By Joel Ramirez
Geographic Range
Pakistan, India (throughout most of the country),
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, possibly E. Afghanistan. (EMBL Reptile Database 2001)
Biogeographic Regions:
palearctic 
(native ); oriental (native ).
Habitat
Naja naja occurs in wild forest and in cultivated areas. (Tropical Rainforest Animals, 2000)
Terrestrial Biomes:
savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest .
Physical Description
The Indian Cobra's most known characteristic features are the wide black band on the underside of the neck, and the hood marking design which shows half-rings on either side of the hood. It is a smooth-scaled snake with black eyes, a wide neck and head, and a medium-sized body. Its colouring varies from black, to dark brown, to a creamy white. The body is usually covered with a spectacled white or yellow pattern, which sometimes forms ragged bands. The Indian cobra may grow from 1.8m to 2.2m. (India4U,2000; Discovery, 2000; Breen, 1974)
Some key physical features:
ectothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Reproduction
The Indian Cobra reproduces sexually by the joining of male and female gametes and produces eggs. Most snakes do not pay much attention to their eggs, but this is not the case with the Indian Cobra. The eggs, usually 12 to 20, are laid in a hollow tree, or in the earth, and the female will guard them throughout the incubation period, only leaving to feed. The young snakes will then hatch after approximately 50 days. Immediately freeing itself from the egg, a hatchling is capable of rearing up, spreading its hood and striking. (Breen, 1974; Burton, 1991; Tropical Rainforest Animals, 2000)
Key reproductive features:
gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate).
Behavior
When threatened, the Indian Cobra will assume its characteristic posture. It will raise the front one-third of its body and elongate its long, flexible neck ribs and loose skin to form its distinctive hood, on which are resembled eyes. (Burton, 1991; Tropical Rainforest Animals, 2000; Discovery, 2000; Breen, 1974)
Key behaviors:
motile .
Food Habits
The Indian cobra feeds on rodents, lizards and frogs. It bites quickly, and then waits while its venom damages the nervous system of the prey, paralyzing and often killing it. Like all snakes, N. naja swallows its prey whole. This species sometimes enters buildings in search of rodent prey. (Breen, 1974; Burton, 1991)
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
This species is highly venomous, and its bite can be lethal. Because it hunts rodents that live around people, it is often encountered by accident, and many people die each year from N. naja bites. (Burton, 1991)
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
The Indian Cobra eats rats and mice that carry disease and eat human food. Also, cobra venom is a potential source of medicines, including anti-cancer drugs and pain-killers. (Discovery, 2000; Burton, 1991)
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Not Evaluated.
US Federal List: [link]:
No special status.
CITES: [link]:
Appendix II.
Although the Indian Cobra is not an endangered species, it has recently been hunted for its distinctive hood markings in the production of handbags. It is listed under the CITES treaty because it closely resembles other species that are threatened and in need of protection. (Burton, 1991; Tropical Rainforest Animals, 2000)
Other Comments
This species is often kept by the "snake charmers" of India. This form of entertainment can be quite mysterious as the cobra seems to dance to the melody of the snake charmer's pipe. Actually, snakes cannot hear. They are provoked into a striking position and are held in a concentrating effort to follow the charmer's hands and pipe, which results in their "dancing" movement. (Burton, 1991)
Contributors
Joel Ramirez (author), Fresno City College.
Jerry Kirkhart (editor), Fresno City College.
