison.

She is a perfectionist, she finishes everything to the end and in the best way for herself. Cobra is an excellent hunter at any time of the day. She has a well-developed sense of smell and is able to sense temperature fluctuations. This helps her find prey at night.

Enemies of the king cobra

Hannah is undoubtedly extremely poisonous, but she is not immortal. And she has several natural enemies, which include:

• wild boars;
• snake eagles;
• meerkats;
• mongooses.

The last two do not give king cobras a chance to survive, although they do not have innate immunity against king cobra venom. They have to rely solely on their reaction and dexterity, which rarely fails them. The mongoose, seeing a cobra, gets into the excitement of the hunt and does not miss the opportunity to attack it.

The animal knows that Hannah is somewhat lethargic and therefore uses a well-practiced tactical technique: jump, jump back, and rush into the fray again. After a series of false attacks, one lightning-fast bite to the back of the head follows, leading to the death of the snake.

Its offspring are also threatened by larger reptiles. But the most ruthless exterminator of the king cobra was the man who killed and captured these snakes.

First aid for a cobra bite

If you are bitten by a cobra, you cannot and does not make sense to do the following things:

• apply a tourniquet;
• cauterize the bite site;
• cover the bite with cotton wool soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate;
• make cuts;
• drink alcohol.

First aid for a cobra bite should be as follows:

• calm down and reassure the victim;
• make sure that the bite was not “false” (not superficial in the form of a scratch);
• suck out the cobra venom from the wound in the first 20 minutes after the bite. Even if there is damage in the mouth, the poison will not have time to penetrate into the blood in sufficient quantities if it is regularly spat out rather than swallowed;
• try to determine the type of snake or keep it killed for identification;
• record the time of the bite;
• treat the wounds with an antiseptic, alcohol, its solution, a solution of brilliant green, or simply wash with soapy water;
• provide the victim with plenty of fluids;
• apply a sterile bandage to the bite site, immobilize the affected part of the body, giving it an elevated position;
• if the victim has impaired upper breathing, it is necessary to correct it, otherwise he will suffocate;
• deliver a man attacked by a cobra to the hospital.

Treatment of a poisonous snake bite by doctors consists of 3 main stages:

1. Inactivation of snake venom using monovalent (against the venom of one type of snake) or polyvalent serum (serotherapy).
2. Pathogenetic treatment for poisoning with neurotoxins includes antishock drugs, and in case of respiratory paralysis, the use of artificial respiration devices.
3. Symptomatic treatment, which depends on the health of the person bitten and on the composition of the cobra’s venom. This also includes the treatment of local manifestations (necrosis).

The course of treatment for any snake bite also includes the administration of anti-tetanus serum.

Photo credit: CHANDRANUJ, CC BY-SA 4.0

Description of the species

Snake in a hat, in Portuguese “Cobra de Capelo” - this is what the Portuguese sailors who first came to India called this reptile. The name stuck, and this is how Europeans began to call all snakes that can inflate their upper body. In fact, there are many similar types. Most belong to the genus “true cobras.” Among similar snakes of another genus, the king cobra is well known - the largest venomous snake.

When calm, cobras cannot be distinguished from other species, but as soon as something touches them, the famous “hood” opens. This is possible due to the expansion of the ribs (and these snakes have 8 pairs of them).

The size of cobras depends on the species: the shield snake from South Africa grows up to 70 cm, while the king cobra can reach 5.5 m. Snakes grow throughout their lives.

The color depends on the habitat, as reptiles are able to mimic well. Desert dwellers are usually sandy yellow, tree-dwelling species are greenish, and tropical snakes are brightly colored. The color is also characterized by transverse stripes, especially pronounced in the upper part of the body.

The eyes are small, unblinking, covered with a film that protects them from dust and sand. Vision is blurry, external ears are absent. Cobras see poorly and do not hear at all, but they are able to detect the slightest vibrations. By the way, the famous performances with a pipe by Indian fakirs are a hoax. The snake does not hear sounds, but reacts to rhythmic tapping.

Cobra - description and photo. What does a cobra look like?

The length of the cobra depends on the age of the reptile. These snakes grow throughout their lives, and the longer they exist, the larger they become.

From the recorded records it is known that the smallest cobra is the Mozambican cobra (lat. Naja mossambica), the average length of an adult reptile is 0.9–1.05 m, with a maximum length of up to 1.54 m. The largest cobra in the world is the king cobra (lat. . Ophiophagus hannah), reaching a maximum size of 5.85 meters and a weight of more than 12 kg.

On the left is a Mozambican cobra, on the right is a king cobra. Photo credits (from left to right): Bernard DUPONT, CC BY-SA 2.0; Michael Allen Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0

In a calm state, cobras are difficult to distinguish from other snakes. Being irritated, they take a characteristic pose: they raise the upper part of the body high above the ground, expand the cervical and partially torso regions, creating the illusion of volume.

