Two cobras: spectacled and Indian. Spectacled snake (Indian cobra) Indian cobra

Cobras are large snakes known for their venom and their peculiar way of puffing out their hoods. This name means, first of all, representatives of the genus of real cobras, as well as the king and collar cobras related to them. In total, about 16 species of these snakes are known, all of them belong to the aspid family and are related to other, no less poisonous species - deadly and cruel snakes, kraits and asps.

Central Asian cobras (Naja oxiana) stand out among other species with a light clay color.

All types of cobras are quite large in size, one of the smallest - the Angolan cobra - reaches a length of 1.5 m, and the largest king cobra, or hamadryad, reaches a length of 4.8 and even 5.5 m. This cobra is the largest among all poisonous snakes in the world. In spite of big size its body does not look massive (as in pythons or boas, for example), in general, these reptiles are characterized by high mobility. In a calm state, cobras do not stand out among other snakes, but in a state of irritation, they raise the front of the body and swell the neck. A more or less pronounced hood is a distinctive feature of these reptiles, such a structural feature is no longer found in any other snakes. cobra coloring for the most part inconspicuous, it is dominated by yellowish-brown and black-brown tones, but some species may have bright colors. For example, red spitting - brown-red, South African shield - coral. Cobras are also characterized by the presence of transverse stripes, especially pronounced on the neck. The famous Indian cobra or spectacled snake got its name from the two spots that are visible on its swollen hood, these snakes have individuals with one spot, such cobras are called monocles.

The Indian cobra or spectacled snake (Naja naja) got its name from the characteristic spots on the hood.

Cobras live exclusively in the Old World - in Africa (across the continent), Central and South Asia (in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka). These animals are thermophilic and do not occur where snow falls in winter, with the exception of the Central Asian cobra, whose range in the north reaches Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The habitats of these snakes are diverse, however, arid places are more to their taste. A typical landscape for a cobra is bushes, deserts and semi-deserts, a number of species are found in the jungle, along river banks, but these snakes avoid very wet places. In the mountains, cobras are found up to a height of 1500-2400 m. Like all reptiles, cobras live alone, but Indian and king cobras are the rarest exception to this rule. These snakes are the only reptiles that mating season form stable pairs. Cobras are more active during the day and are generally very resistant to overheating. These snakes are mobile, crawl well on the ground, trees, and can swim. In most people's minds, cobras are aggressive, but in fact, these snakes are quite calm and even a little phlegmatic. Knowing their behavior, they are easy to control, which is often demonstrated by "charmers" of snakes.

The South African shield cobra (Aspidelaps lubricus) is one of the few brightly colored species of these snakes.

Cobras feed on small rodents, birds (passerines and ground-nesting, such as nightjars), lizards, frogs, toads, smaller snakes, and eggs. The king cobra feeds exclusively on reptiles, and eats lizards extremely rarely, and more often hunts other snakes. Its victims are usually the most poisonous species and the closest relatives of cobras are kraits and asps. Cobras kill their prey with a bite, injecting the strongest poison into its body. Interestingly, cobras often dig their teeth into the victim and do not immediately release it, as if chewing, this ensures the most effective introduction of the toxin. The poison of all types of cobras is deadly to humans, but its strength is different types different. The poison of the Central Asian cobra is “not too” strong, death from its bite occurs after a few hours or even days, but the poison of the king cobra can kill a person in half an hour, moreover, there are cases when even elephants died from its bite!

King Cobra, or Hamadryad (Ophiophagus hannah).

Among the cobras there are a number of specialized species that practice a special way of hunting. They do not bite their prey, but ... shoot it with poison. The Indian spitting cobra is considered the most accurate shooter, and the black-necked and collared cobras from Africa also possess this skill. In these species, the opening of the poisonous channel is located not at the bottom of the tooth, but on its front surface, with special muscles the cobra compresses the poisonous glands and the deadly liquid flies out under pressure as if from a syringe. At one time, the cobra is able to fire several shots (up to a maximum of 28). The snake can shoot at a distance of up to 2 m, and from such a distance it hits a target with a diameter of a couple of centimeters. Such accuracy is not accidental, because to kill the victim, a simple hit in her body is not enough. The poison cannot penetrate the covers of the prey and kill it, but it can have a strong irritating effect on the mucous membrane. Therefore, spitting cobras always aim at the eyes, the jet of poison irritates the organs of vision and the victim loses orientation, but even if she is lucky to escape, she is doomed. The poison causes irreversible changes in the proteins of the cornea and the victim goes blind. If the poison gets into the eyes of a person, it can only be saved by immediately washing the eyes with plenty of water.

