King Cobra

Ophiophagus hannah

The world's longest venomous snake, the king cobra is the only snake known to build a nest for its eggs — standing guard over them, raising its hood in warning to any approaching threat.

Lifecycle stages

Stage 1

Egg

Females construct a two-chamber leaf nest, laying 20–40 eggs in the lower chamber. The mother coils above, maintaining temperature and deterring predators.

~70 days

Stage 2

Hatchling

Hatchlings emerge already venomous, banded in black and yellow. The mother departs before hatching — young disperse immediately into dense vegetation.

Weeks

Stage 3

Juvenile

Juveniles prey on smaller snakes and lizards in forest undergrowth, moulting several times per year as they grow rapidly.

1–4 years

Stage 4

Sub-adult

Lengthening rapidly, sub-adults establish home ranges of several square kilometres. They show strong dietary preference for other snakes.

4–6 years

Stage 5

Adult

Adults exceed 5 metres. Males engage in ritualised combat during breeding season, attempting to pin rivals' heads to the ground.

Up to 20 years

Max length

5.5 metres

Sexual maturity

~5 years

Clutch size

20–40 eggs

Conservation status — Vulnerable

Extensive deforestation across Southeast Asia fragments habitat and reduces prey availability. King cobras are heavily collected for the traditional medicine trade and killed on sight near villages.