Thanks to elastic muscles, 8 pairs of reptile ribs expand and form the so-called hood, which distinguishes cobras from other snakes. By the way, it is thanks to the hood that cobras scare away the enemy.

Photo credit: Jayendra Chiplunkar, CC BY-SA 3.0

The coloration of cobras is adaptive. Desert species are sandy-yellow in color, arboreal species are greenish in color, and inhabitants of places overgrown with plants are variegated. In the tropics, where plants of a wide variety of colors are found, colorful species live: the coral cobra (Latin: Aspidelaps lubricus) and the red spitting cobra (Latin: Naja pallida). The spectacled snake (lat. Naja naja) is decorated with light circles on the dorsal side of the upper body. A characteristic feature of cobras is the presence of more or less pronounced transverse dark stripes, more noticeable on the neck.

From left to right: coral cobra (lat. Aspidelaps lubricus), red spitting cobra (lat. Naja pallida), spectacled snake (lat. Naja naja). Photo credits (from left to right): Ryanvanhuyssteen, CC BY-SA 3.0; Pogrebnoj-Alexandroff, CC BY 2.5; Jayendra Chiplunkar, CC BY-SA 3.0

The cobra's head is rounded in front, flat on top, covered with scutes that are absent on the cheekbones. Having no neck part, it smoothly passes into the body. The scales on the back of the reptile are smooth, and the ventral side is covered with greatly expanded light scutes.

Photo credit: Ltshears, CC BY-SA 4.0

The cobra's eyes are dark, small and unblinking, covered with a thin transparent film formed when the eyelids grow together. They are well protected from dust and moisture loss, but because of this coating, the cobra's vision is not very clear. The film of the eyes comes off along with the skin during molting.

In diurnal snakes, such as cobras, the pupil of the eyes is round.

Photo credit: TimVickers, Public Domain

The upper jaw of the snake is armed with fairly large (6 mm in the Central Asian species), sharp, poisonous tubular teeth. The cobra's teeth are not long enough, and therefore the reptiles are forced to hold the victim tightly with them in order to inflict several bites at once. According to the structure of the venomous apparatus, representatives of the aspid family belong to the anterior grooved (proteroglyphic) snakes. Their poisonous teeth are located in the front part of the narrow upper jaw, a “seam” is noticeable on their outer surface, and the poison flows not along the groove on the outside, but inside the tooth along the poison-conducting channel. The teeth sit motionless in the jawbone. Due to their convenient location and perfect venom-producing apparatus, a cobra bite is deadly.

Behind these teeth, poisonous snakes have others that replace the main ones when they are damaged. There are a total of 3-5 pairs of teeth on the upper jaw of cobras. They are sharp, thin, curved back and are not intended for tearing and chewing prey. Cobras swallow their prey whole.

Photo credit: Mokele, CC BY-SA 3.0

The most important sensory organ for snakes is the chemical analyzer (Jacobson's organ, which has two openings on the upper palate of the reptile) in combination with the tongue. The cobra's long, narrow tongue, forked at the end, protrudes, flutters in the air or palpates nearby objects and again hides in the semicircular notch of the upper jaw, leading to Jacobson's organ. This is how the animal analyzes the chemical composition of everything nearby or at a distance, and identifies prey, even if a small proportion of its substances is present in the air. This organ is very sensitive, with its help the snake quickly and accurately finds a victim, a mating partner or water supplies.

Photo credit: Marathekedar93, CC BY-SA 4.0

Cobras have a well-developed sense of smell. Their nostrils are located on the sides of the front of the skull. They do not have an external ear, and in the understanding to which we are accustomed, cobras are deaf, since they do not perceive air vibrations. But due to the development of the inner ear, they detect even the slightest vibrations in the ground. Snakes do not react to human screams, but they perfectly notice his stomping.

Cobras molt 4 to 6 times a year and grow throughout their lives. Molting lasts about 10 days. At this time, snakes hide in shelters, as their body becomes vulnerable.

Photo credit: Ramessos, Public Domain

Photo credit: H. Krisp, CC BY 3.0

Photo credit: Rushikesh lohar, CC BY-SA 4.0

Reproduction and growth of the king cobra

This snake is an oviparous reptile and is capable of laying as many as 70 eggs at a time. This fairly large clutch of eggs is called a "clutch". Some snakes coil themselves around a clutch to regulate temperature, but this generally suggests that the only reason the king cobra does this is to protect its eggs. Although both individuals (male and female) are always near the eggs, as soon as one is left alone, he immediately wraps himself tightly around the eggs. In addition to wrapping itself around eggs, the king cobra builds its nest using a collected pile of dead vegetation. They are predators of both people and other snakes.

