Dangerous Creatures: Cobra

(Africa, Arabia, India, Southeast Asia)

   People “milk” venom from some snakes to make antivenin for counteracting snakebites.
   A baby snake can be dangerous too. A tiny cobra is just as venomous as an adult.
   What do cobras and cane toads have in common? Venom!
   The cobra, like the Australian frilled lizard, uses a trick to scare away enemies.
   Snakes have to be on their guard against birds, and other snakes.
   Video: Cobras are rather slow snakes. Speedy animals, like large birds and members of the weasel family, can often rush in and bite a cobra before it can bite back.
   Advice: When you’re in cobra country, don’t sleepwalk! These snakes hunt at night – often around human dwellings.

Next: Some types of cobras slither around in Africa. In some areas, they have to watch out for the sharp hooves of the Cape buffalo.