Snakes of the world part-5

King Cobra Image courtsey: Shibu Bhaskar

The King Cobra Snake (Naja hannah, Naja bungarus, Hamadryad)

The undisputed king!

It seems that nature has given birth to this animal, with a purpose to fill the void of a king that existed in the world of snakes, and bestowed on it all that a true king should possess to rule the world with unparalleled might and courage. No one dares to question its supremacy even his peers the “ordinary cobras”. The King Cobra is fit to be a king in all respects. The word “Hamadryad is Greek meaning a nymph - which lives on a tree and dies along with the tree -adds a touch of surrealism to this animal!

Intelligent too!

Illustrations courtsey: Malcom A Smith - The Fauna of British India Vol 3

“The most intelligent of an intelligent race”; E. G. Boulenger has described this yellowish-brown king cobra or Hamadryad (Naja bungarus). It seems strange that in scientific works the name given to this animal varies from author to author whereas the name in plain English remains just the same – “King Cobra”. The most popularly used names seem to be Naja hannah and Naja bangarus. Its bite can cause death in a man within two hours, an elephant bitten on the trunk died within three hours.

A cannibal by choice!

King Cobra eating another snake Image courtsey: zoltantakacs.com

Naja hamadryad is found in Indo-China and Malaya is not just the biggest poisonous snakes in the world it is the fiercest among the venomous ones. There are records available of it growing up to 18 feet in length. The King Cobra is universally a cannibal and it has a duty in restricting the number of venomous snakes especially in some parts of Asia, they settle the problem of increase in the number of snakes simply by swallowing them! Vipers are generally avoided as the big fangs they have may cause problems when swallowed.

No spectacle!

The poison fangs are followed by three small teeth, and teeth including fangs are occasionally shed which are replaced by new ones. Eyes are of moderate size and very visible. The frontal is not truncated as in ordinary cobra. The absence of the spectacle mark on the back of the hood is a marked difference (it definitely lessens the glamour of the king to an extent!).

Not Naja naja.

The head-scales are similar to those of Naja naja, but the frontal not truncate anteriorly. A pair of large occipital shields arranged touching one to another. The cuneate scale is not present in the lower-jaw. Scales of the vertebral series are smooth and oblique and the outer two rows are larger in comparison (description courtesy Malcolm A Smith).

Up to the Himalayas!

Himalayas Image courtsey: historyforkids.org

King cobras inhabit from peninsular India to the Himalayas as well as in many parts of Indo-China sub-regions and the Andaman Islands. It has been found to live up to 6000 feet in altitude. They mainly feed upon lizards, rabbits etc but other snakes are their delicacy whether poisonous or not, no problem. There are instances where King cobras have attacked pythons and of swallowing large animals like varanus.

Builds it own nest.

King Cobra nest Image courtsey: thinkquest.org

The hemi-penis (the male reproductive organ) is fairly long and forked (a general phenomenon with snakes). Females lay about 21 to 40 eggs at a season (during April, to June) which are deposited in a “nest”. The nests are made of dry leaves and other debris and well camouflaged from onlookers. Female guard the eggs by coiling around them, male is said to be around for additional protection.

The stray princes god save them!

The young ones are black colored on the top with narrow white or yellow cross-bands. These are Chevron shaped and, pointing forwards on the front and traverse behind. With age the special coloration disappears. As it is in the case of every snake the young princes are left uncared and as soon as hatched they crawl away as if they have nothing to do with the hatching mother or the guarding father. They are the children of nature and goes in to the lap of the mother- nature either to swallow someone or to be swallowed by someone!

King Cobra

At maximum lengths of 18 feet, the King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) is the world's longest venomous snake... though they are not the most deadly. In fact, they don't even seem to make the top ten in regards to most potent venom. But do not underestimate them! A single bite contains about 7ml of neurotoxin which is strong enough to kill an elephant.

Image from Photosfan

King Cobras are the only members of their genus, but they belong to a pretty large family of Elapids which is home to hundreds of venomous snakes from around the world. The King Cobra itself is found in China, India, and South East Asia. They are diurnal, carnivorous reptiles, and are comfortable on land, in trees, and even in water. The King Cobra actually feeds primarily on other snakes, though they will also eat other reptiles, mammals, birds and eggs.

