The Egyptian cobra is also known as the Egyptian cobra, the snouted cobra, or the Egyptian banded cobra.
The Egyptian cobra is huge, with a heavy body length of about 8 feet.
The only cobra that exceeds its size in the entire African continent is the jungle cobra.
The Egyptian cobra puts more than 30 young at a time, and although quite shy, this cobra will stalk its prey, striking with an incredibly toxic venom if necessary.
Is the Egyptian cobra threatened with extinction
While the exact population number is not known, the International Union for Conservation of
Nature does not consider the Egyptian cobra to be endangered, and its numbers are stable, although not much is known about their exact number.
Due to its extremely strong venom, the Egyptian cobra is considered extremely dangerous to humans, while the Egyptian cobra is extremely dangerous to humans.
This species tends to avoid human contact whenever possible (due to its relatively shy nature), and snake encounters have become relatively common in recent years due to the rapid expansion of human settlements within their territory.
Rapid urbanization and population growth in this sector of the world is very worrying for conservationists and scientists alike, and experts fear that greater contact with the Egyptian cobra will not only lead to incidents of snakebites but also to a sharp decline in
the Egyptian cobra population as it becomes The target of unnecessary human attacks. As with most cobra species, the Egyptian cobra has a natural instinct to flee when humans are spotted.
As such, unprovoked attacks are extremely rare for this species, as the snake tends to preserve itself from unnecessary encounters.
However, if threatened, the Egyptian cobra will actively defend itself against potential aggressors.
Before striking, it is common for the Egyptian cobra to stretch its hood and raise itself to a vertical position.
Most experts agree that the Egyptian cobra uses this technique for the purpose of making itself appear larger than it actually is. For many predators, this is a frightening display.
How to identify the Egyptian cobra
The average size of the Egyptian cobra is 8 feet, making it the second largest cobra in Africa.
The only cobra larger than that found on the continent is the jungle cobra, which can reach a length of almost 9 feet.
The Egyptian cobra has a broad snout with a large, low head.
The long ribs help form the cobra's hood.
The Egyptian cobra has stripes and is often brown in color, decorated with lighter or darker dots, and just below the snake's eye you will see a tear drop mark, and the overall color of
the Egyptian cobra depends on where you live, as some of these cobras are completely black while others have a color Coppery or grey, and along the sides, white, dark brown, blue-grey, yellowish-brown, or black, dark spots adorn the sides.
Egyptian cobra predators and diet
While the Egyptian cobra has a reputation for being a formidably dangerous predator, it is not an apex predator (an animal at the top of the food chain with no natural predators).
The Egyptian cobra is classified as a carnivorous reptile, as it preys on a variety of small mammals.
birds, eggs, reptiles, and small amphibians in the wild, and the frog is a particular favorite of this species, and this animal is common in North Africa, especially
around small rivers and ponds where the snake is commonly found, and the monitor lizard is also a favorite of this type of snake and is consumed regularly due to its abundance in this area.
However, the Egyptian cobra is also known as an opportunistic feeder, consuming small rodents, eggs, birds, and other snakes when appropriate.
That this species practices cannibalism (i.e. eating other snakes of its kind) in times of hunger, and it is still unclear whether this practice is common for
the Egyptian cobra, as it was observed in only a few cases. Yet, most snake experts believe that this practice is relatively rare.
As a large species of highly venomous snake, the Egyptian cobra encounters few natural predators in the wild.
However, there are a number of animals in North Africa that are capable of inflicting serious harm or death on this snake.
This includes large birds, as well as the graceful mongoose, and the mongoose.
In particular it is an adversary highly capable of defeating the largest cobra, and with its thick fur protecting it from the fangs and venom of the cobra, the mongoose can quickly engage
the Egyptian cobra, swooping down on its back before the snake can defend itself, and once it is pinned to the ground, all What the mongoose needs are a few simple bites in the throat to paralyze the cobra, as its skin provides little protection against the mongoose's powerful jaws.
As an additional defense mechanism against superior enemies (such as mongooses), it should be noted that the Egyptian cobra has been known to fake its death
through rapid convulsions to the ground, and sometimes, this technique is effective and helps ward off potential predators before they can make an easy
meal of Vipers, however, are rarely used by rattlesnakes and are considered by experts to be an option of last resort when death is imminent.
Egyptian cobra breeding
The Egyptian cobra is considered ovoviviparous, which means that females lay eggs (instead of live young). Very little is currently known about the reproductive characteristics of the snake.
However, most scientists believe that the mating season tends to start at the end of winter and
continues until the beginning of winter.
Summer, pregnancy periods tend to be approximately 90 to 100 days before the female finally lays a clutch of 8 to 33 eggs, and the incubation period, in turn, tends to range from 48 to 70 days (depending on external temperatures).
The eggs usually hatch in April or May, with the young emerging from a total length of 8 to 11.5 inches (20 to 30 cm).
Although young Egyptian cobras are highly vulnerable to predation at this stage of development, the young still have Their powerful venom
allows them to actively defend themselves from attack, and as such many of these species reach adulthood with relative ease.