A King cobra snake.
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They are the longest venomous snakes in the world, reaching lengths of nearly 18 feet and are native to Southeast Asia. These reptiles are pretty unusual as far as cobras go — they get very large, eat other snakes, have relatively small hoods, growl when they’re upset, and make nests for egg laying.
A full-grown king cobra is yellow, green, brown or black. They usually also have yellowish or white crossbars or chevrons. The belly may be uniform in color or ornamented with bars. The throat is light yellow or cream-colored. The juveniles are jet-black, with yellow or white crossbars on the body and tail and four similar crossbars on the head. The king cobra is regarded as a fierce and aggressive snake and its length and size give it an awe inspiring appearance.
The king cobra’s deadly fangs are almost 0.5 inches (8 to 10 millimeters) long. Because they are fixed to the upper jaw, they have to be short. If they were longer, they would penetrate the floor of its mouth. Angled back into the snake’s mouth, the fangs help push the prey on its path to the stomach.
Breeding usually occurs from January through April. King cobras are oviparous and lay 21 to 40 white, leathery eggs. The female pushes leaves and branches into a nest pile where the eggs are incubated by the elevated temperatures of decomposition. The female remains on top of the nest to guard the eggs, and the male remains close by. During the brood care period, the king cobra tends to be very aggressive toward approaching humans. The eggs of the king cobra incubate during spring and summer, hatching in the fall. It is possible that king cobras mate for life.