The King Cobra is well known within the context of snake charming. They are able to stand up straight with a third of their entire body length. Cobras do not hear in the same way that we do, so they are not entranced by the actual music. They are most likely drawn by the vibrations and the movement of the flute. The Cobra's ability to stand comes from the way in which they hunt, which involves striking quickly in a downward motion. The King Cobra will also stand and spread its hood when feeling threatened.

King Cobras are unique in that they are the only snake that builds a nest for its eggs. Starting at around age 4 they mate once a year and lay clutches of between 20 and 50 eggs. The females will remain atop the nest, guarding her eggs until they hatch nearly 3 months later. Males will also remain in the vicinity.

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes are native to the Southeastern Coastal Plains. They can be found in Southern North Carolina, Eastern South Carolina, Southern Georgia, Florida, Southern Alabama, Southern Mississippi, and Eastern Louisiana.

These rattlesnakes inhabit low elevation sandy areas, long-leaf pine forests, pine flatwoods, sand hill communities, turkey oak forests, live oak hammocks, pine ridges or coastal areas. Favorite haunts include saw palmetto scrub, Gopher Tortoise burrows, and stump holes.

Eastern Diamondbacks are often found on Georgia's barrier islands, the Florida Keys, and Islands in the Gulf of Mexico. They are well known to be excellent swimmers and have often been spotted crossing stretches of water between barrier islands and the mainland off the Georgia coast, in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Florida Keys, sometimes miles from land.

These snakes can often be found on agricultural land. Farms provide a steady food supply in the form of rodents. Tin, plywood, and other debris provide shelter to the snakes. The snakes may spend the first three years of their life underground in stump holes and root systems.

Individual disposition varies, with some allowing close approach while remaining silent, and others starting to rattle at a distance of 20 to 30 feet (6-9 m). When threatened they raise the anterior half of the body off the ground in an S-shaped coil and strike to a distance of at least a third of their body length. Many will stand their ground and may strike repeatedly.
One popular myth is that these snakes must rattle before striking. They are, of course, quite capable of striking while remaining completely silent.

The Eastern Diamondback is a large, impressive, and potentially dangerous snake. It can strike up to 2/3 its body length; a 6-foot specimen may strike 4 feet. The venom of the diamondback is potent. When severely bitten, the mortality rate for humans is nearly 40 percent. Symptoms include, but are not limited to pain, severe swelling, bruising, blistering, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, collapse or convulsions, Yellow vision; paraesthesia/numbness of digits, metallic taste in mouth, fasciculations, and/or death.

Canebrake Rattlesnake

The Canebrake Rattlesnake is actually a sub-species of the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus horridus), found widely through the northeastern U. S. The Canebrake is lighter colored than the much darker Timber Rattlesnake. It is pinkish to light tan with dark-brown to black blotches and chevrons, and it has a marked stripe down the back and a stripe from the eye to the jaw. Although the venom of these snakes is variable, the Canebrake tends to possess a neurotoxic venom, which contributes to its overall toxicity.
Potentially, this is one of North America's most dangerous snakes, due to its long fangs, impressive size and high venom yield.

A bite from a Canebrake Rattlesnake can include nervous system affects leading to respiratory distress and cardiac arrythmias, as well as tissue damage and nerve paralysis. These are large snakes with adults averaging 3 to 6 feet in length, which can potentially deliver a massive load of very toxic venom.

Although overall, Timber Rattlesnakes are threatened in some northeastern habitats, the Canebrake sub-species is not currently an endangered species and its population seems stable in most of its southeastern U. S. range. It tends to inhabit hardwood and mixed hardwood-pine forests, cane fields, and the ridges and glades of swampy areas in the southeastern States. It overwinters in the base of hollow trees or in stumps. In cooler weather it is active during the day, but during the heat of the summer it tends to be active and hunt at night. It generally feeds on small mammals, such as rodents and occasionally amphibians, such as small frogs. It is a very important part of rodent control in its habitat.

Southern Pacific Rattlesnake

One of the nine subspecies of the western rattlesnake, the southern pacific is relatively dark in coloration. They are native to the southern coasts of California and Baja. They occupy valley grasslands, woodlands and shrub communities.

