King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), Vietnam.
Image: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- VU · Vulnerable
- Animal group
- Reptiles & Amphibians
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2012 global assessment of Ophiophagus hannah says VulnerableChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world and the only snake known to build a nest for its eggs. It is assessed as Vulnerable.
It feeds largely on other snakes. It is highly venomous; this page is educational and people should never approach or handle one.
Range & habitat
Forests of South and Southeast Asia.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Deforestation
- Killing out of fear and for trade
- Collection for skins and traditional medicine
Why it matters
A top snake-eating predator and the world's longest venomous snake, the king cobra is a flagship for Asian forests — and a reminder to respect wildlife from a safe distance.
Gallery
King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), Thailand.
Image: Rushenb, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for King Cobra
- IUCN Red List — look up King Cobra (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web