King cobra

Ophiophagus hannah · The king cobra is a snake endemic to Asia and the world's longest venomous snake.

Also called Hamadryad, Northern king cobra.

King cobra
Photo: Rushenb, CC BY-SA 4.0
King cobra
Photo: Max Tibby, CC0
King cobra
Photo: Michael Allen Smith from Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyElapidae
GenusOphiophagus
SpeciesOphiophagus hannah

Where it lives

Forests of India, southern China and Southeast Asia.

Fun facts

  • The king cobra is the only snake known to build an above-ground nest to guard its eggs.
  • It mainly preys on other snakes and will even eat other king cobras.
  • Thanks to its flexible jaws, it can swallow prey much larger than its own head.
  • After a big meal, its slow metabolism lets it go many months before needing to eat again.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).