Did you know that there is a snake in the world that can eat other snakes? The king cobra is a fearsome creature, and it is one of the most venomous snakes in the world. Learn more about this fantastic animal in today’s blog post. So read on to learn about the King Cobra Facts for Kids!
King Cobra is the world’s largest poisonous snake. They are mostly spotted in the wild and seldom visit crowded areas. The deadly snake is one of humanity’s worst nightmares, and yet, interestingly, these creatures are human shy!
This article reveals some interesting King Cobra facts for kids. Read on to find out more about its habits, appearance, species, and other interesting characteristics.
Common name: King Cobra
Scientific name: Ophiophagus hannah
Type: Snake
Diet: Carnivore
Group name: Reptilia
The average lifespan in the wild: 20 years
Length: 10.4 to 13.1 feet
46 King Cobra Facts For Kids
1. King cobras can spit venom up to 8 feet. Although this venom won’t kill you immediately, it calls for a medical emergency.
2. There are 12 species of King Cobra and they all live in Asia.
3. It can grow up to 18 feet long.
4. King Cobras rarely hunt reptiles, they mostly hunt other snakes only, including their own species. They sometimes hunt smaller mammals like rats.
5. A king cobra’s venom isn’t that dangerous, but it injects a lot of venom into its victims which can lead to death. This snake’s bite is powerful enough to kill men or even an elephant.
6. King cobras lay eggs in nests. They are very fiercely protective of their kids. These are the only snakes to build nests.
7. A King Cobra is hypnotized by Indian or Egyptian snake charmers by the flute’s motion.
8. Cobras hunt mostly during the night.
9. Cobras are unable to hear sounds in the air. They can feel vibrations on the ground.
10. Some species of cobras have a lifespan of 30 years.
11. They strike their prey at a lightning-fast speed.
12. Only a mongoose gives a tough fight to King Cobra without fear. It attacks and even eats a King Cobra.
13. A group of Cobras is known as a Quiver
14. King cobras are excellent climbers and are fantastic swimmers.
15. A king cobra sometimes bites without injecting venom. This is known as a dry bite. A dry bite is often injected as a matter of self-defense, but a venomous bite is injected to catch prey.
16. King Cobra is not a true cobra. This is because they are classified in a separate genus ‘Ophiophagus’ and not in the ‘Naja’ genus of true cobras. They have a closer relationship with the mambas found in the Sahara desert of Africa. They also have a larger size than a true cobra. The hood is narrower. They show a particular behavior of building nests, which is absent in true cobras.
17. The longest King Cobra ever measured was 5.85 meters.
18. They mostly thrive in rain forests and plains in India, Southeast Asia, and Southern China.
19. It is the national reptile of India.
20. It has been listed as a ‘vulnerable species’ by the IUCN since 2010.
21. King Cobra avoids human confrontations.
22. It is also called the hamadryad.
23. An adult King Cobra can have yellow, black, green, and brown skin.
24. They have yellowish or white-colored chevrons or bands on their trunk that extend to their head.
25. They have two fangs of 0.5 inches in length and 3 to 5 maxillary teeth that are attached to their upper jaw.
26. King Cobras have a cylindrical tail of yellowish-green color with black markings.
27. King cobras show sexual dimorphism. Male individuals are much larger than females, especially during the mating season.
28. The heaviest King Cobra was caught in Singapore that weighed almost 25 pounds.
29. King Cobras are not found naturally in California.
30. King Cobras that are white in color might be leucistic or albino; two genetic disorders that cause no coloration of the skin. Such cobras are very rare to find.
31. Due to albinism, it is very tough for such cobras to survive adulthood. They cannot camouflage to hunt their prey or to avoid predators.
32. King Cobras do not chew food but swallow it as a whole. Their strong stomach acids digest the food.
33. They sometimes constrict their prey by putting pressure on their stomach muscles.
34. They have a slow metabolic rate. They can survive for many months without food.
35. King Cobras are mostly given rodents for their diet in a zoo.
36. These snakes observe their prey with unblinking eyes.
37. When hunting, a King Cobra raises one-third of its 18 feet long body and looks as tall as an adult human.
38. Birds are animals that are found to remain stationary or fluttering as they wait for the snake to engulf them, but they are never found trying to escape. Some people say that these snakes hypnotize their prey until they are submissive.
39. Their breeding season is generally from January to April.
40. The female lays around 21 to 40 white leathery eggs in a group, known as a clutch.
41. Their eggs hatch after an incubation period of 66 to 105 days. The hatchlings take around 5 to 6 years time to mature fully.
42. The hatchlings’ venom is also as potent as that of an adult’s.
43. If someone gets bitten by a King Cobra, the person needs immediate medical care, or they can die.
44. Death in such cases is not easy as the venom will first paralyze the muscles and then disturb the heartbeat. The victim then dies of cardiac collapse.
45. King cobras make a loud hissing sound of about 2,500 Hz frequencies.
46. According to a Myanmar ritual, a female charmer kisses King Cobra at the top of its head.
Conclusion
These were some interesting facts about King Cobra, which is actually not a true cobra. These snakes never stop growing and they are known to shed their skins 5 times a year.
These King Cobra Facts for Kids sum up all you need to know about this deadly reptile.