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Snakes alive! King cobra reported in Cumberland woods ( N.C. )
WRAL ^
| May. 19 , 2008
Posted on 05/19/2008 10:32:58 PM PDT by george76
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To: george76
This was first news to me, thank a million for posting. I travel and stay at time in North Carolina.
41
posted on
05/20/2008 8:00:58 AM PDT
by
Revski
To: Rebelbase
Hey! I resemble that remark! ;>
42
posted on
05/20/2008 4:04:37 PM PDT
by
Alia
To: indcons; george76
They should get a mongoose. Honestly. A king cobra wouldnt dare visit a place where a mongoose lives. Actually a mongoose would flee from a King Cobra. The Hamadryad (KC) is the world's longest venomous snake, with the longest individuals reaching just under 18 feet. Adults are over 11-12 feet on average, and pack enough venom to kill an Elephant. They are also very territorial.
The mongoose is quite good at killing snakes (as well as eating eggs, snacking on insects, etc ....although eating termites is not as sexy as killing a venomous snake). Most pictures one sees of a mongoose involve it fighting an Indian cobra (the Naja Naja is a much smaller species of cobra), and that does occur every now and then (and based on what I have read there is some arms race going on between snakes and mongooses ....whereby the mongoose has some level of immunity to some snake venoms, and snake venoms progressively become more effective against mongooses, leading to a situation whereby one has an upper hand depending on the time).
Anyways, the fact is that a mongoose will never face off against an adult King Cobra (or for that matter even a juvenile). The cobra species that the mongoose would face (in India) is the Indian cobra, although even that is rare. There are far smaller snakes that are not venomous available, as well as a host of insects and earthworms and the like.
The mongoose would always lose against a hamadryad.
43
posted on
05/20/2008 10:36:14 PM PDT
by
spetznaz
(Nuclear-tipped Ballistic Missiles: The Ultimate Phallic Symbol)
To: spetznaz; george76
I'm afraid I have to disagree. Mongooses are known to be fearless when it comes to confronting snakes of any kind incl. the King.
"If a King Cobra encounters a natural predator, such as the mongoose, which has some resistance to the neurotoxins,[12] the cobra will generally try to flee." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_cobra]
"The [King] Cobra's main enemy is the zebra mongoose. The mongoose is built for snake-fighting. They are 98 per cent effective in killing the Cobra because they are agile." [http://www.referencemaunde.info/cobra/]
"Some species, such as the Indian Mongoose, are popularly used to fight and kill venomous snakes, even king cobras. They are able to do this because of their agility and cunning, and their thick coat, but typically avoid the cobra and have no particular affinity for consuming its meat." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoose]
"There are some animals which can eat king cobras too. Like mongoose which is very well known for killing cobras." [http://liveindya.com/index.php/Snakes/king-cobra-the-largest-poisonous-snake.php]
44
posted on
05/21/2008 4:20:11 AM PDT
by
indcons
To: george76
Residents said pit bull puppies and chickens have disappeared in recent days.IIRC King Cobras are snake eaters.
Unlikely to get a puppy.
Did see an episode of Cops the other night, somewhere in the SouthWest.
The cops caught a Burmese or Retic Python. The neighbors said it was the 3rd one caught in the neighborhood !
45
posted on
05/21/2008 5:41:54 AM PDT
by
Vinnie
(You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Jihads You)
To: Rebelbase
Cumberland County is home to Ft. Bragg and Pope AFB. Is it possible a serviceman managed to smuggle the snake into the country from Asia? Whoever's little precious pet it was I hope some locals find the rightful owner {Idiot} and dish the dirtbag out some good old fashioned Appalachian justice. The so called snake lovers need to start being held criminally responsible for their so called accidental releases.
46
posted on
05/21/2008 5:57:51 AM PDT
by
cva66snipe
(Three Blind Rats. Three Blind Rats, See How They Run. See How They Run. Hillbomacain)
To: spetznaz; george76
Here's an impressive photo of a King Cobra; the longest king on record is an 19-footer that was a resident of London Zoo and was euthanized prior to the Blitz.
47
posted on
05/21/2008 6:23:05 AM PDT
by
indcons
To: george76
if it really is a King Cobra then the pit bull puppies and chickens that disappeared have nothing to do with it. A king cobra is exclusively a snake eater and will only strike other animals if it feels threatened.
48
posted on
06/21/2008 9:23:37 PM PDT
by
Azhdeen
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