Nutrition

: Snakes are especially common in the diet: kraits, cobras and others.

Conservation status

. This snake species has always had low breeding densities and is currently in decline due to habitat destruction. This destruction of the habitat forces the king cobra, in defense of its habitat, to attack intruders, including often people.

Cobra bite: symptoms and consequences

Due to the small size of their teeth, cobras often make a “dry bite” (in the form of a scratch), and then their venom does not enter the human body. True cobras make such superficial bites in more than 50% of cases.

The venom of adders (this family also includes cobras) has neurotoxic properties. It stops the transmission of a signal from a nerve cell to a muscle and has a direct effect on each cell individually. As a result, cells stop understanding each other and doing their job.

At the site of a Central Asian cobra bite, local swelling may appear within 10 minutes, reaching a maximum after a day or two. The tissues around the lesion begin to darken, and their area gradually increases. Necrosis develops in 20% of cases, especially with bites to the far (distal) part of the limb.

Common symptoms of a true cobra bite:

• drowsiness, which begins on average after an hour, from 15 minutes to 5 hours
• darkening of the eyes
• drooping upper eyelid (ptosis)
• nausea and vomiting

At the next stage they develop:

• paralysis (paresis) of the lips, facial muscles, tongue, pharynx
• frequent convulsive breathing
• profuse salivation
• the bitten person cannot move his lower jaw, turn his head, or lie on his side.
• the poison can cause convulsions and bloody vomiting within 30 minutes
• Sometimes symptoms of heart failure are observed: cold extremities, profuse sweating, decreased blood pressure. These symptoms may be more severe than neurotoxic ones.

People who are immune to the poison may only experience hives and fever.

Photo credit: Thomas Brown, CC BY 2.0

Kinds

The generally accepted idea of ​​these reptiles is based on familiarity with spectacled, king and collared cobras. In total, 16 species of these snakes are known; they are united by common qualities - high danger and the ability to expand the “hood”.

They are related to other poisonous reptiles - asps, adders, mambas, kraits (poisonous reptiles from the asp family), taipans (reptiles from the aspidae, their venom is almost 180 times more toxic than that of a cobra) and others. All types of cobras are not small in size. One of the smallest is the Angolan cobra, up to 1.5 m long.

The largest is considered to be the king cobra or hamadryad. Its size is impressive - 4.8-5.5 m. But unlike large non-venomous snakes - boas and pythons, it does not look massive. Rather slender and quite mobile. Its weight reaches 16 kg. Cobras can be conditionally divided not by territory of residence, but by their distinctive features.

1. Shield cobras, like all those listed below, belong to the slate family. They do not have a very large hood, but the jaw shield is enlarged, so they know how to dig in the ground in search of prey.

2. Water cobras are so called because of their semi-aquatic lifestyle. They are perhaps the only ones who eat fish. They live in Africa.

3. Collared cobras, body color is gray, black closer to the head, like a collar. Their main difference is that there are no other teeth in the upper jaw behind the poisonous ones. Also an African specimen.

4. The king cobra is the most impressive of these snakes. Lives in India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Pakistan. Among cobras, it is considered a long-liver; it can live up to 30 years. Throughout life it gains growth.

5. Forest cobras, or tree cobras, as the name suggests, live in trees in the forests of Equatorial Africa. They will stand out for having the largest eyes compared to other cobras, but they have small fangs and teeth.

6. The desert cobra is a snake with a history. It is called "Cleopatra's snake". The queen used it for her own death, due to the rapid action of the poison of this snake. It is black, shiny, covered with small scales, and lives in Egypt and the countries of the Middle East. The Egyptian black cobra is an extremely poisonous snake. Its venom acts faster than that of the king cobra. Within 15 minutes, death occurs due to paralysis of the respiratory organs.

7. Spitting cobras use an unusual method of killing their prey. They do not bite, but spit, literally shooting venom at their prey. The most “marked” of them is considered to be the Indian spitting cobra. The collared African cobra also has this skill. The poisonous canal in these crawling creatures has an exit hole on the front surface of the tooth.

They squeeze their poison glands and the toxic liquid is released like a pump. The snake is multi-shot, like a machine gun. Can fire 28 shots at a time! It can reach a distance of up to 2 m, and hits a target the size of a commemorative coin. This is no coincidence. It is not enough to spit on the victim's body. The reptile aims at the eye. The victim loses the ability to navigate, she is already doomed.

About cobras

Cobras are poisonous large snakes of the slate family.
There are about 16 known species of cobras, many of which are quite large in size. The Angolan cobra is considered the smallest, its length is 1 - 1.5 meters. The largest one can undoubtedly be called the king cobra. The length of her body is 5 - 6 meters. Despite this, even the longest individual does not look massive, like a boa constrictor or a python.