This is the most common species in San Diego and may be found near housing developments, parks, and even the beach. Its range is from coastal Southern California to northwestern Baja California, Mexico, and they are commonly found on prairies or sage scrub/grassland areas, especially near rocky outcroppings

Like most rattlesnakes, the Southern Pacific produces a powerful hemotoxin that attacks the blood and tissue of its prey. Recently, in some areas of southern California the Southern Pacific Rattlesnake has developed neurotoxins in it's venom, as well. A bite from this snake can cause localized tissue damage in humans, and if left untreated may result in death from hemorrhaging, blood clotting or a drop in blood pressure. In addition if neurotoxins are present in the snakes venom, there may be other neurological issues as well, including paralysis, respiratory failure and cardiac arrhythmia.

It is not clear how some Southern Pacific rattlesnakes have developed neurotoxic venom, although it may be due to cross breeding with the Mojave rattlesnake. In any case this makes for a potentially more dangerous envenomation and snake. The Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus Helleri) is responsible for most of the snake bites in the coastal area of California from Los Angeles to San Diego

This particular snake is highly venomous and even though the Southern Pacific rattler is nonaggressive, it accounts for more venomous bites in the United States than any other snake because we are building new homes and communities on top of their habitat.

Mojave rattlesnake

The Mojave rattlesnake is a venomous species found in the deserts of the southwestern United States and central Mexico. It is perhaps best known for its potent venom. The Mojave rattlesnake, Crotalus scutulatus, is the most dangerous snake in the United States. Unlike most other rattlesnakes species, California specimens possess highly neurotoxic venom in addition to hemotoxins. This deadly cocktail of toxins attack both nerve endings, leading to paralysis and respiratory failure, as well as massive destruction of tissue and blood cells.

This rattlesnake species averages between 3.25' (100 cm) and 4.5' (137 cm) in length. Their color varies with the terrain, ranging from shades of brown to pale green. Their frequent green hue, has led to their being called "Mojave greens" in some areas of the U.S. This snake is not considered endangered and is found in a fairly wide distribution throughout the southwestern U.S. in good numbers.

The Mojave rattlesnake is often found in close proximity to large and growing population centers in southern California and therefore may be encountered more frequently by humans then other species. They have a reputation for being fairly aggressive, although this is based largely on anecdotal information, rather than scientific evidence. Like most rattlesnakes they will defend themselves rigorously, against perceived threats such as handling, or when disturbed.

The Mojave rattlesnake is widely considered one of the most dangerous and venomous snakes of the Western Hemisphere. The bite from a Mojave rattlesnake is a serious medical emergency and is potentially life threatening. A snake to leave alone and avoid, the Mojave earns first place on my list of the U.S. most dangerous snakes.

Bushmaster

The Bushmaster, lachesis muta muta is the largest Pit Viper in the world with a nasty reputation as a "cruel dude". The Bushmaster is a huge, thick-bodied and highly venomous snake with a triangularly shaped head, one of nature's warning signs that a snake is poisonous and potentially deadly. Bushmasters live in remote, heavily forested tropical jungle terrain. Isolated in their jungle environment, envenomation by a Bushmaster is very serious, sometimes fatal and particularly dangerous to humans.

Bushmaster is the largest venomous snake in the New World, often reaching lengths in excess of 6 feet with a maximum recorded length reaching an amazing 14 feet!

The Bushmaster has earned this fierce reputation, known to aggressively attack man but only few human attacks have been recorded due primarily to the Bushmaster's nocturnal nature. Even if they do attack only occasionally, the Bushmaster is greatly feared by people indigenous to their jungle habitat. Appropriately named in English, the name Bushmaster when translated from Latin means "Brings Silent Death". One of the largest and most dangerous snakes in South America, the Bushmaster is capable of multiple bite strikes, injecting large amount of venom and even the bite of a juvenile Bushmaster can be fatal. In the case

The Bushmaster has extremely long fangs

Snake venom delivered by the Bushmaster has powerful Hemotoxic properties affecting the circulatory system destroying red blood cells causing organ degeneration and generalized tissue damage which can be fatal if left untreated

The Bushmaster is the largest Pit Viper in the world. This snake has a triangular shaped head with rough scales.

Known to aggressively attack, particularly when agitated or startled.

Tropical forested areas throughout Central and South America

Bushmaster

The Black Mamba is found throughout most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and is incredibly fast, traveling at speeds of up to 12 miles per hour. It's also large; the second largest snake in Africa, averaging 8.2' (2.5m) and getting as long as 14' (4.5m). The Black Mamba is aggressive and territorial, characteristics not usually attributed to snakes. This snake is usually found in an olive green color - it's the inside of its mouth that is black!

