The Four Species Of Cobras Found In India

India is home to four species of true cobras, elapid snakes from the genus Naja. The king cobra, although it carries the name "cobra," is not a true cobra but a member of the genus Ophiophagus. Cobras are highly venomous snakes, and all species are capable of delivering fatal bites. They are known for their hooded pose when threatened and ready to strike. These snakes deliver neurotoxic venom, with some also having cytotoxic venom components. Here are the four cobra species found in India:

Indian Cobra

The Indian Cobra photographed in Hoskote, Karnataka. Image credit: Pavan Kumar N via Wikimedia Commons.

The name is quite apt because the Indian cobra or Naja naja has the most widespread distribution of all cobra species found in the country. It is one of India's "Big Four" snakes, responsible for the maximum number of snake-bite-related mortalities in the country. The Indian cobra is found across a wide variety of habitats as it is a highly adaptable species. It occurs in dense forests, arid scrublands, mangroves, paddy fields, and even around human homes. It is a least concern species but continues to be threatened by habitat loss. Interestingly, the snake, although highly venomous and responsible for many deaths, is also highly revered and even worshipped in several parts of the country. 

Monocled Cobra

A beautiful monocled cobra. Image credit: Akash M. Deshmukh via Wikimedia Commons.

Naja kaouthia's range includes parts of eastern and northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, and several countries in Southeast Asia and China. This snake is a least concern species but continues to face threats across its range. In India, it is threatened by human persecution and habitat loss, while in Southeast Asia and China, it is harvested for traditional medicine preparations, snake wines, etc. The monocled cobra is a highly adaptable species that is found across a wide range of habitats, including both wild landscapes and human-dominated ones, including towns and cities.

Central Asian Cobra

A Central Asian cobra in a defensive posture. Image credit: Omid Mozaffari via Wikimedia Commons.

This cobra species (Naja oxidant), also called Caspian cobra, is found across Central Asia. Its easternmost range extends into the northwesternmost parts of India. We know very little about this snake's distribution in India, but its presence has been confirmed in parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. The snake survives in arid environments and usually avoids human habitation. It is a good swimmer and climber and always lives along water bodies. It is the most venomous snake in the Naja family. It is a near-threatened species on the IUCN Red List.

Andaman Cobra

An Andaman cobra displaying its hood in a defensive posture. Image credit: Moinudheen via Wikimedia Commons.

The Andaman Cobra (Naja sagittifera) is an endangered species that is endemic to the Andaman Islands of India. The snake stays away from human habitation and is primarily found in forested habitats. Rapid urbanisation, replacement of forests by agricultural lands and plantations, roadkills, and persecution by people are the major threats to the species, as per the IUCN. The snake has a highly potent venom and is also known to spit venom on rare occasions. The venom may cause permanent vision loss in the eyes, but the species is not as efficient as the true spitting cobras in its aim.