Cobras are among the most widely known venomous snakes, recognized for their intimidating hoods and swift strikes. Among these is the West African banded cobra, a subspecies of the forest cobra, which has garnered attention due to its venomous nature and distinctive characteristics.
West African Banded Cobra
Physical Characteristics
The West African banded cobra is brownish black or black dorsally, with a series of 3-8 broad, cream-colored crossbands, each partly divided by a narrow black crossband.Other key physical characteristics include:
- Midbody dorsal scale rows: 19
- Ventrals: 211-226
- Subcaudals: 67-73
Habitat and Distribution
Forest cobras are African snakes, though they primarily live in the central and western regions. Sightings of the forest cobra have been recorded in Nigeria, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Angola, and Cameroon. They tend to choose tropical and subtropical environments within Africa, seeking out mangroves as well. They adapt well to many environments, though they primarily prefer to live in savannas and lowland forests. It lives in drier locations, even though it is an excellent swimmer.
Behavior and Diet
Forest cobras are diurnal, and they have the greatest proclivity for swimming of most true Naja cobras. The forest cobra will dine on whatever they can get, slithering along the ground quietly. Forest cobras are opportunistic feeders. Their diet consists of lizards, amphibians, small mammals, birds, and other snakes. The diet of a forest cobra varies substantially with the local prey available to them. While they will consume animals as small as invertebrate insects, they will also swallow small mammals and even other snakes if they need the nutrients.
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Venom and Danger to Humans
The West African banded cobra is considered one of the most venomous snakes in the world. Venom from this snake causes progressive descending paralysis which may lead to respiratory arrest and death, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The reason that the forest cobra (also known as the black and white-lipped forest cobra) is so dangerous is that it releases a ton of venom when it bites. Typically, they will release about 571mg of venom, but the exact amount varies with each bite. With one bite, you could get as much at 1102mg of venom. Since it releases so much venom and is highly aggressive, anyone bitten could die in as little as 30 minutes, depending on their physiology. If you are bitten by a forest cobra, you’ll quickly experience ptosis, drowsiness, hearing loss, dizziness, ataxia, shock, pain, fever, and other symptoms that impact the brain and respiratory system. You might not even be able to speak. Though other African cobras are much more likely to bite, you need to get medical attention as soon as possible. If you get antivenom quickly, you’ll survive the bite.
The West African banded cobra is considered “shy” by the African Snake Bite Institute, a training organization based in South Africa, and rarely bites humans. But if it does, its venom causes progressive paralysis that can lead to death.
The venomous snakes of Africa - SAVANNAS, Boomslang, Rinkhals, spitting cobras, Black mamba
Conservation Status
The forest cobra’s worldwide population is unknown, due to its widespread distribution. Before the new species were discovered, forest cobras were not considered threatened.
Interesting Facts
- Forest cobras have long cervical ribs that they use to make themselves look larger to intimidate predators.
- Though the average size of an adult forest cobra is between 4.6 and 7.2 feet long, the largest one on record had a size of 10 feet long.
- Female forest cobras lay up to 26 white eggs, which stick together when she lays them.
- Forest cobras have long cervical ribs that they use to make themselves look larger to intimidate predators.
Historically, naturalists relied on the visible differences between specimens to identify different species, but all forest cobras are fairly similar in appearance.
Forest Cobra Color Morphs
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Color Morphs
The coloration of this snake changes with different morphs.
- The first of three color morphs is glossy black with a cream or white chin, throat, and belly, and it is typically found from Sierra Leone to western Kenya.
- The second morph is found in the West African savanna, featuring a banded black and yellow body with a brown to yellow head and yellow chin.
- The third and final morph is from East Africa with a brown or black body and yellow or cream belly, though there is no banded pattern.
With long cervical ribs, the snake can make itself look bigger as a form of intimidation to possible predators. As an adult, males and females are usually the same sizes, featuring a large and broad head with a hood that extends down to the neck. The body is covered with scales, helping it to move along the ground.
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