The cobra displays a hunting spit that can also be used for defense.

Cobras breed once a year. The breeding season occurs more often in January-February (for example, in the Indian cobra) or spring (in the Central Asian), females of these species lay their eggs in April-May or June-July, respectively. The fecundity of cobras is highly dependent on the species and can range from 8 to 70 eggs. The only species that gives birth to live cubs is the collared cobra, which can give birth to up to 60 cubs. Cobras lay their eggs in crevices between rocks, piles of fallen leaves, and similar hiding places. Females usually guard the clutch. The behavior of the royal and Indian cobras is especially interesting. Their females not only protect the eggs, but also build a nest for them. This seems surprising when you consider that snakes are completely devoid of limbs. To do this, the cobra rakes the leaves with the front part of the body into a pile, laying eggs, it remains to guard them. Moreover, the most active part in the protection of the nest is also taken by males, who do not leave their chosen ones until the offspring hatch. During this period, Indian and king cobras can be very aggressive, actively driving animals and people away from their nest. This was the reason to accuse these snakes of unpredictable attacks on humans, in fact, such behavior is observed only during the breeding season. The hatched serpents are completely independent and already have poison, however, due to its small amount, they initially hunt the smallest prey and even insects. Young cobras are usually striped, and the black and white cobra even got its name from the coloration of the young. The life expectancy of cobras in nature has not been precisely established; in captivity, one black and white cobra lived for 29 years, which is a very high figure for snakes.

Red spitting cobra (Naja pallida).

Despite the strong poison, cobras also have enemies. Young animals can be attacked by larger snakes, monitor lizards, and adults are preyed upon by mongooses and meerkats. Although these animals do not have innate immunity to cobra venom, they are so clever at distracting the snake's attention with false attacks that they manage to seize the moment and deliver a deadly bite to the back of the head. A cobra caught in the path of a mongoose or a meerkat has no chance of survival. Cobras have a number of adaptations for protection. Firstly, this is the famous stand, which performs a signaling role. Although a cobra that puffs out its hood is extremely dangerous in a person’s mind, in fact, this behavior allows you to avoid an unexpected encounter with a snake and bypass it. Cobra, in turn, achieves just such a reaction. Secondly, if a cobra is caught or annoyed, it does not immediately go on the attack. Often in such cases, the reptile connects additional deterrents - a loud hiss ( listen ) and false attacks, during which the snake does not use poisonous teeth. And only if this does not help, she can bite. Collared cobra is considered one of the greatest "actresses" snake world. In case of danger (if spitting poison did not help), she turns her belly up and, opening her mouth, deftly pretends to be dead.

Cobra met a family of meerkats on its way.

Due to the fact that cobras live in densely populated countries, they have long been side by side with humans. In some cases, these snakes are actively looking for human neighborhoods, so the Indian, royal, Egyptian cobras like to settle in abandoned and residential premises (basements, ruins, etc.). On the one hand, people experienced fear in front of these snakes, on the other hand, reverent awe and respect. It is interesting that a respectful attitude towards cobras was formed exactly where the largest and most poisonous species live - in India, Egypt. The fact is that the inhabitants of these countries, involuntarily sharing a common territory with cobras, have studied their customs well and know that these snakes are predictable, calm, and therefore not dangerous. For a long time there was a peculiar profession of a snake charmer. It was mastered by subtle observers who knew how to handle snakes in such a way that their defensive reaction never turned into aggression. Cobras were carried in baskets or jugs, opening which, the caster began to play the pipe and the snake seemed to come out to the call and dance to the music. In fact, cobras, like all snakes, are deaf, but they react to the measured swaying of the pipe and track this “enemy” with their eyes, from the outside it looks like a dance. With skillful handling, the spellcasters could dull the attention of the snake so much that they allowed themselves to kiss the snake, less skilled craftsmen preferred not to risk it and removed the poisonous teeth of the cobras. However, contrary to most people's beliefs, tooth extractions were not common. Firstly, a cobra, devoid of poison, is unable not only to catch, but also to digest its prey, which means it is doomed to a slow starvation. Changing snakes every couple of months is a hassle for the poor street bums. Secondly, the audience could demand from the owner that he demonstrate the poisonous teeth of a cobra, and then the scammer would face shameful exile and lack of money. Only Indian and Egyptian cobras have learned to tame.

