Indian Cobra / Spectacled Cobra
Naja naja • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Elapidae, Subfamily: Elapinae, Genus: Naja, Species: Naja naja
Venomous Status
Venomous; proteroglyphous (fixed front fangs)
Danger Level
Extremely Dangerous; it is a member of the 'Big Four' snakes responsible for the majority of medically significant snakebites and fatalities in South Asia.
Geographic Range
Found throughout the Indian subcontinent including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. It is found in a wide range of biomes from sea level to high elevations.
Conservation Status
IUCN status: Least Concern. However, it is protected under various national laws, such as India's Wildlife Protection Act, due to habitat loss and historical exploitation for skins.
Physical Description
Medium to large heavy-bodied snake. Head is elliptical and depressed, slightly distinct from the neck. Visible expanded 'hood' formed by elongated cervical ribs. Eyes are medium-sized with round pupils. Coloration varies from tan to brown or black; ventral side is typically grey, tan, or yellow. This specimen shows a brownish-grey dorsum with lighter ventral scales.
Size & Dimensions
Average adult length is 1 to 1.5 meters (3.3 to 4.9 ft), but can reach maximums of 2.2 meters (7.2 ft). This specimen appears to be a mature adult.
Habitat
Highly adaptable; inhabits plains, jungles, open forests, and agricultural lands. Frequently found near human settlements and rice paddies where prey is abundant. Elevation range from 0 to 2,000 meters.
Behavior & Temperament
Generally shy and avoids confrontation, but will become highly defensive when cornered. Defensive display involves rearing up and spreading its hood while hissing loudly. Primarily crepuscular or nocturnal, but active during the day for basking or hunting.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds primarily on rodents (rats and mice), but also consumes frogs, toads, birds, and other snakes. An active forager that uses both its keen sense of smell and sight to track prey, delivering a venomous bite and waiting for the prey to be incapacitated.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 10 to 30 eggs in holes or termite mounds between April and July. Females often stay with the clutch until hatching, which takes 48 to 69 days.
Venom & Safety
Venom Type
Potent neurotoxic and cytotoxic venom. It contains postsynaptic neurotoxins that block nerve transmission, leading to paralysis and respiratory failure, alongside enzymes that cause tissue necrosis.
First Aid Advice
Seek immediate hospital treatment. Keep the patient calm and immobilized to slow venom spread. Do not cut the wound, use suction, or apply a tourniquet. Pressure Immobilization Bandaging (PIB) is recommended. Polyvalent antivenom is widely available and effective against Naja naja bites.
Look-alikes
Often confused with the Monocled Cobra (Naja kaouthia), which has a single O-shaped mark on the hood, or the Oriental Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa), which is non-venomous but lacks the ability to hood and has larger eyes.
Conservation Status
IUCN status: Least Concern. However, it is protected under various national laws, such as India's Wildlife Protection Act, due to habitat loss and historical exploitation for skins.
Cultural Significance
Highly significant in Hindu mythology, associated with the deity Shiva and the festival of Nag Panchami. It is the iconic snake used by traditional snake charmers and plays a vital ecological role in controlling rodent populations.
Notable Features
Famous for its expandible hood and the 'spectacle' mark (not visible from this side-profile angle). It is a highly intelligent elapid known for its iconic upright defensive posture.