Pit Vipers – A Highly Evolved Venomous Snake
Pit vipers are no push over! They range in size from snakes like the little massasauga (which grow up to about 30 inches) up to the huge bushmasters (which can reach 12 feet). The snake here is described as a Malabar pit viper which grow to around 41 inches. They are all venomous but have different types of venom that contains different types and quantities of chemicals. Some venom is more dangerous than others. However, they all have hollow fangs through which the venom is delivered into their victim. When they attack, they plunge their fangs into the prey and venom travels from the venom glands at the rear of their heads, through the fangs and into the flesh of their chosen prey. Pit vipers are also themselves prey. They are hunted by other snakes including indigo snakes, king snakes, and, as we see here, the king cobra.
King Cobra Hunts a Pit Viper
The footage was published online by the King Cobra Conservancy project. Their mission is to “support ecological research and conservation initiatives aimed at determining the status of King cobras in the wild”. It was shot by volunteers at the ARRS King Cobra Telemetry in India in a 10 acre plot in a jungle clearing. King cobras prefer habitats that include streams, forests, bamboo thickets or swamps where they can reach up to 20 years of age. They are a very impressive snake. In fact, their venom is sufficient to kill an elephant so it is not surprising that this pit viper succumbs so easily. They are also unique snakes because they build a nest to lay their eggs in. King cobras are the largest venomous snake in the world and can grow up to 13 feet in length!
Next up:
Watch An Indigo Snake and A Rat Snake Square Off Watch an Indigo Snake Consume a Python Whole Watch a Snake Fight Back From the Grave and Choke a Bird