Snake charmer and Indian cobra.

In addition, in India, cobras often settled in temples, unlike living quarters, no one expelled them from here. Cobras not only personified wisdom and were the object of worship, but also performed the unspoken function of guards. Night thieves, coveting treasures, had every chance in the dark to be bitten by a snake. History also knows more sophisticated ways to "use" cobras. They were often thrown into the dwellings of objectionable people, whom they wanted to deal with without publicity and trial. It is authentically known that with the help of a cobra, the legendary Egyptian queen Cleopatra took her own life. In our time, cobras are still a danger to humans. True, this danger is caused not so much by the snakes themselves, but by the overpopulation of some regions - there are almost no places left in nature where cobras could hide from humans. Such a neighborhood often turns into "conflicts", each year up to a thousand people die from cobra bites in India (to a lesser extent in Africa). On the other hand, against the poison of cobras, there is an antidote, which is made in serpentaria. Also, cobra venom is a valuable raw material for the production of a number of medical preparations. For this, snakes are caught and “milked”, one individual can give out several portions of poison, but its life in captivity is short, so these reptiles need to be protected. So, the Central Asian cobra is listed in the International Red Book. Very accurately, the habits of cobras and their relationship with mongooses were described by Rudyard Kipling in the story "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi".

The Latin name of the king cobra - Ophiophagus hannah - is translated as "eating snakes", but it does not apply to true cobras - representatives of the Naja genus, therefore this snake was isolated as an independent species.

Dimensions and appearance king cobras really inspire respect and fear. Still, because the average length of her body is 3-4 meters, but there are individuals with a length of 5-5.5 meters!

It is not difficult to recognize this snake. hallmark The king cobra is a narrow hood in the region of the back of the head and neck, decorated with 6 large dark shields in the form of a semicircle. The main color of the snake is brown or greenish brown. It alternates with dark rings encircling the entire body.

The queen of all snakes has an extensive range that stretches from India to the Philippines (South India, Pakistan, South China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Greater Sunda Islands and the Philippines).

For no particular reason, the "queen" does not like to be seen. She prefers to stick to dark caves or holes, of which there are a great many in the jungle.

They are also excellent tree climbers and good swimmers, but still prefer to spend most of their time on the ground. During the capture of prey or the pursuit of the enemy, the snake can move quickly. Therefore, the chances of escaping from the snake by flight are not so great. You will learn about the reasons for such aggressiveness a little below. AT recent times there is a tendency for king cobras to move closer to human habitation, and there is an explanation for this.

Firstly, such neighborhood often occurs during the rainy season and, secondly, the extensive spread of agricultural production in Asian countries leads to deforestation, which is natural environment the habitat of these snakes. In addition to this, cobras are often seen in crop areas where many rodents live, and where there are rodents, there are also small snakes - the main food of the king cobra.

Her favorite dish is rat snakes. But at any other opportunity, she is not averse to hunting other species, including poisonous ones. In cases of their deficiency, the "queen" can switch to large lizards but it doesn't happen that often.

A powerful venom that has a neurotoxic effect helps the snake to quickly cope with its prey. It causes paralysis of the respiratory muscles, which leads to respiratory arrest and, as a result, to death. The amount of poison injected into the victim when bitten is about 6-7 ml. Such a dose can be fatal even for an elephant, what can we say about a person.

Despite the highly toxic venom and aggressiveness, human deaths from king cobra bites are rare. This is due to the fact that the snake will not waste its "weapon" in vain. First of all, it is necessary for hunting, and in order to scare a person, K. cobra often inflicts “blank bites”. They occur without injection of venom or very little of it to be fatal. If a person received a full bite, then he has no more than half an hour to live. Only the timely administration of an antidote, antivenin, can save him.

Interestingly, the king cobras themselves have developed immunity to their poison, therefore, during the “fights” for the female during the mating season, not one of the gentlemen dies from the bites of an opponent.

