NEWIND PRESS (Chennai, India) 26 July 05 King Cobra goes domestic: reptile’s breeding cycle recorded
Shimoga: For first time in history of snake studies, Researcher and Environment Education Officer of Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS) P Gowri Shankar recorded a female king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) building its nest for breeding.
At border, between areca garden and rain forest at Agasarakone village near Agumbe, a small king cobra, about 8 feet long, built nest and laid 23 eggs from which 22 young snakes were born.
“Thanks to co-operation of Relesh, owner of areca garden, I could record king cobra building nest continuously for ten days,” claimed Gowri Shankar talking to this website’s newspaper.
It has been known to researchers that king cobra is the only snake on this earth which builds nest for breeding. But nobody so far recorded how it could build nest.
Gowri Shankar explained: “King cobra gathered leaf litter in its selected place using its body, heaped it up and laid eggs. It collected leaf litter from around 15-foot radius from its nesting place. Nest was around 30 cm in height and was around one meter in circumference.” Nest was built in inverted conch shape, he informed.
Mother slept in nest for 10 days from April third week. It did not take food during that period. Last week eggs hatched after nearly 90 days incubation.
King cobras used to lay eggs in large number. Earlier record is laying 32 eggs. Peculiarity in present case is 22 out of 23 eggs hatched. He collected young snakes and left them into deep forest on Saturday (July 23).
As the owner of areca garden, Relesh, was very co-operative and is interested in protecting wildlife this rare phenomenon could be recorded, pointed out Gowri Shankar.
These king cobras are largest among poisonous snakes. Average length is about 3 metres and maximum length is about 5 metres. When born, minimum length is 50 cm.
King cobras are usually seen in Western Ghats and in hilly forests of North India. They can be seen in Assam, Goa, Karnataka, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal and in Andaman Islands.
There is a common belief among Indians that king cobras are most poisonous among all snakes. But experts say it is mild. But people, due to their wrong belief, kill this snake mercilessly. So, environmentalists often feel that this snake should be declared as endangered species in India.
It is the only snake which feeds only on snakes. It very rarely eats other animals, said Gowri Shankar.
King Cobra goes domestic: reptile’s breeding cycle recorded

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