Fifty Years Ago: King Cobra Arrives at Madras Snake Park
On July 28, 1976, the Madras Snake Park in Guindy received a new King Cobra, caught in the North Andamans rain forest on June 15 by Romulus Whitaker, the park's Honorary Director. The snake, a female, arrived in Madras on July 1 and was placed in a special enclosure designed to simulate its natural habitat. Previous King Cobras from Thailand and Karnataka had died in captivity, prompting efforts to air condition the enclosure. Whitaker noted that King Cobras are found only in specific rain forests and mangrove swamps in India, including the Sunderbans, Bhitarkanika sanctuary, and Western Ghats. The article describes the species' growth from 12-15 inches at hatching to a maximum of 19 feet, with females laying about 20 eggs that hatch in two months. It also clarifies that the King Cobra is not a true cobra, though it is also poisonous.
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