January is the beginning of the mating season, when the male goes in search of a female. If there are several applicants, then ritual battles take place. The winner gets the main prize - a female. Then a short acquaintance takes place, during which the male is convinced that the female does not pose a danger to him, and the final stage of mating games begins - mating.

The king cobra is one of the few snakes that builds a nest for their eggs. It is a large pile of rotting foliage, located on a small hill (so that it does not flood heavily during tropical downpours). There, the female lays from 20 to 40 eggs, and then constantly maintains a certain temperature in it (from 25 to 29 ° C).

King cobra or hamadryad (lat. Ophiophagus hannah) (English King Cobra)

After laying eggs, the female becomes very aggressive. She guards them around the clock and is ready to throw herself at anyone who passes by her "treasury". Whether it's a small harmless animal or an elephant. As a result, aggressive behavior and attacks for no apparent reason are often attributed to her, although all her aggressiveness is most often associated with the close location of the nest. In addition, during this period, the toxicity of her poison increases, which leads to even more deaths from her bites.

The incubation period lasts about 3 months, after which small, but already highly poisonous cubs hatch into the world. Before that, the female goes in search of food, so as not to eat her babies from hunger. As a result, out of 20-40 kites adulthood reach only 2-4.

In India, K. cobra is considered a sacred animal, and its killing is punishable not only by religion, but also by laws. Since 1972, a law has been in force prohibiting the killing of cobras unless absolutely necessary. Punishment - imprisonment for up to 3 years.

Images of K. cobra can often be seen in temples. Hindus believe that she understands mantras - sacred spells. According to their belief, this snake has purity and holiness and brings wealth to the house.

Once a year, a holiday dedicated to the king cobra - Nag-panchami - is celebrated. On this day, Hindus bring snakes from the forest and release them in temples or right on the streets. Daredevils put them on their hands, neck, wrap around their heads. And all these tricks with animals go unpunished. According to Indian beliefs, snakes do not bite anyone on this day. After the holiday is over, all the cobras are taken back to the forest.

live king cobras about 30 years and throughout this period are constantly growing.

Indian cobra is a member of the true cobra genus. This is a very poisonous snake. Every year, more than 50 thousand people die from its bites in India alone, although there are many more attacks. Some are saved by the timely injected serum, others by the fact that the bite was “false”. Great importance this is played by the unpleasant neighborhood of a reptile and a person, thanks to which attacks become commonplace.

Indian cobra, or Naya, is divided into several subspecies, among which

• blind;
• spitting Indian;
• monocle;
• Central Asian;
• Taiwanese.

Habitat

Spectacled cobra lives on the African continent, not the territory of the Asian part of Eurasia. The habitat includes Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and India. It inhabits both wet jungles and mountainous areas. In China, the cobra is very common in rice fields.

Description

The Indian cobra is a rather large snake with a body up to two meters long, covered with dense scales. Distinctive feature This type of snake is a hood, which the cobra opens in case of danger or excitement. The hood causes swelling of the body of the Indian cobra, formed as a result of the expansion of the ribs and intercostal muscles.

Indian cobras different various colors body surface. More often, the scales are yellow, grayish-brown or sandy in color. Close to the head is a pattern, the contours of which resemble glasses, for which the cobra is called a spectacled snake. Figure performs protective function. When attacking it, it seems to the predator that the snake is looking directly at him, and not turned back.

Behavioral features

This type of reptile is not at all afraid of humans, so very often they inhabit places near human habitation, outbuildings or agricultural land. Often, the Indian cobra can be seen in abandoned buildings. Indian cobras rarely attack first. If a person is not a source of danger for her and does not show aggression, the cobra will not attack, but prefer to hide. All cases of attack are associated with the natural defense of the snake at the moment of life threat.

Basic diet reptiles consists of small rodents, birds, amphibians. The snake can destroy bird nests and eat eggs and chicks. Near villages, the snake can prey on poultry, small animals, mice and rats. A large Indian cobra easily swallows a rat and a small hare. For a long time snakes can do without water.

Depending on the region of habitat, snakes of this species hunt in different time days. As a rule, they look for prey on the ground, in tall grass or in water, since this snake swims very well. When attacking, the spectacled snake takes a defensive stance, raising its upper body, straightening its hood, while emitting a loud hiss.

