What snake can kill 20 people or an elephant? The king cob | Ask Me
What snake can kill 20 people or an elephant?
The king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the largest and the longest venomous snake species on Earth nowadays.
Native to Asia, it can grow over 5 meters (16 feet) long.
One of the longest king cobras ever recorded was a captive snake that reached 5.71 m (18.7 feet) at London Zoo in the late 1930s.
It's an effective predator that feeds mainly on other snakes.
When threatened or on attack, king cobra rears its head and creates a hood by spreading its neck ribs.
Their venom is not the most potent among venomous snakes, but the amount of neurotoxin they can deliver in a single bite—up 500 mg—is enough to kill 20 people, or even an elephant.
It is the only snake in the world that builds nests for their eggs and protects them.
Venomous snakes usually don’t grow to be giants as they don’t need to rely on size or strength to feed. However, king cobras are an exception to the rule.
