The Ophiophagus hannah, or King Cobra, is one of the world’s most venomous animals.
This serpent usually preys on other smaller snakes and lizards, as well as tiny mammals
such as rats and mice.
Surprisingly, for such a dangerous predator, it tends to be quite timid in nature.
It avoids human beings altogether unless confronted or attacked.
However, if it feels intimidated, it might lunge at the perceived threat.
King Cobras are massive, capable of growing from 10.4 to 13.1 ft.
There’s a record-breaking specimen that was measured at an impressive 19.2 feet, making
it the longest venomous snake in the world.
Its skin is usually a dark shade of green, adorned with black and white circles all over
its body, with the exception of the head.
A King Cobra’s mouth is rounded, and it contains two large fangs through which the
venom is injected into its victims.
The King Cobra also has several more teeth.
Its lower jaw features two separate rows.
Meanwhile, it has two to five gnashers on its upper jaw.
Like all other species of snakes, it can unhinge its jaws to swallow its prey whole.
It uses its venom to paralyze or kill the small animal.
Though it can technically hunt during the night, it’s mainly a diurnal predator.
These cobras can go for months without hunting down new prey, as they must wait for the previous
one to be completely ingested.
Their metabolic rate is incredibly slow, and so a single kill is enough to keep them satisfied
for a long while.
Their most reliable senses are, without a doubt, their taste and touch.
Using their tongue, they detect particles in the air.
That way, they can discover hidden prey almost 330 feet away.
This is why the King Cobra and other snakes frequently flicker their forked tongues.
5-Siti Fatimah In May of 2018, tragedy struck in the small
village of Cihonje, in Central Java, during the middle of the night.
As the family slept, no one realized that something was wrong with Siti.
The 38-year-old woman was bitten on the foot in the middle of the night.
Her husband and two children, who rested in the same room, were unharmed.
Doctors aren’t sure why Siti was the only one attacked.
When Siti’s husband, Tohirin, woke up, he thought that she was simply sleeping.
He soon discovered this wasn’t the case.
Siti was unresponsive.
What was worse, she didn’t seem to be breathing, and she was cold to the touch.
Tohirin noticed she’d been bitten on her feet and had bled lightly.
The wound wasn’t large, but the venom injected into her body was deadly.
Siti had been bitten by a King Cobra.
Tohirin called for help, and the neighbors came rushing into the house.
There, they discovered a massive snake hiding behind the door leading to the bedroom.
It was over 8 feet long and clearly ready to attack again.
The neighbors killed the Cobra and rushed Siti to the nearest hospital.
There, they believed, she could receive anti-venom and recover.
By the time the doctors got to her, though, the woman had already been dead for several
hours.
There was nothing they could’ve done for her anymore.
4-Attack caught on video An unnamed man risked his life while trying
to hold a King Cobra.
It, unfortunately, resulted in his untimely death.
The attack, which was recorded, happened as the man grabbed the Cobra.
The venomous animal dangled for a few moments before trying to bite the man’s neck.
When this failed, it lunged down toward the ground and attempted to bite his left leg
instead.
The man avoided the second attack as well, and the King Cobra hissed at the terrified
witnesses that were standing around.
Finally, it managed to reach the man’s arm and bit down.
The King Cobra’s fangs sank into the man’s limb, piercing the sleeve of his polo shirt.
Its victim managed to rip the Cobra off his arm, and threw it to the ground.
The snake scurried away immediately, and the man was rushed to the hospital.
There are reports about the man’s condition after the attack.
His arm turned a dark shade of purple and black.
It’s believed the man died soon after the attack, failing to receive the anti-venom
in time.
Still, there are conflicting accounts on the matter.
Footage of the attack can be found online as of the recording of this video.
It demonstrates how quickly a King Cobra can attack and kill a grown human being when feeling
threatened.
Where Is It Located?
The King Cobra usually inhabits forests and lives primarily in South and Southeast Asia,
namely India, Nepal, China, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore.
It’s India’s national reptile and featured heavily in folk stories and mythologies in
the region.
Because its natural habitat is being destroyed, it’s considered a vulnerable animal by the
IUCN.
This is a direct consequence of the severe deforestation occurring in its regional environment.
They’re also hunted down by poachers who use their skin and venom in traditional medicine,
especially in China.
Because of this endangered status, it’s actually a crime to kill them.
In India, people can spend up to 6 years in jail if discovered hunting the King Cobra.
As mentioned before, the King Cobra isn’t a particularly aggressive animal.
They tend to hiss and warn human beings of their presence before actually attacking.
That being said, it can be vicious when protecting its nest.
Their hiss is so low pitched that people often describe it as sounding like a growl.
It has a lower frequency than the hisses given out by other species of snakes.
When it’s about to attack, the cobra tends to raise half of its body above the ground.
This is heavily associated with snake charmers who make the serpent seemingly dance.
Hospitals in India have reported surprisingly few King Cobra attacks but, unfortunately,
these tend to be fatal in most cases.
3-Sunil Bhagat Sunil Bhagat was a police officer in the Kurla
suburb in Mumbai.