When in a calm state, a cobra is no different from an ordinary snake, but as soon as this reptile senses danger, it changes. If the feeling of fear increases, she will take a threatening pose: she will rise above the ground in a vertical position and inflate her hood.

The cobra is capable of lifting its body to a length equal to or even exceeding human height.

The coloring of this reptile is mostly inconspicuous, only on the hood you can see a pattern of circles, which gave the name to the spectacled cobra.

Yet on the planet there are not only gray, brown and yellowish skin tones, but also bright ones. For example, the South African cobra is coral in color, while the spitting cobra is red-brown.

These poisonous reptiles live in the arid countries of Africa, as well as South and Central Asia.

Cobras are heat-loving, so they are not found in countries where snow falls in winter and there is constant heavy rain.

These reptiles can be seen in deserts, bushes, jungles, and also on river banks. Some species of cobras live in the mountains of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan at an altitude of 2 - 2.5 thousand meters above sea level.

Cobras are excellent predators. Most often, the diet of these reptiles includes lizards, mice, birds, toads, as well as some types of snakes. Almost all individuals will happily feast on the eggs of birds, snakes or other reptiles.

Cobras kill their prey with a bite, during which a deadly poison penetrates the body of the caught one, acting almost instantly.

This poison is also dangerous for humans. The bite of a Central Asian cobra will lead to death within 24 hours, and that of a king cobra - within 30 minutes.

Not all individuals of the aspid family kill their prey with a bite. For example, a spitting cobra “shoots” poison quite accurately, and tries to get onto the mucous surfaces of the animal (eyes or mouth).

Penetrating into the eyes, the poisonous liquid will inevitably lead to blindness and death of the victim. Even if she manages to escape from the predatory reptile, she is still doomed. The venom of this snake is capable of hitting a target located up to 2 meters from it.

Despite the cobra's possession of dangerous poison, it still has its own enemies: monitor lizards, meerkats and mongooses. Young individuals are preyed upon by snakes larger than them.

When defending itself, the cobra will not immediately resort to biting, but will first only take a threatening stance and begin to hiss. If such methods do not help, she will begin to perform false attacks. If this fails to scare the attacking enemy, then only then will the cobra resort to extreme measures of defense - inflicting fatal bites.

These predatory reptiles breed once a year, most often in winter. Laying occurs in spring - summer. Some individuals lay eggs in piles of leaves or in crevices between stones, while others even make a special nest. During this period, cobras are considered dangerous. The female attacks anyone who comes close to the laying site.

Having been born, the cubs already have poison, but their quantity is not enough to kill even a small mouse, so young individuals hunt small frogs and even insects.

The lifespan of different species of snakes varies significantly. Scientists have recorded a case where, in captivity, a female black-and-white cobra managed to reach 29 years of age - this is quite a high figure for snakes.

Classification

Species of the genus Krayt:

Andaman krait (Bungarus andamanensis); Cantora krait (Bungarus bungaroides); Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus); Indian krait (Bungarus caeruleus); Ceylon krait (Bungarus ceylonicus); lead krait (Bungarus lividus); ribbon krait (Bungarus fasciatus); Yellow-headed krait (Bungarus flaviceps); black krait (Bungarus niger); large-spotted krait (Bungarus magnimaculatus); South China multibanded krait (Bungarus multicinctus); Bungarus sindanus.

The most common species is the pama (ribbon krait), found in India, Burma and southern China. The most dangerous of this genus is the yellow-headed krait (noted above), which has small teeth but the most deadly poison.

Consequences

A victim of a cobra bite quickly develops a serious condition. It is accompanied by short-term excitement, then apathy and drowsiness. Consequences of a cobra bite include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, vomiting and nausea.

Other dangerous symptoms:

• severe dizziness, up to the inability to move normally;
• clouding of consciousness, short fainting;
• paralysis of arms and legs, oral cavity;
• speech distortions;
• inability to swallow normally.

Paralysis progresses quite slowly, but gradually begins to affect the torso area and the respiratory system. In the most difficult situations, paralysis develops within 15-20 minutes and leads to death from suffocation.

Lifestyle and habitat

Only two parts of the world can consider themselves the territory where cobras live - Asia and Africa. Heat-loving creatures live there wherever there is sun and where there is no snow. The only one that lives a little further north, in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, is the Central Asian cobra.

They can settle in a variety of places. But dry areas are more comfortable for them. Favorite landscape: bushes, sands, dry steppes. You can also stumble upon them in jungle forests, near rivers. However, they do not like places that are too wet. You can accidentally encounter a dangerous creature in the mountains, at an altitude of up to 2.4 km.

