Number 7 Attack in Telangana In February of 2019, a rather
unusual cobra incident was reported in the Indian state of Telangana. A cyclist and his passenger
were going down the road when a cobra lunged at them. Both men promptly abandoned the bicycle
as the serpent had gotten caught in the wheel. Fortunately, they weren’t hurt as the snake
struggled to free itself. The outcome could’ve been much worse considering that the Indian cobra,
also known as the spectacled cobra, is responsible for a significant number of snakebite fatalities
throughout India. What Is It?
Cobras are arguably the most iconic snakes on the planet. There are, however, numerous
snakes that have the “cobra” moniker attached to them. Depending on how the term is defined,
species range from 25 to over 250, and the vast majority of them are in the Elapidae family.
These are snakes characterized by hollow fangs, located at the front of the mouth, through which
they inject venom into their prey. Elapids in the Naja genus are the ones most frequently
referred to as “true cobras”. The notorious king cobra, the longest venomous snake on the planet,
is in a class of its own as the sole species in the Ophiophagus genus. Members of the Naja
genus are slender-bodied serpents, the largest of which grow to be about 10 feet long. These
creatures are known for their threatening upright stance, intimidating hood display and lethal
venom. The distinctive hood is formed as the snake spreads out its neck ribs to deter predators. Some
species in the genus, commonly known as spitting cobras, have the ability to squirt venom out of
their mouths as a defense mechanism. Cobras are exceptionally dangerous snakes as all species
possess a bite that can kill human beings. Number 6 Moxie & Miley
In July of 2019, two heroic dachshund dogs fought off a cobra in the Philippines.
The serpent, which is among the most venomous cobra species, was found outside a family home
in Kidapawan City. It was slithering towards a room where a 1 year old baby was sleeping.
Moxie, a 2-year-old dachshund, approached the cobra and started pawing at it. The other pet,
Miley, aged 4, charged the reptile and picked it up in her jaws. The snake then tried to escape by
rushing to the front door of the house. The guard dogs worked together to drag the reptile into
the road. After a fight which had lasted several minutes, the cobra stopped moving. Unfortunately,
Miley had been repeatedly bitten by the cobra and soon succumbed to her injuries as well.
Moxie survived but was left blind after being sprayed in the eyes Number 5 Sabron Kamarudin
In 2012, while working at the Teruntum Mini Zoo, in Malaysia, Sabron Kamarudin was bitten by a
king cobra. The 25-year-old man was cleaning the serpent’s cage, when it lunged at him and plunged
its fangs into his left wrist. Kamarudin was taken to a hospital where he had to wait for over
4 hours until antivenom was delivered from Kuala Lumpur. During this time, the cobra’s venom spread
through his arm. Doctors warned that Kamarudin would eventually need to have his hand amputated,
but he refused to heed their warnings, believing that treatment would suffice.
A few years later, however, the man was told he’d developed Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
a bacterial infection in the bone. In 2019, he started experiencing severe pain in his elbow
and his hand had become horribly swollen. The father of two was at risk of the infection
damaging his heart. In January of 2020, Kamarudin made the difficult decision of
having his left arm amputated. His limb was surgically removed at the elbow,
8 years after he’d been bitten by the king cobra. Where Is It Located?
Cobras have featured prominently in human mythology since antiquity. Wadjet was one
of ancient Egypt’s oldest goddesses. Depicted as a woman with the head of an Egyptian cobra,
she was regarded as the protector of the country and its pharaoh. The current distribution of
cobras ranges from Indonesia, Southeast Asia and India to the Middle East and throughout Africa. In
each of these regions, cobras feature prominently among the most dangerous snake species. The Indian
cobra is part of the Indian subcontinent’s “big four” along with the common krait,
Russell’s viper and the Indian saw-scaled viper. Together they are responsible for
the greatest number of human snakebites on the subcontinent. The Arabian cobra is a major cause
of death in the Arabian Peninsula. The black cobra, native to Africa, is the largest of
all true cobra species, while the Caspian cobra, native to Central Asia, is the most venomous.
Other deadly snakes of the Naja genus include the Chinese cobra, the Philippine cobra and the
Equatorial spitting cobra. Number 4 Lushen Naidoo
While working as a response officer for a South African security company, 23-year-old Lushen
Naidoo was called to a home in Verulam for the removal of a cobra. A couple had spotted the
serpent as it was trying to get in through a window in the bedroom where their toddler was
sleeping. Naidoo and a colleague were dispatched to the address. Both men had been trained in snake
handling. As Naidoo approached the cobra, it squirted venom at his face. Even though he was
wearing sunglasses, the venom got into his eyes, causing a painful, burning sensation.
