How To Draw a King Cobra Snake

The King Cobra - The World's Most Venomous Snake

The king cobra, or Ophiophagus hannah, is the world’s longest venomous snake, growing to between 9 and 14 feet long. It’s also the heaviest venomous snake in the world, weighing up to 18 pounds (8 kilograms). Like many snakes, its life expectancy in the wild can be anywhere from five to 30 years, although in captivity it can live up to 40 years. In general, king cobras aren’t aggressive snakes unless they feel threatened and have been known to even escape their enclosures at zoos and attack people.

Scientific Classification

Bothrops (King Cobras) belong to the order of Squamata and the family of Elapidae. Their scientific name is Ophiophagus hannah. King cobra belongs to the genus – Ophiophagus and the type species (species epithet) is – Hannah. King cobra’s species epithet is given after a famous person Hannah Annie Thompson (1836-1911). She was an early explorer who had discovered six new species of snakes. Hence, her name has been assigned as King Cobra’s species epithet. Other common names for king cobra are Royal Cobra, Hamadryad, and Spectacled Cobra. King cobra can be found in South Asia including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan; also in Southeast Asia including Burma, Thailand Vietnam, and Indonesia; also in East Africa including Sudan; also in some parts of China.

Due to its long fangs which are hollow tubes filled with venom, it is considered the most venomous snake on earth. Its venom contains a neurotoxin that causes respiratory failure leading to death within minutes if not treated immediately by anti-venom serum or artificial respiration techniques.

Origin and Distribution

Three subspecies of the king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah, are recognized: Indian (subspecies Hannah), Malaysian (subspecies Hagenii), and Sumatran (Brunei). Although some sources still consider all three as a single subspecies, it has been proposed that they may be distinct species. King cobras live in a wide range of habitats, from mangrove swamps to rainforests. They inhabit South Asia, including India and Bangladesh. They also live in southeast China and throughout Southeast Asia as far north as Burma and down to Malaysia and Indonesia on Borneo Island.

Threats And Conservation Status

As you can see from both lists above, it’s unlikely you’ll come across a king cobra in your day-to-day life. While that may be good news, it also means they don’t pose much of a threat to humans unless provoked. While some snake bites lead to immediate death, if administered swiftly enough, anti-venom can work wonders in saving lives. But how fast is quickly enough? According to animal experts, depending on where you are in Thailand and which hospital you end up at, medical attention should be sought within 90 minutes for maximum effect! And if it isn’t – well...you could be up for a fight against time if bitten by a king cobra. But how venomous are they exactly?

Interesting Facts About King Cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah)

King cobra is one of the most deadly snakes in the world, that can be a very big and heaviest snake. There are other large species of venomous snakes in the world like tiger snake, anaconda, and others, but the king cobra is considered the true king of venomous serpents. It is known as 'Ophiophagus Hannah' because it is specialized to eat other snakes (ophiophagy). This snake has great power to give fatal bites. Moreover, a large specimen may consume animals with body mass up to 2 kg, even including a human being! But if you're lucky enough to survive its bite, you'll need antivenom right away.

King cobra is commonly found in India, China, Myanmar, and Thailand. Its habitat includes tropical forests, marshes, mangrove swamps, and rocky hillsides. King cobras are excellent climbers; they use their tails as a fifth limb when climbing trees or bushes.