Mostly they prefer to live alone. Only Indian and king cobras create pairs that are inseparable for a long time. Remember, R. Kipling had Nag and Nagini? It was not for nothing that the famous writer assigned to these snakes almost human affection for each other.

They are most active during the day and can easily tolerate high temperatures in the sun. They are very athletic - agile, crawl quickly, climb trees well, and can swim. The assumption about their irritability and belligerence is incorrect; they are quite calm, even indifferent.

Naturally, if they are not pissed off on purpose or unintentionally. The specifics of their fairly predictable behavior are used by Indian spellcasters, showing the semblance of their training. Despite their formidable reputation, they also have enemies. These are larger snakes, monitor lizards, and of course, mongooses, and with them meerkats.

These agile animals do not have natural immunity from them, but they move so quickly and are so clever at distracting attention that they almost always emerge victorious from a fight. They inflict a fatal bite on the back of the head to the bastards

Where do cobras live?

Snakes with a “hood” are inhabitants of the Old World (Asia, Africa). They are extremely thermophilic and cannot exist where snow cover forms. The exception is the Central Asian cobra: in the north, its habitat includes parts of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. In Africa, cobras are found throughout the continent. Cobras also live in South, Western, Eastern and Central Asia, on the Philippine and Sunda Islands. They prefer arid places: savannas, deserts, semi-deserts. They are less commonly found in tropical forests, in mountains up to an altitude of 2400 m, and in river valleys. Cobras do not live in Russia.

Cobras are very agile snakes; they can crawl through trees and swim. They are active mainly during the day, but in deserts they are nocturnal. The average speed of a cobra is 6 km per hour. She will not be able to catch up with a fleeing person, but this is a hypothetical statement, since cobras never chase people. A person can catch up with a snake quite easily.

Photo credit: Adityamadhav83, CC BY-SA 3.0

Reproduction and lifespan

Ephs, like other vipers, belong to a rare type of reptile that does not lay eggs, like others, so that cubs will soon be born from them; they, which is very rare among snakes, give birth to them alive.

The time of mating for some efs begins already in February, immediately after the spring awakening. But if the climate of the area is not the hottest or the arrival of spring is delayed, then mating can occur in April.

Pregnancy that occurs soon in females lasts no more than one and a half months. And at the appointed time, offspring are born. The number of baby snakes may not be too large, but often reaches sixteen pieces. The size of newborn efs is on average no more than 15 cm.

The offspring comes into this world so viable that they can exist independently and find food for themselves. Babies, having teeth and poisonous glands from birth, immediately begin their hunt. The lifespan of the poisonous epha snake is usually no more than 12 years.

In addition, the research led scientists to believe that in the wild, after breeding for three years, representatives of the viper family rarely survive. And, therefore, taking into account the onset of puberty, ephs rarely survive the threshold of seven years of age.

Reproduction

This is one of the few species of snakes whose males, when meeting in the same territory, engage in ritual fights, but do not bite each other. Naturally, the winner stays with the female. Mating is preceded by a period of courtship, after which it becomes clear to the male that his “chosen one” is not dangerous to him. After about a month, the female lays eggs. Before this event occurs, the king cobra is engaged in the construction of the nest. How can a snake without limbs or beak cope with this task? It turns out that with the front part of her body she is raking dry leaves and branches into a round pile.

The number of eggs varies - from twenty to forty. As a rule, the clutch is guarded by the female, having previously covered it with leaves and positioned herself on its top. But cases have been recorded when the male also takes part in protection. The incubation period lasts approximately one hundred days. Shortly before the birth of the offspring, the female leaves the nest to get food for herself. After birth, the cubs stay near the nest for about a day. From the moment of their appearance, they are completely independent; from birth they have poison, but in very small quantities, which allows them to hunt small rodents, and sometimes even insects.

Features and habitat of the Indian cobra

The Indian cobra (from the Latin Naja naja) is a poisonous scaly snake from the asp family, a genus of true cobras. This snake has a body that tapers to a tail, 1.5-2 meters long, covered with scales.

Like all other types of cobras, the Indian cobra has a hood that opens when this adder is excited. The hood is a kind of extension of the body, which arises due to the expanding ribs under the influence of special muscles.

The color palette of the cobra's body is quite variegated, but the main ones are shades of yellow, brown-gray, and often sandy colors. Closer to the head there is a clearly defined pattern, reminiscent of pince-nez or glasses in outline, which is why the Indian spectacled cobra is called.

Scientists divide the Indian cobra into several main subspecies:

• blind cobra (from Latin Naja naja coeca);
• monocle cobra (from Latin Naja naja kaouthia);
• spitting Indian cobra (from the Latin Naja naja sputatrix);
• Taiwanese cobra (from Latin Naja naja atra);
• Central Asian cobra (from the Latin Naja naja oxiana).

