King cobra head looking at the camera
Wildlife

King Cobra

At A Glance

  • Location: Discovery Outpost
  • The king cobra is the largest venomous snake in the world. Special muscles and ribs in its neck spread out to form a "hood" when the cobra feels threatened. This makes the snake look bigger than it really is and may help scare predators away. King cobras make a deep, loud hiss, a warning signal that can be heard from a distance. The message is: "I am big, bad, and will bite you if you come any closer!" Most cobras are known to protect their eggs after laying them, but the female king cobra does even more. She uses her body and head to move leaves around to build a nest. After she lays her eggs, she covers them with more leaves and stays on top of the nest until the eggs hatch. Look for our king cobras, as well as other cobra species, in the Zoo’s popular Reptile House.

    Hotel with pool
    Creature Comforts

    PREFERRED HOTELS

    Groom and bride embracing as a giraffe looks on in the distance.
    Wild Weddings

    Picture Your Special Day at the Park!

    Save the Chubby Unicorn ShopZoo collection
    Shop the Collection

    Save the Chubby Unicorns

    Shadow Gorilla ShopZoo collection
    Shop the Collection

    Gorilla Shadow