Most Indians know that the spectacled snake has a noble character and never does not attack first. The first throw of the snake is always deceptive: the snake does not inject poison, but hits its head, as if warning about its intentions. If the victim did receive a dose deadly poison, within half an hour, alarming signs of poisoning will appear:

• severe dizziness,
• confusion,
• muscle weakness,
• impaired coordination of movements.
• severe vomiting.

A few hours later, paralysis of the heart muscle occurs and the person dies. The poison is highly toxic. One gram of poison is enough to kill about a hundred small dogs.

An interesting subspecies is the spitting cobra, which almost never bites. Due to the special structure of her teeth, she injects poison. The channels are not in the lower part of the tooth, in the lateral surface . In case of danger she spits out poison at a distance of up to two meters, trying to get the victim into the eyes. This leads to damage to the cornea of ​​​​the eye and loss of vision. Unlike other types of venomous snakes, reptile teeth are very brittle and fragile. When bitten, this leads to chipping and breaking off. New teeth grow in very quickly.

reproduction

In the third year of life, the Indian cobra begins puberty. The mating season for the spectacled snake falls in January and February. After three months, the snakes lay 10-20 eggs. This species constantly guards the laying of eggs, being nearby.

Two months later, cubs appear that can move independently and leave the nest. Many species of spectacled snake in India are kept in terrariums next to humans. They become participants in numerous performances for tourists.

Indian cobra- This is a species of snakes, which is considered to be a national treasure. A lot of legends and beliefs are associated with this snake. Rudyard Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi story about the confrontation between a small mongoose and a huge Indian cobra is known all over the world.

Many have heard or seen Spectacled snake dancing to the tune of a snake charmer. This sight is incredibly dangerous unless some precautions are taken. Therefore, many charmers remove teeth from snakes or sew up their mouths before performing. In fact, there are several people in the world who can work with poisonous snakes. These people are well aware of the habits of snakes, to which movements they can react aggressively.

The spectacled snake, or as it is also called, the Indian cobra, comes from the family of asps, a genus of real cobras. This snake lives in the countries of Central and East Asia. She meets like in the wilds tropical jungle as well as in open spaces. Very often you can encounter a spectacled cobra on the outskirts of cities and on farms. Her favorite places- ruins of houses, wood or stone heaps, clay walls with holes.

The appearance of a spectacled cobra

The spectacled cobra reaches sizes from 1.5 to 1.9 m. Its coloration largely depends on the environment where the snake lives. Most often, yellow or light gray individuals are found. But sometimes, much less often, you can see a snake that has a black color. The belly of the spectacled cobra is light, almost white. The head has a rounded shape, the eyes are small, with round pupils. She has two poisonous fangs that are located in the upper jaw.
Dark spots were placed on the back of the head, which created a peculiar pattern in the form of glasses. For this, the snake got its name. This image can be seen especially clearly when the cobra senses danger. It lifts the body vertically by 1/3 part, inflates the neck like a hood, turning it into a completely flat one. That's when the "glasses" on the back of the head become well visible.

Lifespan, reproduction of the spectacled cobra

The spectacled cobra lays its eggs from mid-spring to mid-summer. At the same time, she uses places that used to be rodent burrows, hollows of birds or animals, inactive termite mounds, and even heaps of fallen leaves. One clutch of a snake consists of 10-30 eggs. The incubation period lasts two, and sometimes three months. It all depends on climatic conditions. Newborn cobras hatch at a size of 20-30 cm. From the first days they are independent and at the same time poisonous. Cubs, as well as adult snakes, can frighten passers-by with their hooded necks. The spectacled cobra lives for about 20 years. Offspring begin to give in the third year of life.

How it behaves, what the spectacled cobra eats

The venom of the spectacled cobra is quite strong. It has the ability to paralyze the muscular activity of its victim. If a snake bites a person, the effect of the poison will begin from the first hour. But at the same time, cases with fatal small (6 to 1000). The reason lies in the fact that the spectacled cobra, when attacking, releases poison quite rarely. Usually just bites at the sight of danger. This snake is a predator, it feeds on small rodents, preys on toads and frogs, and does not disdain even other snakes.