In addition to those mentioned above, there are several other very few subspecies. Often the Indian king cobra is also attributed to the species of Indian spectacled cobra, but this is a slightly different species, which is larger in size and has some other differences, although it is very similar in appearance.

Pictured is an Indian spitting cobra

The Indian cobra, depending on the subspecies, lives in Africa, almost throughout Asia and, of course, on the Indian continent. In the territory of the former USSR, these cobras are widespread in the vastness of modern countries: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan - a subspecies of the Central Asian cobra lives here.

Chooses to live in various areas from the jungle to the mountains. On rocky terrain it lives in crevices and various burrows. In China, people often settle in rice fields.

Appearance and features

Photo: King Cobra

Cobras are nature's most beautiful creatures, despite the danger they pose. Their appearance is very expressive and memorable. The length of such animals ranges from two to four meters, depending on the species. Weight can reach six kilograms. However, larger samples are also known to mankind. For example, a reptile 5.7 meters long lived in one of the London zoos for a long time.

This deadly snake can reach high speeds and is agile, despite its large dimensions. The color of its skin can be olive, green, black, brown, light yellow. On the back there are usually stripes, specific spots that resemble glasses.

Video: Cobra

Males can be distinguished from females even by size. There are much more males. The mouth of such reptiles can stretch to enormous sizes. This opportunity allows the animal to feast on prey of different sizes. In front of the mouth are two pronounced sharp fangs. It is through them that the channels with poison pass. Another distinctive feature of cobras is their hood.

The hood has one clear purpose - to scare away rivals and enemies. If the snake demonstrates it and hisses menacingly, it means that some animal or person is too close. To further demonstrate its readiness to bite, the reptile may begin to rush towards the enemy. This ritual usually works brilliantly - the snake is left alone. But sometimes the cobra has to fight.

Lifestyle and habitat

The king snake is primarily found in tropical forests in South and Southeast Asia, as well as the Philippines, Indonesia, India and Pakistan. The cobra grows throughout its life, which on average is about 30 years.

These snakes prefer to hide in burrows, caves, and also find convenient places in the crowns of trees. Some individuals prefer to live in a strictly demarcated territory, while others constantly change their location. Moreover, the latter move several tens of kilometers. Scientists were able to establish this using radio beacons implanted under the skin of snakes.

Cobra breeding

Cobras reproduce once a year. The breeding season occurs in January-February for some snakes, for example, in the case of Indian cobras, and also in the spring, for example, for Central Asian cobras. Female cobras lay eggs at the end of April, beginning of May, and sometimes this period is extended to June-July. The fertility of females varies depending on the species, with the number of eggs laid varying from 8 to 70 eggs.

The only species of snake that gives birth to live snakes is the collared cobra. Females of these species can give birth to up to 60 snakes at a time.

Cobras lay their eggs in crevices, choosing between rocks, piles of fallen leaves, or other similar shelters. Females are engaged in protecting the masonry from the invasion of enemies. Most notable in this regard is the behavior of the king and Indian cobra. They not only protect their offspring, but also arrange a nest for future offspring.

To organize nests, cobras begin to rake leaves with the front part of their body into one large pile, where the eggs are found, lying under the protection of the mother.

Males also take part in protecting the nest, staying close to their pairs all the time until the offspring appear.

During the period of hatching their offspring, Indian and king cobras are characterized by increased aggressiveness. Due to this, they drive away other animals and passing people if they enter the snakes’ territory. This behavior has served as the basis for accusing these snakes of unpredictable attacks on people, but in fact, aggressive behavior is formed solely as an external reaction to a possible threat to the offspring.

Behavior and nutrition

The Indian cobra has a very strong venom that paralyzes the muscles of the victim. In humans, symptoms of poisoning appear within 15 minutes to 2 hours. It all depends on what part of the body the poisonous fangs are embedded in. But death occurs only in 6 cases out of 1000. This is explained by the fact that, when defending itself, the snake does not always release poison. In most cases, it is limited to a normal bite. The reptile feeds on rodents, toads, frogs, birds and other types of snakes.

The formidable reptile is very popular among magicians and fakirs. It is representatives of this species that they use in their performances. The spectacled snake is kept in a wicker basket, and when people gather around, the lid is removed and the poisonous reptile rises from it. There is an opinion that spellcasters pull out poisonous fangs to protect themselves. But that's not true. In place of the removed fangs, new ones grow very quickly, and poison is produced in any case. In addition, after the performance, spectators often demand to show their fangs. If they are not there, the fakir will be ridiculed.

