Cobra

Cobras are quite common on Phuket even if most people never get to see one in the wild. This has to do with the fact that they prefer environments that are undisturbed and these areas are of course not often frequented by humans. But if you do encounter a Cobra, make sure you take every precaution not to disturb, frighten or in any way harm it. These snakes are, for good reasons, considered to be among the most dangerous in the world. So let's take a look at the Cobras.

General about Cobras

When at rest, the head of the cobra is not very distinct from the body. When threatened, nobody will make a mistake regarding what kind of snake it is. The classic image of the cobra, erected from the ground and with the shield is a main character in many nightmares. Cobras are considered slightly more intelligent that the average snake and they are also very adaptive. That's why they are sometimes found in agricultural land and near human inhabitations.

The danger with Spitting Cobras is that they are very accurate and that they will easily hit you in the eyes from distances of two meters. The venom will, if washed away quickly, not cause long term damage to the eyes. It will however make you blind long enough for the snake to attack you or flee.

King Cobra

This majestic snake is by far the largest venomous snake in the world. Adults vary in color from uniform light green-gray to light green or green-orange with darker bands. In rare cases a King Cobra is black. They are usually located near streams or some other form of water and they inhibit forests and plantations up to over 2.000 meters. The diet consists of other snakes as well as large lizards. The female produces up to 50 eggs and hatchlings measure up to 48 cm. The first part of a King Cobras life is spent with a black and yellow pattern. The large venom glands produce a very dangerous neuro toxin that is fatal if untreated. Usually when somebody sees a King Cobra, they only see a large snake, quickly leaving the scene. When frightened, this intelligent snake will "stand up" and spread its neck. The King Cobra can grow to be almost six meters long and is found throughout south east Asia as well as in India and China.

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