Cobra Snake

February 4, 2009

Statistics indicate that people accustomed with the cobra snake family than with any other snake group or subgroup in the venomous or non-venomous serpent categories. Tropical lands and desert areas make the favorite habitat for the cobra snake, which explains why this snake is widely spread in the arid lands of Asia and Africa. These serpents have got so very famous by the threatening body posture they get when sensing danger: a cobra snake, which has a perfectly symmetrical head when in a tolerant mood, will flatten the head and rear it up in a menacing way when it considers itself in danger. Another thing the cobra snake owes its reputation to is the performance of cobra charming tricks by Indian snake masters.

Cobra snake

A more special variety in this snake group is the spitting cobra that, besides biting, will spray venom into the eyes of aggressors or prey. The eye contact with the venom toxins can be very painful and even blinding, therefore, in case your eyes get exposed to cobra snake venom, wash them out immediately so as to prevent permanent damage to the tissues. The King cobra snake also distinguishes itself in this large serpent family by its feeding specificity, since it eats almost only other snakes, with mice and small birds accidentally turning into a meal.

The King cobra snake sets another record in terms of size: it can get up to seventeen feet long, which makes it the the biggest poisonous snake on the globe. A new species was discovered in our times, in 2003 to be more precise, when a specimen was identified at a London Zoo as belonging to an illegal shipment of exotic pets. DNA studies revealed that this new species resembles the red spitting cobra snake but shows major differences in the genetic structure. It seems to come from the region between Sudan and Egypt, which is why scientists gave it the old name of this geographic location, Nubian spitting cobra.

Cobra snake

Though highly dangerous when it senses a threat, a cobra snake will not attack if you leave it in peace. If compared to the strike of a rattlesnake, the cobra is pretty slow in attack, and many bites prove blank without envenomation. Research conducted on Malaysian people bitten by a cobra snake indicates that only 55% of the wounds had venom release too. Yet, the same report indicates a 10% risk of death for people bitten by a cobra snake, as the toxic compounds eliminated in the blood of the prey are affecting the nerves and causing respiratory deficiencies within thirty minutes from the occurrence of the bite.

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Cobra Snake

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