This extraordinary moment unfolded as three venomous king cobras elegantly coiled around a tree, following their release into the wild in a village adjacent to the Meghat Tiger Reserve in India. Nilesh, a local resident, rescued these cobras from three different locations in Harisal village. He shared, “I’ve rescued hundreds of snakes in the past 20 years, but I’ve never seen such a sight… It was astonishing to see the three together.”
Nilesh Wankhede, 32, captured this remarkable spectacle as the cobras elegantly scaled the tree in the Meghat Tiger Reserve in western Maharashtra state. The video showcases the cobras hissing and flaring their iconic hoods while intertwining themselves around the tree trunk.
Nilesh mentioned that the cobras made their way up the tree shortly after being released into the jungle. He stated, “It was a fascinating sight as they didn’t run to the grass or burrows. They were hanging on the tree for a good 15 minutes.”
Photos of this event were posted on a Facebook group named “Indian Wildlife.” The post was captioned, “Magical Meghat, spotted 3 cobras in Harisal forest!” and has garnered more than 5,600 likes.
King cobras, the longest of all venomous snakes, can reach up to 18 feet in length. Their venom is not the most potent among venomous snakes, but the amount they can deliver in a single bite—up to two-thirds of a fluid ounce—is enough to kill 20 people or even an elephant.
Nilesh expressed, “I feel fortunate to have seen this unique moment. The snakes are highly venomous, and there could have been an accident, but they did not attack us.”
King cobras are known for their unique behavior of standing upright and appearing to look a person in the eye. When threatened, they can lift up to a third of their body off the ground and move forward to attack.
These cobras primarily inhabit the rainforests and plains of India, southern China, and Southeast Asia. They are comfortable in various habitats, including forests, bamboo thickets, mangrove swamps, high-altitude grasslands, and rivers. They mainly feed on other snakes, venomous and non-venomous, as well as lizards, eggs, and small mammals. They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, guarding them fiercely until they hatch.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the king cobra as vulnerable to extinction. These snakes face numerous threats stemming from human activities. Deforestation in Southeast Asia has destroyed many of their habitats, and they are also harvested in large numbers for their skin, meat, and medicinal purposes. They are also targeted for the international pet trade. Additionally, humans often persecute them due to their menacing reputation.