KING COBRA

                  

This is considered to be the longest venomous snake in the world . The longest known specimen has been measured at 18 ft with the average length being 9-13 ft. The heaviest known specimen have been found to weigh around 12 kg although the median weight is usually around 6 kg.

Its skin is usually olive green ,dark or tan in appearance with pale yellow cross bands down its belly. The male cobras are usually larger and thicker than their female counterparts . Their average lifespan is 20 years.

This snake is largely spread across parts of South India, South Asia and parts of China. The forked tongue of this snake has certain special receptors which helps it in smelling and finding out the location of its prey . Also it has a keen eyesight .

The King Cobra , like several other snakes, do not attack humans unless they are cornered . Its first reaction is to flee the scene when confronted . However, when attacked repeatedly, it can become extremely aggressive . Raising one third of its body off the ground, almost on an eye to eye level with its human opponent, it spreads out its famous hood, opens its mouth displaying its fangs and starts hissing. The hiss is so intense it sounds almost like a growl of a dog. This is its warning phase. Any movement from its opponent at this point, causes it to strike with full force. Usually, an adult snake doesn't let go easily once it grabs hold of the skin .
These snakes feed on small rodents and other smaller snakes . Rattle snake is one of their favourite foods. While hunting, they deliver a single strike at their prey thereby paralaysing it and then starts swallowing while the injected venom starts digesting the animal.