Are you looking for the most useful king cobra facts for kids? Then you’ve certainly come to the right place. Here I’ve embedded facts about king cobras diet, habitat, reproduction and its behavior. The king cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah) is one of the most venomous and longest snakes in the world. They can grow to a size of about 5.6 meters (18.5 feet). King cobras are widely known to prey on other snake species. They are the inhabitants of forests in Indonesia, Philippine, Southeast Asia, and India. These species have some cultural importance too and are listed as the most dangerous snake. This is the only species that solely belongs to the member of Ophiophagus genus as against other snakes that are also the members of Naja members. The king cobras are greater in size in comparison to other species. There are bands of colors at the king cobra’s neck. Besides, these snakes have a slender and lengthy body. Let’s now discuss some of the most useful cobra snake facts.
Amazing King Cobra Facts For Kids
- The average length of king cobra measures around 3 – 4 meters (9.8 – 13 feet), with the weight measuring at 6 kg (13 lb).
- The longest king cobra was kept under captivity at the London Zoo, with the length of about 18.5 – 18.8 feet (5.6 – 5.7 meters).
- Back in 1951, the heaviest king cobra was caught in Singapore that weighed around 12 kg (26 lb), and the length measured at 4.8 feet (16 feet). Another heavy species has been kept in the New York Zoological Park with the length measuring at 4.4 meters (14 feet), and the weight of about 12.7 kg (28 lb).
- There are numerous factors that contribute towards the size and weight of the snakes.
- The color of the king cobra’s skin is olive-green, black, tan, and pale yellow. It has a pale yellow and creamy belly.
- The young snakes are sparkly black and have yellow belly.
- The females are comparatively smaller and slender than males.
- The average lifespan of king cobras is 20 years in the wild.
- The male king cobras have about 235 – 250 ventral scales, while females have 239 – 265.
- The king cobra catches chemical signals through its forked tongue which collects scent particles and transmits them to a sensory receptor that is positioned at the mouth top.
- They have powerful eyesight and are proficient enough to locate its prey at a distance of about 100 meters (330 ft).
- These snakes have flexible jaws which is why they can swallow even larger prey.
- They can be violent at times especially when disturbed.
- The king cobra produces hissing sound and is known to bite several times in a single attack. Normally they avoid humans and are therefore not found in populated areas.
- These species attempts to escape whenever the natural predators like mongoose come across.
Where Do King Cobras Live | King Cobra Facts For Kids
The king cobras are widely distributed all throughout Southeast Asia, southern area of East Asia, and South Asia. These snakes for the most part prefer to live in thick highland forests. However, due to excessive deforestation the king cobras population is considerably reducing.
What Do King Cobras Eat | Cobra Snake Facts
The king cobra largely preys on pythons, ratsnakes, and other venomous snakes. When there is not enough food for king cobras, they tend to consume small invertebrates including birds, rodents, and lizards. King cobras can survive for about several months after when they have eaten larger prey.
Reproduction
The female king cobra usually delivers 20 to 40 eggs in its habitat which is mound. She guards over the eggs for about 2 to 3 months.
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