Personally, I think the king cobra is a fascinating snake.
Growing to lengths of over 18 feet, they are the largest venomous snake in the world! And their famous hood?!?! I love it!
You might be surprised to learn that they aren’t even considered true cobras, at least according to their genus, but that story is for a different article.
For now, I want to explain to you deadly a king cobra actually is.
Using the LD50 SC scale to determine toxicity, the king cobra ranks below the top 50. Ranking by venom yield moves it up into the top 25. These snakes often live near heavily populated areas however, and human interaction can be high. For that reason the king cobra is considered one of the deadliest snakes in the world.
Ranking King Cobra Venom
The first thing most people think about when assessing the danger level of a snake is how venomous they are. The LD50 scale is the most popular tool used to assess this.
This scale measures how many milligrams of venom per kilo is takes to kill 50% of the animals tested; usually mice.
According to this table on snake database, the king cobra is rated number 52 for toxicity using the LD50 SC scale.
“SC” stands for subcutaneous injection.
It means the snakes venom is injected just under the skin of the test animal rather than directly into a blood vessel, or deeper into muscle tissue.
This is how most people are bitten by snakes since a bite directly into a blood vessel is rare, and most snake’s fangs aren’t long enough to puncture deep into muscle tissue, making this the most widely used scale.
The same database from above also shows the venom yield of the king cobra to be around 500mg. That puts it at number 22 on this list.
This Wikipedia king cobra page puts that number at 420mg, which would still rank it at number 22 on this same list.
The venom yield is determined by the average amount of venom obtained from milking the snake.
This number is important because typically a biting snake won’t unload all of their venom into you in a single bite. Yes it’s possible, but is also very rare.
So if the king cobra only ranks 52 in level of toxicity, and 22 on venom yield, maybe it isn’t so dangerous after all!
Let’s see what the venom does to a human.
How King Cobra Venom Works
This snakes venom is a blend of cytotoxic and neurotoxic compounds designed to disable prey, and begin the breakdown of tissue.
With the venom yield of the king cobra being so high, you stand a chance of receiving a significant amount!
The first thing you’ll experience when bitten is immense pain as the toxins attack the central nervous system. A protein found in the venom called Ohanin causes hyperalgesia in mammals, which greatly increases the feeling of pain as the nerves are damaged.
If left untreated, the effects of the venom will spread.
You can expect to experience blurred vision as vertigo and drowsiness begin to set in. Eventually paralysis will begin as the central nervous system is attacked.
Cardiovascular collapse might soon follow, which would cause you to fall into a coma. The final result would be respiratory failure, and you would die.
The scary part is that all of this could take place in as little as 30 minutes if left untreated. This is why you should immediately seek professional medical treatment if you’re ever bitten.
Effectiveness Of Antivenom
We’ve seen that despite the king cobra ranking fairly low as one of the deadliest snakes in the world, it is still extremely dangerous and should not be taken lightly.
A snake bite that can kill you in 30 minutes is serious!
But how likely are you to actually die?
Without any antivenom at all, the mortality rate for a venomous bite from this snake is around 50%.
Personally I wouldn’t want to stake my life on the flip of a coin, but still not bad considering snakes like the bushmaster have a mortality rate near 100%!
Fortunately you don’t have to take that risky chance if antivenom is available. Seeking medical treatment right away reduces the chance of death to near zero.
Speed is the key!
King Cobra Strike
This snake not only packs a powerful punch, it can also strike fast and far!
The king cobra can raise a third of its body off the ground, and still continue to move forward.
Imagine a snake standing six feet tall, looking you in the eye, and then using its remaining 12 feet to slither towards you. Scary!
They can strike in the blink of an eye too.
Literally!
The average speed of a snake bite is around a 10th of a second. That is half the time it takes for you to blink your eyes.
And king cobras don’t always strike just once. These snakes have been known to strike repeatedly in a single attack.
Not all attacks consist of repeated strikes though. Many times this snake will latch on and not let go.
They have one of the strongest bite forces of any snake, and have been known to bite and hang on for up to 10 minutes. Not good for a human victim who can die in 30 minutes!