These reptiles are kept in captivity. In principle, there is nothing wrong with this, since the Indian cobra never bites unless necessary. If you do not show aggression towards her, then she will behave calmly. A snake lives in a terrarium. The temperature in it is maintained at 28-30 degrees. Humidity corresponds to 60-80%. The diet consists of rodents, frogs, toads and lizards. This species is highly respected in India. In Hindu mythology, this reptile is considered a powerful deity. The fearsome reptile is worshiped during the Nag Panchami festival.

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Genus: Shield cobras

This genus consists of burrowing snakes, which is reflected in the structure of their bodies. In representatives of the genus, the intermaxillary shield is enlarged. The hood is not as well developed as in cobras from the genus True cobras.

The genus of shield cobras includes two species: the South African shield cobra and the common shield cobra.

South African shield cobra

The South African shield cobra lives in the western regions of southern Africa. The range covers the former Cape province of South Africa, Namibia, and southern Angola. The body of this type of cobra does not exceed 80 centimeters in length, and is colored orange with black transverse stripes.

The South African shield cobra is active at night. Its main prey is small rodents; it goes hunting at night. The venom of this type of cobra is not strong; it has bitten people, but fatal bites are rare.

South African shield cobra at night. South African shield cobra. South African shield cobra.

Common shield cobra

This type of cobra is somewhat smaller than the South African shield cobra; the body length of the common shield cobra does not exceed 60 centimeters. It feeds not only on small rodents; small lizards can also become its prey. The snake's venom is weak; the bite of an ordinary shield cobra does not pose a threat to human life.

The back is painted a light gray-yellow color, the hood is poorly developed. The species lives in Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa.

Common shield cobra. Common shield cobra.

Viper breeding

Now it’s time to talk about how viper snakes reproduce. Their mating season begins in the spring with the arrival of warmth.

The formation of eggs occurs in the womb. In the same place, small cubs hatch. They are released into the wild in August or September. One viper can give birth to up to 12 cubs.

Snakes are born this way. The viper wraps itself around the trunk. Holding her tail in the air, she scatters small reptiles across the surface of the earth. They are already adapted to life in natural conditions.

At the end of the article, you can watch a video that tells everything about the existence of the viper in natural conditions.

What to do if bitten by a cobra

If you manage to offend or anger the snake, then it may attack. Please note that the place where reptiles bite is most often the arm and leg, which indicates a person’s unsuccessful curiosity. The bite of any cobra can be fatal if left untreated. The only difference is the time period of exposure.

For example, the venom of the Central Asian cobra acts more slowly on humans; death does not occur immediately, but after a few hours or a couple of days. And the king cobra is a leader here too. Its poison works in half an hour, and a person can die. What can we talk about if there were cases when even an elephant died from its bite!

Cobra venom is a powerful neurotoxin. Your muscles become paralyzed, your heart begins to fail, and you suffocate. There is no severe pain, but nausea, suffocation, dizziness, vomiting, convulsions, fainting and coma are possible.

First aid is as follows:

• Position the person so that their head is lower than their body level.
• Carefully check all clothing; there may be drops of a toxic substance left on it.
• If you have a syringe in your first aid kit or a rubber bulb, suck out the poison from the wound. It’s good if there are medical gloves at the pharmacy, put them on. There is no need to suction with your mouth; it is unknown how it will affect you. There may be two casualties.
• Rinse the wound with clean water, apply a clean, dry, sterile bandage, pressing it tightly.
• Cobra venom does not cause tissue necrosis, so you can apply a tourniquet for half an hour above the bite area, then it must be moved. Attention: applying a tourniquet cannot always be done; for some snake bites, this is strictly contraindicated!
• Place ice on the bite area if possible. The cold will slow down the effect of the poison.
• It is advisable to immobilize the affected limb, and in general try to make the victim move less. The poison spreads faster when moving, when blood flows more intensely through the body.
• It is necessary to drink plenty of fluids so that toxins are eliminated by the kidneys.

If a cobra spits at you, immediately rinse your eyes as thoroughly as possible. And be sure to see a doctor immediately. Otherwise you will lose your sight. For these snakes there is an antidote made from their own poison. In addition, cobra venom is used to prepare raw materials for the production of many valuable medicines.

Viper poison. Danger to humans

The viper family is represented by the most dangerous snakes. Both the external appearance, the internal structure, and the habits of these reptiles indicate that they possess a formidable weapon - poison, which they widely use both for obtaining food and for self-defense.

Unlike the “noble” cobras, which, when meeting a person, usually puff up their hood and hiss to warn, “don’t touch me,” the viper has a bad reputation as a “cunning” snake. This powerful and very poisonous snake is so confident in itself that if a person or large animal is nearby, it does not detect its presence in any way and does not rush to retreat, and its coloring and immobility make it almost invisible. And if a person does not notice the viper and accidentally touches it, he may receive an instant bite.