His wife also worked as a constable and was posted away from home.
During the weekends, Sunil visited his spouse in the police quarters she lived in.
It was there that he encountered the deadly King Cobra.
The reptile slithered into his wife’s bedroom while they slept, and Sunil was defenseless
against any attacks.
In the dead of night, Sunil woke his wife up.
He was feeling sick and dizzy.
He was in pain, though he couldn’t identify the source of his ailment.
His spouse decided to get him a glass of water to calm him down.
When she stepped into the kitchen and turned on the lights, she was shocked to discover
a massive snake hiding inside.
She immediately called for help.
Sunil was rushed to the hospital, as it was suspected he’d been bitten by the wild animal.
Unfortunately, the doctors couldn’t do anything for the young police officer.
He was declared dead as soon as he reached the hospital.
The snake was caught by the Maharashtra Animal Rescue Association, which prevented further
attacks.
It was taken to the Aarey forest and released back to its natural habitat.
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How Will It Kill You?
The King Cobra is a venomous reptile and one of the world’s deadliest snakes.
It’s worth mentioning that there’s a distinction to make between venomous and poisonous.
An animal is venomous if their venom affects you through their sting or their bite.
Meanwhile, an animal, or plant, is poisonous if, when you eat it, its poison affects your
body.
The King Cobra lunges at human beings only when it feels threatened but, once they attack,
the impact can be quite brutal.
It can hold its bite down against a person’s limb for up to 8 minutes.
It can also bite several times in a single attack.
Its fangs release lethal venom into its victim, which includes cytotoxins and neurotoxins.
These are chemicals that affect the cells and nerves, respectively.
Cytotoxins are actually used to fight cancerous cells, so they can be incredibly destructive
when injected indiscriminately.
This venom attacks the central nervous system, and the consequences are severe.
Symptoms include intense pain, as well as confusion, fatigue, and paralysis.
If left untreated, victims will inevitably enter a coma.
With the respiratory system failing, death follows soon after.
A fully grown human will likely die within 30 minutes of being bitten if they don’t
receive urgent medical treatment.
2-Unnamed Chinese man An unnamed Chinese man was attacked by a King
Cobra while attempting to take a photo with the venomous creature.
There’s footage online showing the moment of the attack, and the images are heart-wrenching.
He’d discovered the serpent and pinned it down with his foot.
People gathered around, driven by curiosity, and several onlookers took pictures.
Someone began recording the strange situation, just before the deadly attack.
The snake, almost 3 feet long, tried to break free.
It hissed loudly before viciously biting the villager.
He managed to pull the snake away, but it was too late: The snake had managed to sink
its fangs into him, and released a deadly amount of venom.
Footage showed the man falling to the ground and twitching in pain while bystanders called
for help.
Unfortunately, the man didn’t survive the attack.
He was taken to the hospital, 40 minutes away, by an ambulance.
An investigation was launched since the emergency crew had carried the anti-venom on site but
failed to administer it.
By the time they reached the hospital, the King Cobra’s victim was declared dead.
The Cobra was attacked by the onlookers and killed before it could scurry away.
How to Survive?
First and foremost, it’s vital to get immediate medical aid.
If left untreated, the chances of death are between 50% and 60%.
Even when death doesn’t occur, the pain and other symptoms are intense enough to have
lasting effects.
Anti-venom is used as a first measure to treat the King Cobra’s victims.
Usually, the attack is severe enough to require high doses.
To put it in perspective, this snake can produce enough venom to kill an elephant in little
more than 3 hours.
The effect it has on the human body can be devastating.
It’s essential to keep the affected area immobilized.
When possible, bandage the limb up and keep the bandages tight.
The treatment you’d receive when suffering from a sprained ankle is the perfect example.
It’s fundamental not to remove the bandages until the anti-venom is applied.
Don’t cut the afflicted area or attempt to suck the venom out.
Applying ice or cold to the wound is not recommended either.
The most effective anti-venom is the Polyvalent.
It has been proven to neutralize the effects of the King Cobra’s venom.
There are other potential treatments used around the world.
Turmeric root is ingested in Thailand to create a resistance to the toxins.
It’s usually eaten by snake charmers to decrease their chances of dying if bitten.
Recovery after being bitten is slow and painful.
Usually, patients spend at least 10 days hospitalized and receive anti-venom before being discharged.
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Number 1: Rico Cabañero Canoy Rico Cabañero Canoy was working as a farmer
in the Philippines when he unwittingly stumbled upon a King Cobra.
This snake species usually hides in the grasslands, and authorities recommend farmers and workers
remain alert to avoid its deadly attack.
Rico Cabañero Canoy was 27 years old when his lifeless body was discovered in the pastures.
His body was marked by several King Cobra bites.
Venom was found in his system, and it was declared he’d died as a direct consequence
of the attack.
He’d been bitten multiple times on his left arm and didn’t manage to get help in time.
When he failed to return home, late that evening, his family reported him missing.
By the time his body was found, there was nothing that could be done to help the young
man.
He’d already been dead for several hours.
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