Fortunately not all bites are with serious intent.
Sometimes a king cobra bite can be a feint. Just a lunge with a closed mouth intended to scare you away. Other times the bite may be what is considered a dry bite, which is when they bite without injecting any venom.
Regardless, never corner a king cobra, and always maintain as much distance between you and the snake as you can.
King Cobra Aggressiveness
With all this talk of how dangerous they are, one might think that this snake is an aggressive killer.
The truth is, the king cobra is actually a fairly shy and reclusive snake that prefers to avoid human contact whenever possible.
Just take a look at a video of someone handling one of these snakes. Notice that for the most part, rather than attacking, the cobra is simply trying to get away.
Don’t get me wrong:
They can and will attack, and DEFINITELY should only be handled by trained professionals.
If you watch closely however, you’ll see how the snake is typically looking for an avenue of escape.
Does this mean the king cobra is never aggressive?
No it does not.
This snake is the only snake known to build an actual nest, which is typically made of dried leaves, and they guard it with their lives.
King cobra eggs take between 66 and 105 days to hatch, and most of that time is spent with the mother protecting the nest.
Other times that king cobras may become overly aggressive.
First would be when they are shedding or about to shed.
As a snake is about to shed its skin, the scales covering their eyes turn opaque making it very difficult for the snake to see. During this time, snakes can become overly defensive since they can’t see as easily, and are afraid they may be attacked by other predators.
Another aggressive moment for this snake would be any time they feel threatened or cornered.
While it’s true that they prefer to escape when possible, a king cobra that feels threatened or cornered will certainly defend itself.
When And Where Do King Cobras Hunt?
If you’re worried about being bitten by a king cobra, then you’ll most likely want to avoid them when they are on the hunt for food.
These snakes are diurnal, meaning they typically hunt during the day and rest or sleep at night.
Their main diet consists of other snakes.
This is why they are known as the king cobra.
In addition to other snakes, they also eat lizards and occasionally smaller reptiles or possibly even birds.
They have been known to follow the scent trail of other snakes, so avoiding areas where snakes are known to inhabit is a good way to steer clear of them.
They have a very slow metabolism which means that after they eat, they will go days, weeks and sometimes even months before needing another meal.
Are Juvenile King Cobras Deadlier Than Adults?
Lots of people believe that snakes are more deadly when they are babies or juveniles.
This is not true.
In fact it’s just the opposite.
Adult king cobras are more deadly.
Here are some of the popular myths regarding baby snakes.
- People believe baby snakes have more potent venom in order to protect themselves. The truth is, baby king cobras have the same venom as adults AND they have a lot less of it making them less dangerous.
- I’ve heard people say that baby snakes can’t control the amount of venom they inject, and so they usually give you a full dose with every bite. This is another false statement. Snakes are born with full control and functionality of the muscles that control how much venom they inject.
- Another myth that goes along with the last one is that baby and juvenile snakes haven’t learned to save back some of their venom for future use. The thinking is that adult snakes know they might need to use venom again before their body has the chance to reproduce more. The truth:. There is no evidence to suggest that snakes have the forethought at any age to preserve venom for future use, and in fact rarely deplete their resources in any single bite.
There is one thing about baby king cobras that may make them a little more dangerous than adults however, and that is their nervousness and willingness to strike.
As I said earlier, king cobras can become more aggressive when they feel cornered or threatened. Baby snakes feel more vulnerable and might show nervous aggression.
They aren’t “meaner” or more aggressive. They’re simply more afraid and feel the need to protect themselves.
Summary
The king cobra is one of the most recognized snakes in the world. It may not rank extremely high on the list of deadliest snakes, but it still has the capability of easily killing you with a single bite.
Fortunately their shy and reclusive nature leads them to avoid human interaction when possible. They prefer to eat other snakes which means you, your pets and your children are typically off the menu!
Respect their desire to avoid you, and never go near a king cobra. If that doesn’t work and you end up being bitten, seek medical help right away and you should be fine.