Wildlifeof Nepal
Monocled Cobra
Cobras, Kraits & Sea Snakes
Photo: (c) Chris Oldnall, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC-BY-SA
Naja kaouthia
Basic stats
Diet
Juveniles mostly amphibians; adults small mammals, snakes and fish
Habitat
Paddy fields, swamps, mangroves, grassland, forest, farmland and settlements up to 1,000m
Range
South and Southeast Asia, including West Bengal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand
Clutch size
16–33 eggs
Size
Adults 1.35–1.5m; maximum 2.3m
The monocled cobra is a venomous cobra widespread across South and Southeast Asia. Adults reach 1.35 to 1.5m, with a tail of 23cm, and can reach 2.3m. The back may be yellow, brown, grey or blackish, with or without bands, and olive-brown to black forms may have a yellow or orange O-shaped mark on the hood. The belly is usually the colour of the back but paler (Wikipedia, general species account).
It prefers habitats near water, such as paddy fields, swamps and mangroves, but also lives in grassland, forest, farmland and settlements, including cities, up to 1,000m. It is terrestrial and most active at dusk. In rice-growing areas it hides in rodent burrows in the dykes and becomes semi-aquatic. Females lay 16 to 33 eggs per clutch. Native range includes Nepal.
Quick answers
- What does the Monocled Cobra eat?
- Juveniles mostly amphibians; adults small mammals, snakes and fish
- What habitat does the Monocled Cobra live in?
- Paddy fields, swamps, mangroves, grassland, forest, farmland and settlements up to 1,000m
- Where is the Monocled Cobra found?
- South and Southeast Asia, including West Bengal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand
- How many eggs does the Monocled Cobra lay?
- 16–33 eggs
- How big is the Monocled Cobra?
- Adults 1.35–1.5m; maximum 2.3m