The venom of the viper is second only to that of the cobra in toxicity. It has a necrotizing, hemorrhagic and coagulating effect on the blood, which causes abundant internal loss, tissue necrosis and shock. The effect on blood coagulation is two-phase: in the first, the vessels are thrombosed, in the second, fibrinogen disappears from the blood and complete incoagulability occurs. This process of general blood coagulation depletes the plasma supply of fibrinogen and other proteins (clotting factors) involved in it, as a result of which the blood becomes non-coagulable and bleeding occurs - wounds from a snake bite bleed for a long time, the skin becomes covered with bruises, bloody swelling of the affected limb develops, and hemorrhages occur. in internal organs. This bleeding is facilitated by “hemorrhages” of poisons, i.e. substances that cause destruction of the walls of blood vessels. The victim experiences severe pain, dizziness, and nausea. Often the bite ends in death.

The strength of the effect of viper venom on the human body depends on many reasons - on the depth of penetration of the teeth into the skin, on the location of the bite, on the amount of poison that got into the wound, and of course, on the physical and mental state of the victim

It is important to know that the real danger lies in self-medication

Genus: collared cobras

Collared cobra

The collared cobra is the only species representative of the genus of the same name. The genus is distinguished by the fact that it has no teeth behind the poisonous fangs. Like representatives of the True Cobra genus, the Collared Cobra can spread its hood, but its hood is much narrower. The average size of an adult is 1 meter.

The collared cobra likes to settle near stagnant bodies of water, preferring grassy and rocky areas. Lives secretly, is active at night, hunts amphibians, small mammals and lizards. He knows how to spit poison and actively uses this technique for defense.

Unlike true cobras, this genus does not lay eggs, but gives birth to live young.

How to Avoid a Bite

The correct behavior when meeting a cobra is described above; more information can be obtained from the video posted in this article. Below is what you need to do to avoid unwanted contact. The most basic rule is that you should not approach or touch snakes, even with a long stick.

Preventive measures:

• when walking in the desert, savannah or tropical forest, high shoes made of durable material are recommended,
• when walking in dangerous terrain, the step must be confident, you need to step on the ground harder to create vibration,
• be careful, look under your feet and forward,
• do not climb into holes, crevices, under rocks and through caves with your bare hands,
• When setting up camp in the wilderness, make sure that there are no possible hiding places for snakes nearby, choose a place cleared of tall grass and bushes,
• avoid areas where there are a lot of rodents, small birds and amphibians, because snakes will look for food here,
• keep tents, houses, cars and trailers tightly closed when in the wild,
• Increased caution should be exercised when walking on warm nights; if possible, it is better to do this during daylight hours.

Poisons in service with the army

Since ancient times, various peoples have used snake venom to treat arrows. Such arrows were used in hunting - the poison is safe, as it is digested in a healthy stomach. But if a poisonous arrow hit an enemy's body, it guaranteed him a painful death or an incurable wound. Venomous snakes are found throughout the Mediterranean, as well as in Africa and Asia. According to ancient Greek and Roman sources, various tribes, including the Gauls, Dalmatians, Dacians, and peoples living between the Indus and Euphrates rivers, had arrows containing snake venom.

Various methods for making poison arrows are recorded in Greek and Latin texts. Snake venom crystallizes and can therefore remain unchanged on wood, bone and metal tips for considerable periods of time. One of the most terrible drugs in antiquity is the Scythicon, created by the Scythians. To prepare it, the poison was mixed with bacterial pathogens from animal manure, human blood and putrefactive remains of vipers. Even with a superficial wound from an arrow treated by a Scythion, toxins began to act very quickly and doomed the victim to a painful death. The Scythians had access to several species of vipers: steppe viper ( Vipera ursinii renardi

), Caucasian (
V. kasnakovi
), European (
V. berus
) and sandy (
V. ammodytes transcaucasiana
).

The Roman historian and naturalist Claudius Aelianus (170–222) described one of the most fearsome poisons in India, obtained from the venom and rotting corpses of the so-called white-headed, or purple, snake. From Elian's detailed description, herpetologists identified the purple snake as the rare white-headed viper ( Azemiops feae

), discovered in South Asia in the late 1880s.

In the Aegean Sea, off the coast of modern Turkey, in the 2nd century. BC e. the famous Carthaginian commander Hannibal had to fight at sea with the Pergamon king Eumenes II, whose army was more numerous. Hannibal used a trick: he ordered his people to go ashore, collect live vipers and place them in clay pots. Then, as the enemy ships approached the Carthaginian ships, Hannibal's men began throwing pots. The ejected pots crashed onto the decks of enemy ships, releasing masses of snakes. The Pergamon sailors were horrified by the new weapon and fled. So Hannibal cunningly defeated the Pergamon army []. This battle can be seen as an example of the use of biological weapons in ancient times.