The Longest Venomous Snake In The World Can Kill You In Minutes

Not all snakes pose a threat to humans, but the ones that do certainly have some terrifying modes of attack. Non-venomous snakes such as the invasive Burmese python that's destroying the Florida everglades, will incapacitate prey by wrapping itself around them and constricting until they feel its heartbeat give out. Though the risk of attack from such a snake is low, it would surely be a miserable way to go if one of these snakes got a hold of you.

Likewise, getting on the wrong side of a king cobra snake would be a very bad idea. Though the snakes do have a reputation for being aggressive, king cobras typically only attack when cornered or in defense of themself or their eggs. But that doesn't mean the king cobra isn't an imposing and intimidating animal. In fact, the species is the world's longest venomous snake adding to its imposing aura and helping to ward off any creature that might otherwise take on this dangerous reptile. That's a good thing, too, as when the king cobra does attack, it is capable of delivering a venomous bite that could kill a human being in minutes.

But what makes king cobra venom so lethal, and would it really mean "game over" for any human bitten by one of these massive snakes? Here's everything you need to know about the king cobra's deadly bite and the science behind its potent venom.

King cobras are found throughout Southeast Asia, in southern China, and in parts of India. They are primarily known to prey on other snakes and therefore do not pose an immediate risk to humans. But they will certainly attack if provoked, using their deadly venom to incapacitate any challenger, no matter the size.

Considering the king cobra can deliver enough neurotoxin in one bite to kill 20 people, it might be surprising to hear that its venom is not the most potent of all venomous snakes (that honor falls to the inland taipan, another venomous snake that could kill you in minutes). Rather than its potency, it's the volume of venom the king cobra can deliver, that makes it so deadly. The species can produce up to 0.2 fluid ounces, or 7 milliliters of venom with a single bite, which is enough to kill an elephant!

Many venomous snakes actually launch their venom at their prey, including several species of spitting cobras such as the red spitting cobra, the Mozambique spitting cobra, and the black-necked spitting cobra. But the king cobra is an member of the Elapidae family of snakes, which means it has permanently erect fangs at the front of its mouth, which it uses to deliver its deadly toxins. Glands attached to the half-inch fangs actually deliver the venom, with small muscles flexing to force the venom through the cobra's teeth and into its victim. Just to make things even more nightmarish, the snake's fangs are attached to its upper jaw and are angled backwards to guide prey down the reptile's throat to its stomach. 

Not all snakes' venom is the same. The copperhead snake, for example, delivers a hemolytic venom which breaks down the victim's red blood cells, ultimately subduing them and making it easier for the copperhead to swallow its prey. But king cobras are different. Their venom is primarily neurotoxic, meaning it attacks the victim's nervous system, crippling it and preventing normal breathing. The venom contains a potent neurotoxin that binds to receptors on muscle cells, causing the victim to lose control of their muscles, resulting in paralysis which eventually contributes to respiratory failure and ultimately death.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the bite site itself is very painful and the surrounding tissue can die in extreme cases. So, while you're being slowly paralyzed to death, you'll also be in intense pain. If it's any consolation, that pain shouldn't last too long, if only because king cobra bites can kill a human within 30 minutes. The only remedy is the injection of a specific antivenom which needs to be administered very soon after the bite itself takes place.

As if their venomous bite wasn't intimidating enough, king cobras are the longest venomous snakes in the world, making them a truly imposing reptile to encounter. The snakes can reach 18 feet in length and when threatened will show off every inch of their impressive size, raising their body off the ground and admitting a hiss to ward off challengers. It's while in this position that the king cobra will adopt its recognizable hood shape, whereby it flattens the bones in its neck to widen its width and increase its imposing aura. Even more terrifying is that the snakes are capable of chasing you down while in this raised position.

But there's no doubt its the king cobra's impressive length that contributes most to its ability to intimidate. As detailed by the Natural History Museum (NHM) of London, the longest ever king cobra was found in 1937, when an 18-foot-long specimen was discovered in Negeri Sembilan state in modern-day Malaysia. The snake was brought to London Zoo and eventually grew to 18.73 feet during its time in captivity. As the NHM notes, 18.73 feet is unusually large even for the species, which typically grows to between 12 and 15 feet. Sadly (or reassuringly, depending on how you look at it) the giant cobra was killed at the start of World War II as a precautionary measure. It seems the zoo owners were worried that potential bombing of the English capital could destroy parts of the zoo and let the venomous reptile loose, which would pose an obvious risk to the public.

The king cobra's unmatched size and its extremely dangerous bite make it one of the most potentially dangerous snakes, which is why it's best not to get on the bad side of these otherwise docile creatures.