Interesting cases from life

Very often, spectacled cobra is used by magicians in their show programs. They keep it in a basket, and for the performance they open the lid and begin to play the pipe. At this time, a snake rises from the basket, sways, repeating the movements musical instrument. This creates the effect of a dance. Some believe that magicians remove fangs from cobras to protect themselves, but this is not true. Even if you pull them out, new ones will soon appear in the same place. And if the public finds out about this action, everyone will make fun of the magician and drive him away.

The length of the cobra is from 1.5 to 2 meters. The reptile lives in Central Asia.In India, the spectacled snake is an object of reverent reverence and even almost superstitious fear..Snake got its name from the two spots that are visible on its swollen hood.

Other names

Naja naja - lat. the name of a species of Indian cobra.
Cobra - General English, French, Italian, Spanish. name of the genus cobra
Spectacle snake.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)
Type: Chordata
Class: Reptilia (reptiles)
Order: Squamata (scaly)
Suborder: Serpentes (snakes)
Family: Elipidae (asps)
Genus: Naja (real cobras)
Species: Naja naja (Indian cobra or spectacled snake)
Subspecies: monocle cobra (Naja naja kaouthia), Central Asian cobra (Naja naja oxiana), Indian spitting cobra (Naja naja sputatrix), blind cobra (Naja naja coeca), Taiwanese cobra (Naja naja atra) and others, about 10 subspecies are known in total .

habitation

Most often, the Indian cobra is found in South Asia and on the African mainland. Central Asia, in the east of Iran, in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and on the island of Sri Lanka. Also, the habitat of this snake spreads throughout Southeast Asia, reaching South China and the island of Taiwan and covering all the Sunda and Philippine Islands. The latitudes of our country are characterized by a subspecies of the Central Asian cobra, which inhabits the territories of southern Turkmenistan, southern Uzbekistan and southwestern Tajikistan. The Central Asian subspecies of the Indian cobra prefers to live in the foothills, not rising high, but living on hills with sparse grassy vegetation and many holes and stone blockages where you can hide. In Central Asia, the Indian cobra chooses places near water or mountain gorges. And she also willingly settles near human habitation, for example, in the ruins of old houses, in cemeteries and even in populated villages. However, it can be found with the same success in the arid territories of the Asian deserts far from water bodies. Actually, the Indian cobra, that is, its nominal subspecies that lives in India, Ceylon and Pakistan, chooses the most various places- the ruins of structures, tree roots, termite mounds and ravines. She is also not afraid of the closeness of a person. The Indian cobra can settle in the city, and in the garden, and in the rice field, and in the mountains up to 2700 meters above sea level. The spitting Indian cobra is a resident of Southeast Asia, the Lesser Sunda and Philippine Islands, in particular, the islands of Java and Celebes. Other subspecies that can "shoot" poison are found in the Malay Islands.

Description

The Indian cobra owes many legends and stories, including its amazing appearance. She is very colorful. The predominant color is bright yellow with a bluish tinge, visible in sunlight. In different subspecies of the snake, the body color can vary from yellow-gray to brown, and completely black snakes come across. The ventral part of the body is noticeably lighter - yellow-brown or gray. In young Indian cobras, horizontal wide dark stripes are visible on the skin. As the snake matures, they disappear. The body length of the Indian cobra is one and a half - two meters. Its rounded and slightly flattened head is integral with the body. The eyes of the Indian cobra are medium-sized, with a round pupil. Large skin shields are located on the head, and the body is long and thinning towards the tail, completely covered with smooth, gleaming scales.
The Indian cobra earned the nickname of the spectacle snake due to the light pattern on the back of the neck, reminiscent of antique glasses. When the snake is frightened or defensive, it raises the front of the torso to a vertical position, and the head of the cobra balances against the enemy. The hood appears due to 8 pairs of front ribs, which at this moment are parted to the sides. The hooded part of the body immediately noticeably expands and flattens, and the glasses clearly show through on the skin. As already mentioned, in the subspecies of the monocle cobra, the spectacle pattern consists of one ring, while in the Central Asian subspecies it is completely absent.
For all its seeming grace, the Indian cobra is quite clumsy and clumsy. However, it swims, dives and moves along tree branches very well. A pair of the famous poisonous fangs of the Indian cobra is located on the upper jaw, followed by an empty gap, and then a few (1-3) small teeth. However, this snake, unlike its other relatives, does not bite often. She prefers to scare off the enemy with a loud hiss and impressive appearance, without waiting for him to approach or touch her. But even with direct contact with the enemy, the Indian cobra is able to first inflict a fake bite by hitting the enemy with its head. The thing is that the teeth of this snake are shorter than, say, those of vipers, so for a full-fledged bite, it has to firmly cling to the victim with its teeth and squeeze them several times in order to accurately bite through and inject poison. And the teeth of the Indian cobra are easy enough to break, but new ones quickly grow in their place. In fact, it is quite difficult to turn under the bite of this snake in nature, only if you specifically run into it. In reality, Indian cobras rarely attack humans.
Of particular interest to scientists is such a subspecies of the Indian cobra as spitting. This snake really original way attack. It is able to spray poison towards the enemy at a distance of up to 2 meters. This feature works due to the special structure of the poisonous fangs, the poison channel in which is not directed downwards, like in other members of the aspid family, but forward - perpendicular to the front side of the fang. A sharp contraction of the muscles helps the spitting cobra shoot venom through these holes. The spitting Indian cobra is highly accurate. She directs a stream of poison into the eyes of the enemy, but more often uses this skill against large opponents. Such a "shot" can lead to complete blindness if the eyes are not rinsed in time.

