The king cobra—one of the most venomous snakes on the planet—can literally "stand up" and look a full-grown person in the eye. When confronted, they can lift up to a third of its body off the ground and still move forward to attack.
Fortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible. It will also flare out its iconic hood and emit a hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog. King cobras can reach 18 feet in length, making them the longest of all venomous snakes. Their venom is not the most potent among venomous snakes, but the amount of neurotoxin they can deliver in a single bite— up to two-tenths of a fluid ounce —is enough to kill 20 people, or even an elephant.
King cobra venom affects the respiratory centers in the brain, causing respiratory arrest and cardiac failure. King cobras live mainly in the rain forests and plains of India, southern China, and Southeast Asia, and their coloring can vary greatly from region to region. They are comfortable in a variety of habitats, including forests, bamboo thickets, mangrove swamps, high-altitude grasslands, and in rivers.
This species feeds mainly on other snakes, venomous and nonvenomous. They will also eat lizards, eggs, and small mammals. They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, which they guard ferociously until the hatchlings emerge. King cobras may be best known as the species of choice for the snake charmers of South Asia.
Although cobras can hear, they are actually deaf to ambient noises, sensing ground vibrations instead. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the king cobra as vulnerable to extinction. These snakes face a variety of threats stemming from human activities. Heavy deforestation in Southeast Asia has destroyed the habitats of many king cobras, while they are also harvested in large numbers for skin, food, and medicinal purposes.
They are also collected for the international pet trade. King cobras are also persecuted by humans who fear their menacing reputation. In Vietnam, the king cobra is a protected species. The Indian government implants microchips in captive king cobras to allow officials to identify any snakes that have newly been taken captive—which has been outlawed—in order to reduce the illegal wildlife trade.
Coral snakes have black, yellow, and red banding and are often confused with non-venomous king snakes. You can distinguish a coral snake by the fact that the red bands touch the yellow bands. They live in the woods, marshes, and sandy areas of the South. Coral snakes typically hide underground and in leaf piles.
However, there are some tips that you should also keep in mind:. There are also several outdated first aid techniques that are now believed to be unhelpful or even harmful:. The most important thing to do for a snake bite is to get emergency medical help as soon as possible. A doctor will evaluate the victim to decide on a specific course of treatment. In some cases, a bite from a venomous snake is not life-threatening. The severity depends on the location of the bite and the age and health of the victim.
If the bite is not serious, the doctor may simply clean the wound and give the victim a tetanus vaccine. If the situation is life threatening, the doctor may administer antivenom. This is a substance created with snake venom to counter the snake bite symptoms. The sooner the antivenom is used, the more effective it will be. The outlook for a person with a snake bite is highly variable. For a non-venomous snake bite, the outlook is excellent if the wound is cleaned and treated promptly.
For a venomous bite, the outlook is good if the victim receives emergency care very soon after the bite has occurred. Healthy adults with shallow bites have a better outlook than children and those with weakened immune systems who have received deep bites. Snake bites can be prevented in many cases. Avoid typical places where snakes like to hide, such as patches of tall grass and piled leaves, and rock and woodpiles. If you encounter a snake, give it space to retreat and let it take cover.
When working outside where snakes may be present, wear tall boots, long pants, and leather gloves. Avoid working outside during the night and in warmer weather, which is when snakes are most active.
Learn about rattlesnake bites, including how to treat them and the expected timeline. Tetanus, also called Lockjaw, is a serious bacterial infection that affects the nervous system and causes muscles throughout the body to tighten.
There are many conditions that can cause a rash and skin that feels hot to the touch, including dermatitis, shingles, and others. Skin that feels hot…. Find information on isopropyl alcohol poisoning symptoms, causes, and diagnosis.
Learn what to do if you suspect you have isopropyl alcohol poisoning. You should also keep clothing from around the bite site, because additional movement can cause venom to more readily move into the blood stream. Do not suck or cut the bite area. Do not apply a tourniquet to the limb — this can be dangerous. Queensland Poisons Information Centre. Sign up to our newsletter to get more Queensland Health updates, tips and news delivered straight to your inbox. Skip links and keyboard navigation Skip to content Skip to site navigation Skip to footer Use tab and cursor keys to move around the page more information.
Site header. Contact us Help. You are here: Home News and events Top 5 things you need to do if you get bitten by a snake. Top 5 things you need to do if you get bitten by a snake Tuesday 18 December In Queensland, it pays to know what to do if you're bitten by a snake.
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