Cobras, particularly the king cobra, are highly dangerous to humans primarily due to their potent venom, which affects the nervous system and can cause respiratory failure and death if untreated. However, they are generally not aggressive and tend to bite only when threatened, cornered, or defending their eggs

Danger Level of Cobras to Humans

• Venom Toxicity: King cobra venom contains neurotoxins that rapidly stun the nervous system, especially the respiratory impulses, leading to paralysis and potentially death within minutes if untreated

. The venom also contains toxins that cause tissue damage and interfere with blood clotting

• Venom Quantity: A single king cobra bite can deliver 400-600 mg of venom, enough to kill 11 humans or even an elephant. This large volume makes the bite extremely dangerous, even though its venom is less concentrated than some other snakes like black mambas

• Symptoms of Envenomation: Initial symptoms include pain, swelling, skin discoloration, and necrosis at the bite site. Systemic symptoms progress to blurred vision, dizziness, paralysis, cardiovascular collapse, coma, and death due to respiratory failure without prompt treatment

• Fatality Rate: Despite their deadly venom, king cobras cause fewer than five human deaths per year across their range in Asia, partly because they avoid humans and attacks usually occur only under provocation or accidental encounters

Behavior and Risk

• Cobras are not naturally aggressive and often try to escape rather than attack humans. They may display defensive behaviors like hood spreading and hissing to warn off threats

• Repeated bites from a king cobra are rare but possible if the threat persists

• Most bites occur when people inadvertently provoke or corner the snake

Treatment

• A bite from a cobra is a medical emergency requiring immediate hospital treatment and administration of species-specific antivenom

• Without prompt antivenom therapy, death can occur in as little as 30 minutes due to respiratory failure

• Supportive care in intensive care units may be necessary to manage respiratory and cardiac complications

In summary, cobras, especially king cobras, are extremely dangerous due to their venom's potency and the large amount delivered in a bite. However, they tend to avoid humans, and fatalities are relatively rare with timely medical intervention