Editing King cobra (section)

== Behaviour and ecology==
Like other snakes, a king cobra receives chemical information via its [[forked tongue]], which picks up scent particles and transfers them to a sensory receptor ([[Vomeronasal organ|Jacobson's organ]]) located in the roof of its mouth.<ref name="mehrtens" />
Following [[envenomation]], it swallows its prey whole. Because of its flexible jaws, it can swallow prey much larger than its head. It is considered [[Diurnal animal|diurnal]] because it hunts during the day, but has also been seen at night, albeit rarely.<ref name="mehrtens" />

=== Diet ===
[[File:A royal meal.jpg|thumb|Preying on a smaller snake]]
The king cobra is an [[apex predator]] and dominant over all other snakes except large [[Python (genus)|pythons]].<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Marshall, B.M. |author2=Strine, C.T. |author3=Jones, M.D. |author4=Theodorou, A. |author5=Amber, E. |author6=Waengsothorn, S. |author7=Suwanwaree, P. |author8=Goode, M. |title=Hits close to home: repeated persecution of King Cobras (''Ophiophagus hannah'') in northeastern Thailand |journal=Tropical Conservation Science |year=2018 |volume=11 |pages=1–14 |doi=10.1177/1940082918818401 |doi-access=free|hdl=10150/632917 |hdl-access=free}}</ref> Its diet consists primarily of other snakes and [[lizards]], including [[Indian cobra]], [[banded krait]], [[rat snake]], [[Pythonidae|pythons]], [[green whip snake]], [[Rhabdophis|keelback]], [[Lycodon fasciatus|banded wolf snake]] and [[Blyth's reticulated snake]].<ref name="Wall1924" />
It also hunts [[Malabar pit viper]] and [[Hypnale|hump-nosed pit viper]] by following their odour trails.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Bhaisare, D. |author2=Ramanuj, V. |author3=Shankar, P. G. |author4=Vittala, M. |author5=Goode, M. |author6=Whitaker, R. |year=2010 |title=Observations on a wild King Cobra (''Ophiophagus hannah''), with emphasis on foraging and diet |journal=IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=95–102 |doi=10.17161/randa.v17i2.16088 |s2cid=257621424 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In Singapore, one was observed swallowing a [[clouded monitor]].<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Kurniawan, A. |author2=Lee, G. |author3=bin Tohed, N. |author4=Low, M.-R. |year=2018 |title=King cobra feeding on a monitor lizard at night |journal=Singapore Biodiversity Records |volume=2018 |page=63 |url=https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2018/01/sbr2018-063.pdf |access-date=16 October 2019 |archive-date=16 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016221554/https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2018/01/sbr2018-063.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
When food is scarce, it also feeds on other small vertebrates, such as birds, and lizards. In some cases, the cobra [[Constriction|constricts]] its prey using its muscular body, though this is uncommon. After a large meal, it may go for many months without another one because of its slow [[Metabolism|metabolic rate]].<ref name="mehrtens" /><ref name="coborn" />

=== Antipredator behavior ===
{{multiple image |direction=vertical |align=right |footer=Captive king cobras with their hoods extended
 |image1=Ophiophagus hannah2.jpg |image2=King-Cobra.jpg}}
{{Further|Anti-predator adaptation}}
The king cobra is not considered aggressive.<ref name=Tweedie>{{cite book |last=Tweedie |first=M. W. F. |title=The Snakes of Malaya |year=1983 |publisher=Singapore National Printers |page=142 |oclc=686366097}}</ref> It usually avoids humans and slinks off when disturbed, but is known to aggressively defend incubating eggs and attack intruders rapidly. When alarmed, it raises the front part of its body, extends the hood, shows the fangs and hisses loudly.<ref name=Wall1924>{{cite journal |author=Wall, F. |year=1924 |title=The Hamadryad or King Cobra ''Naja hannah'' (Cantor) |journal=The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=189–195 |url=https://archive.org/details/journalof301219241925bomb/page/n271}}</ref><ref name="Greene">{{cite book |last=Greene |first=H. W. |title=Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature |year=1997 |publisher=University of California Press |location=California, USA |isbn=0-520-22487-6 |chapter=Antipredator tactics of snakes |pages=103–111 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=io1TYkFAur8C&pg=PA111-IA1 |access-date=4 October 2020 |archive-date=10 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210091758/https://books.google.com/books?id=io1TYkFAur8C&pg=PA111-IA1 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Wild king cobras encountered in Singapore appeared to be placid, but reared up and struck in self defense when cornered.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Lim, K. K. P. |author2=Leong, T. M. |author3=Lim, L. K. |year=2011 |title=The king cobra, ''Ophiophagus hannah'' (Cantor) in Singapore (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae) |journal=Nature in Singapore |volume=4 |pages=143–156 |url=https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2017/06/2011nis143-156.pdf |access-date=16 October 2019 |archive-date=16 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016154553/https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2017/06/2011nis143-156.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

