King Cobra Nest Sited In Garhwal For First Time

11 July, Dehradun

The discovery of a King Cobra nest in Sahastradhara area on outskirts of this capital town has elated the wildlife lovers here as it is the first time that the presence of the worlds longest venomous snake is documented in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.

The King Cobra nest, deserted by the female, had about 15-20 eggs amid the leaf litter. So far, the King Cobra presence has been noted in Kumaon region of the state, especially in Nainital district, according to DFO Mussoorie Dhiraj Pandey, adding that presence of the nest indicated to healthy eco-system in the area.

The female King Cobra, which painstakingly builds the nest even starves to ferociously guard it. However, it usually leaves the nest, about two-weeks before the eggs are likely to hatch, to avoid eating the hatchlings, according to wildlife experts, and thus it is expected that the eggs would hatch soon.