African villagers and experts alike fear the intense pain and suffering the mamba inflicts on its victims. Its poison is neuro-toxic. Unlike most poisonous snakes where the venom travels slowly through the blood stream, allowing a victim time to get treatment and to isolate the poison using a tourniquet, the black mamba's poison goes straight for the nerves, attacking the central nervous system and shutting down major organs. Twenty minutes after being bitten you may lose the ability to talk. After one hour you're probably comatose, and by six hours, without an antidote, you are dead.

When feeling very threatened, the Black Mamba usually delivers multiple strikes, injecting its potent neuro- and cardiotoxin with each strike, often attacking the body or head, unlike most other snakes. It can strike up to 12 times in a row. A single bite from a Black Mamba can inject enough venom to kill up to 10-25 grown men, easily killing one unless the appropriate anti-venom is administered in time. When cornered, it will readily attack. When in the striking position, the mamba flattens its neck, hisses very loudly and displays its inky black mouth and fangs. It can rear up around one-third of its body from the ground, which allows it to reach heights of approximately four feet.

In the past, the mortality rate for a Black Mamba bite was nearly 100%, the highest among venomous snakes. Now, because of the development of effective antivenin in Africa, the rate has been decreased to 75% (25% of bite victims now receive antivenin in time to be effective). Depending on the nature of a bite, death can result in as little as 30 minutes or it may take up to 120-180 minutes.

Boomslang

The Boomslang is a tree dweller that is found throughout southern and sub-Saharan Africa. It inhabits wooded grasslands and the adult snake averages between 4 to 6 feet in length. Their diet consists mainly of small lizards and birds. If agitated, the Boomslang moves quickly and will inflate its neck to double its normal size right before striking its victim. Equipped with stereoscopic vision, the Boomslang hunts during the day in its arboreal territory.

The Boomslang excretes a powerful venom through rear fangs located beneath the eye area. This snake is deadly because of its preference for aerial positioning in tree top and shrub cover. Hard to see in the thick forested cover of the savanna, the Boomslang Snake is well camouflaged and strikes without giving any warning signal.

The Boomslang delivers a potent hemotoxic venom to its victim through large, deeply grooved folded fangs positioned in the rear of its mouth The hemotoxic venom delivered by the Boomslang, affects the circulatory system destroying red blood cells, causing organ degeneration and generalized tissue damage. Bites cause intense pain, swelling and necrosis even when delivered in small amounts. In addition, the bite causes severe bleeding, continuing for extended periods, even 24-48 hours after the bite, making the Boomslang very dangerous to man. The bite can be fatal if left untreated quickly with antivenin.

Inland Taipan (aka Fierce Snake) of Australia

Found only in Australia, the Inland Taipan is the most toxic snake on Earth. Just a single bite from this snake contains enough venom to kill 100 human adults. Luckily, antivenin is now available, prior to its development, few people survived a bite from this snake. Its venom is 200-400 times more toxic than most rattlesnakes and 50 times as toxic as a cobra. The Inland Taipan's extremely neurotoxic venom can kill an adult human in as little as 45 minutes, without treatment.

The Inland Taipan consumes mostly rodents, birds and rats. They kill with quick, multiple strikes, injecting venom into their victim. The venom clots the victim's blood, blocking arteries or veins and using up clotting factors. It is also highly neurotoxic, leading to symptoms of paralysis, respiratory failure and cardiac arrythmia. There are no known survivors of a Taipan bite before an antivenin was developed and, even then, victims often require extended periods of intensive care.

Fortunately this snake is very shy and inhabits arid and unpopulated areas of the "outback". The Inland Taipan is native to the arid regions of central Australia, extending from the southeast part of the Northern Territory, and into west Queensland. The Inland Taipan can also be found north of Lake Eyre and to the west of the split of the Murray River, Darling River and Murrumbidgee River.

The Inland Taipan is dark tan, ranging from a rich, dark hue to a brownish olive-green, depending on the season. Its back, sides and tail may be different shades of brown and grey, with many scales having a wide blackish edge. It adapts to the environment by changing the color of the skin during seasonal changes. This snake tends to be lighter in summer and darker in winter. The seasonal color change serves in regulating the snake's temperature, allowing the snake to absorb more light (thence converted to heat) in the colder months. Inland Taipans average between 6½ to 12 feet long (2 to 3.6 meters)