King Cobra – Longest Venomous Snake in the World

Note: This article is a spin-off from our 21 interesting snake facts. If you’re a reptile enthusiast, you’ll enjoy reading the complete fact sheet.
The longest venomous snake in the world is the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah). This fact is indisputable, because the king cobra surpasses the next-longest venomous snake by several feet.
This incredible serpent can be found throughout Southeast Asia, including India, the Philippines, and parts of Southern China.
So just how long is the longest venomous snake in the world?
The king cobra can grow to lengths of 18 feet (5.48 meters), or longer. One specimen at the London Zoo grew to 18.8 feet.
In addition to being the longest venomous snake, the king cobra has some other impressive traits. For one thing, this snake is very fast! If you’ve ever since a nature show on TV with a cobra on the go, you’ll know what I mean. They are also very agile and capable of lifting the front third of their bodies off the ground.
King cobras can expand the elongated ribs in their necks to form a “hood,” in an effort to scare predators away. This bold display is enough to frighten away most animals, except for the mongoose.
The king cobra packs quite a punch, in a manner of speaking. It has a powerful neurotoxic venom. This venom is different from the hemotoxin found in most rattlesnake species. Neurotoxins affect the central nervous system, leading to paralysis and death. According to zoologists at the London Zoo, this snake has enough venom in one bite to kill an elephant, or a dozen grown men.