Naidoo’s colleague called for backup and the cobra was eventually shot and killed. The security
officer suffered from blurred vision and was taken to a hospital. Luckily, he was treated and
discharged with no permanent damage to his eyes. How Will It Kill You?
Cobras have an excellent sense of smell and well-developed night vision. Some species,
such as the Caspian cobra, have a reputation for being aggressive. Also known as the Russian cobra,
this is the most venomous of all Naja species. Its venom owns potent neurotoxins but also cytotoxins,
which attack the human body on a cellular level. Untreated bites have a mortality
rate of up to 80%. The bite of many snakes in the Naja genus is fatal
due to the neurotoxic components of its venom. It affects the nerves and paralyzes muscles,
leading to death by respiratory failure or cardiac arrest. The venom of the Philippine cobra,
for example, is purely neurotoxic, with minimal pain and tissue damage at the site of the bite.
Cases of envenomation have resulted in death in as little as 30 minutes. Since the venom of some
Naja species is so toxic, fatalities can be quite common, in both treated and untreated victims.
The venom of a spitting cobra acts as a powerful irritant on the victim’s skin. If it enters the
eyes and isn’t cleared out immediately, it can cause temporary or even permanent blindness.
Number 3 Norjani
An Indonesian snake charmer, identified only as Norjani, was killed by a king cobra he was showing
off to his neighbors. He’d caught the reptile about a week prior and was keeping it in his
wooden hut for use in traditional medicine. The bizarre performance that Norjani put on
involved him taunting and teasing the reptile, which was spun around and hit.
As it grew increasingly angrier, the cobra lashed out at the charmer and bit him on the
arm. Nevertheless, he continued with the routine. The snake then bit him in the face but Norjani
just smiled and kept performing. A few hours later, however, he started feeling sick. He was
taken to a hospital but, by then, the snake’s powerful venom had wrought havoc on his body.
Norjani was pronounced dead. His family subsequently chopped the cobra’s head off,
which they believed would avenge Norjani’s death and keep the evil spirits at bay.
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Number 2 Prapawee Prawat
In the Thai province of Surat Thani, a 9-year-old girl sustained a fatal cobra bite while she was
sleeping. Following her parent’s divorce, Prapawee Prawat had been living with her two grandmothers.
When one of the elderly women tried to wake her up for school, she found that the child was
unresponsive. The authorities were called and they noticed a bite mark on Prapawee’s index finger.
Then, a large cobra was found coiled under a folded blanket, next to the bed. Rescue workers
reacted quickly and killed the reptile. They concluded that Prapawee had been bitten at least
8 hours before the snake was found. How to Survive?
Avoiding a cobra attack depends on the species itself as well as on the geographical region
where it’s found. First aid treatment of a bite, however, is generally the same. Make sure that
the snake is gone or properly contained so that there’s no risk of an additional attack. A cobra
bite should be treated as a medical emergency and, getting to a hospital is a priority. Don’t attempt
to cut or suck out the venom. Try to stay calm and limit your movement to the necessary first
aid procedures. Start at the bite site and work upwards, wrapping bandages around the
affected limb. The bandages should be as tight as they’d be if you were treating a sprained ankle.
Try to keep the affected limb at a level that’s lower than the heart and, if available, use a
rigid item as a splint. Do not remove the bandages or splint until you’ve reached the hospital,
where you’ll be treated with antivenom. Number 1 Yuttapong Chaibooddee
During an animal show in Phuket, Thailand, a snake handler was left battling for his life
after being bitten by a king cobra. At some point during the performance, visitors watched
in horror as the snake sank its teeth into Yuttapong Chaibooddee’s arm. The 35-year-old
yanked the reptile from his limb and threw it on the ground. It’s likely that, during the struggle,
the cobra had delivered close to a full envenomation. Moments later, Chaibooddee passed
out and was rushed to a hospital. He was given antibodies but had to be placed on life support
after he’d stopped breathing. Following several days spent in the hospital, Chaibooddee recovered
and was discharged but the attack had left a mark. Even though he’d sustained a single bite,
there was a number of burn-like wounds present on his arms, legs and even on the inside of his lips.
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