One of the 7 cobras on WAnimals
Reptiles · Squamata · Elapidae
King Cobra
Ophiophagus hannah
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
It is the only snake known to build a nest above ground level, made of leaves and sticks whose decay generates the heat needed to incubate the eggs.
Weight
5 kg – 6.8 kg
Size
3.2 m – 4 m
Lifespan
20 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- It is the longest venomous snake in the world, with a documented record of 5.85 metres.
- It eats almost nothing but other snakes, venomous ones included, plus the occasional lizard.
- The female defends the nest fiercely but leaves it just before the eggs hatch, so as not to eat her own young.
- reproducciónIt is the longest venomous snake in the world and one of the few that builds a leaf nest to incubate its eggs.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
- Habitat & environment
- Dense forest and montane woodland up to 2,000 m in South and South East Asia, generally near water
- Birth weight
- 37.5-58.5 cm long on hatching, with venom as potent as an adult's
- Size at birth
- 37.5 - 58.5 cm long at hatching
- Sexual maturity
- 5-6 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 60-105 days
- Litter / clutch size
- 7 to 50 eggs per clutch (most commonly 20-40)
- Lifespan in captivity
- Documented record of up to 15-23 years in captivity
Sources consulted: Thai National Parks; Better Planet Education; Dimensions.com; JungleDragon; A-Z Animals; Pets on Mom.com; The Animal Facts; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Wikipedia (King cobra)
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: From January to April in southern and South-East Asia, during the breeding season, when the female builds a nest of leaf litter, something unique among snakes.
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 57 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with King Cobra — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Banded Krait
Bungarus fasciatus
Monocled Cobra
Naja kaouthia
Indian Cobra
Naja naja
Common Krait
Bungarus caeruleus
Yellow-lipped Sea Krait
Laticauda colubrina
Western Tarsier
Tarsius bancanus
How to help
The king cobra is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 10 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about king cobra.
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