Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
deadly and the largest of the world's cobras, growing to lengths of about 13 ft (4
m). A few have been recorded close to 18 ft (5.5 m) long. Its diet consists of cold-
blooded animals, mostly other snakes. The king cobra has an interesting brooding
process. The female will lay eggs and keep vigil over them in the nest, while the
male stands guard outside the nest. Both aggressively protect their eggs. The
venom of the king cobra is an extremely potent neurotoxin that affects the nervous
and respiratory systems.
The Indian cobra is a medium-size snake growing 6-7 ft (1.8-2.2 m) in length.
The snake's coloring varies from black to dark brown to a cream, usually covered
with a spectacled pattern. A wide black band on the underside of the neck and the
hood markings of half-rings look like large eyes when viewed from behind and dis-
tinguish it from other cobras. The Indian cobra feeds on rodents, lizards, and frogs.
Its venom damages the nervous system of the prey, paralyzing and often killing it.
The Indian cobra is the snake often kept by the ''snake charmers'' of India.
Although the snake appears to be dancing to the pipe music of the charmer, snakes
cannot hear. It is actually provoked into a striking position and it sways as its gaze
follows the charmer's hands and pipe. The result is the cobra's ''dance.'' Several
subspecies of the Indian cobra inhabit West Malesia; one spits venom into its vic-
tim's eyes and blinds it.
Kraits are another elapid. They are nocturnal and tend to be passive until pro-
voked. Their venom is many times more potent than that of a cobra and quickly
induces muscle paralysis. Chances of survival are only 50 percent even when anti-
venom is administered. Kraits eat other snakes and small lizards. Several other
venomous snakes can be found in the Australian rainforest, including two elapids,
the red-bellied black snake, the highly venomous eastern brown snake, as well as
the less-venomous brown tree snake.
Vipers, pit vipers, and adders are among the most dangerous snakes in the
world. Many are common in the Asian-Pacific rainforest. Vipers' long fangs can be
folded back in their mouth when not being used. Pit vipers usually give birth to live
young, although a few species lay eggs. Most vipers have hemotoxic venom that
affects the bloodstream, causing necrosis and eventual death if left untreated. Some
of those in the rainforest include the Malayan pit viper, hundred pace viper, hump-
nose and palm vipers, and the South Asian, bamboo, and temple pit vipers.
Nonpoisonous snakes are abundant in the Asian-Pacific rainforest, among
them several pythons. The reticulated python is one of the largest snakes in the
world. It is a constrictor whose main diet is birds and small mammals, such as
monkeys. The largest recorded Malaysia reticulated python was 30 ft (9 m) in
length and weighed 280 lbs (127 kg). Several other pythons include the Indian
python and green tree python of New Guinea and Australia. Australia is also home
to the carpet python and amethystine python. The amethystine python is a large
snake, typically about 16 ft (5 m) in length. The record is 28 ft (8.5 m) long.
Tree snakes are smaller, often beautiful snakes that live in the trees eating birds,
eggs, small arboreal mammals, and reptiles. They are fast and expert climbers.