Food

Different subspecies of cobras hunt at different times of the day: some in the evening and late at night, others - spring days during the period of greatest activity. In especially hot summer days the Indian cobra goes out for prey in the early morning, when the sun has not yet begun to burn. Its main food is amphibians (toads and frogs), small lizards and other reptiles, as well as rodents - mice and rats. If, in search of food, a snake finds a bird's nest, then it will certainly be ruined. And it is no coincidence that the Indian cobra settles next to people. So she provides herself with a plentiful diet, thanks to the rodents living next to a person, as well as the eggs of poultry. The Indian cobra is quite capable of plundering a chicken coop. In the water, she hunts fish. But she can do without water for a long time, for several weeks and even months, although if there is a reservoir nearby, he drinks a lot and willingly.

reproduction

The nominal subspecies of the Indian cobra is characterized by better fertility than the Central Asian. There is affection between individuals of different sexes, the female and male stay together not only during the mating season, but also after fertilization, until the birth of the young. The mating season for Indian cobras begins in winter, and they make clutches in late spring and protect it with joint efforts. But more often, of course, the female guards her offspring. True, unlike royal cobras, Indian cobras do not incubate eggs, warming them with their warmth. However, the spectacled snake also carefully prepares for the appearance of offspring, choosing the right warm place for the nest, and then defending it with all the courage she can muster. It is better not to disturb the Indian cobra guarding eggs, during this period it is especially dangerous. In one clutch of the Indian cobra, there are about 10-20 eggs, but it happened to find larger clutches - up to 45 eggs in the nest. After 2, 5 - 3 months, small snakes appear from the eggs, which are already poisonous, ready for defense and able to inflate their hood. In captivity, it is quite difficult to achieve the reproduction of the Indian cobra, not all zoos can boast of this, not to mention the private owners of terrariums.

The Indian cobra is so dangerous that it is unlikely to be found in private collections of terrariumists. Scientists prefer to observe this snake on the territory nature reserves and rarely in zoos. But if we talk about the arrangement of the terrarium, then for an Indian cobra one and a half meters in size, it should be at least 100x80x60 cm. crucial point- maintaining the desired temperature. This can be provided by heated floors. And of course, the Indian cobra, even in a limited space, needs shelter, for example, some plants, under the roots of which you can climb, or specially adapted boxes. Small rodents can be used as live food for the Indian cobra, as well as fish, pieces of meat and other sources of animal protein. And yet, once again, keeping poisonous snakes in captivity is very dangerous.

Additionally

In India, cobras are treated not only with fear, but with real reverence and reverence. Hindus bow before her as before a deity and, having found an Indian cobra in their house, in every possible way coax and even feed her. It is not surprising that with such an attitude, charlatanism associated with the performances of snake charmers is widespread in India. These people train the Indian cobra, accustoming it to certain movements and sounds, and over time the snake begins to demonstrate a semblance of dance to the music. It is said that unscrupulous charmers simply break out the poisonous teeth of the snake. However, researchers have determined that most of these trainers still know how to handle poisonous Indian cobras without resorting to any violence.