The king cobra can be easily irritated by closely approaching objects or sudden movements. When raising its body, the king cobra can still move forward to strike with a long distance, and people may misjudge the safe zone. It can deliver multiple bites in a single attack.<ref name=Davidson>{{cite web |url=http://toxicology.ucsd.edu/Snakebite%20Protocols/Ophiopha.htm |title=Immediate First Aid |access-date=24 September 2011 |last=Davidson |first=T. |publisher=University of California, San Diego |archive-date=30 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100630032005/http://toxicology.ucsd.edu/Snakebite%20Protocols/Ophiopha.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>

The hiss of the king cobra is a much lower [[Pitch (music)|pitch]] than many other snakes and many people thus liken its call to a "growl" rather than a hiss. While the hisses of most snakes are of a broad-[[frequency]] span ranging from roughly 3,000 to 13,000&nbsp;[[hertz|Hz]] with a dominant frequency near 7,500&nbsp;Hz, king cobra growls consist solely of frequencies below 2,500&nbsp;Hz, with a dominant frequency near 600&nbsp;Hz, a much lower-pitched frequency closer to that of a human voice. Comparative anatomical [[morphometric analysis]] has led to a discovery of tracheal [[diverticulum|diverticula]] that function as low-frequency [[Resonating chamber (anatomy)|resonating chamber]]s in king cobra and its prey, the rat snake, both of which can make similar growls.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Young |first1=B. A. |doi=10.1002/jez.1402600302 |title=Morphological basis of "growling" in the king cobra, ''Ophiophagus hannah'' |year=1991 |journal=Journal of Experimental Zoology |volume=260 |issue=3 |pages=275–287 |pmid=1744612}}</ref>

=== Reproduction ===
[[File:Baby king cobra front view.JPG|thumb|upright|A captive juvenile king cobra in its defensive posture]]
The female is [[Gravidity|gravid]] for 50 to 59 days.<ref name=Chanhome2011/>
The king cobra is the only snake that builds a nest using dry [[leaf litter]], starting from late March to late May.<ref name=Whitaker_al2013>{{cite journal |author1=Whitaker, N. |author2=Shankar, P. G. |author3=Whitaker, R. |year=2013 |title=Nesting ecology of the King Cobra (''Ophiophagus hannah'') in India |journal=Hamadryad |volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=101–107 |url=http://www.academia.edu/download/32064158/Whitaker_et_al_Nesting_Ecology_of_the_King_Cobra_(Ophiophagus_hannah)_in_India.pdf}}{{dead link|date=July 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Most nests are located at the base of trees, are up to {{cvt|55|cm}} high in the centre and {{cvt|140|cm}} wide at the base. They consist of several layers and have mostly one chamber, into which the female lays eggs.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Hrima, V. L. |author2=Sailo, V. H. |author3=Fanai, Z. |author4=Lalronunga, S. |author5=Lalrinchhana, C. |year=2014 |chapter=Nesting ecology of the King Cobra, ''Ophiophagus hannah'', (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae) in Aizawl District, Mizoram, India |title=Issues and Trends of Wildlife Conservation in Northeast India |pages=268–274 |publisher=Mizo Academy of Sciences |location=Aizawl |editor1=Lalnuntluanga |editor2=Zothanzama, J. |editor3=Lalramliana |editor4=Lalduhthlana |editor5=Lalremsanga, H. T. |isbn=9788192432175 |chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263008786}}</ref>
Clutch size ranges from 7 to 43 eggs, with 6 to 38 eggs hatching after [[incubation period]]s of 66 to 105 days. Temperature inside nests is not steady but varies depending on elevation from {{Cvt|13.5|to|37.4|°C|°F}}. Females stay by their nests between two and 77 days. Hatchlings are between {{cvt|37.5|and|58.5|cm}} long and weigh {{cvt|9|to|38|g}}.<ref name=Whitaker_al2013/>

The king cobra was shown to be capable of facultative [[parthenogenesis]].<ref name=Card2021>{{cite journal |vauthors=Card DC, Vonk FJ, Smalbrugge S, Casewell NR, Wüster W, Castoe TA, Schuett GW, Booth W |title=Genome-wide data implicate terminal fusion automixis in king cobra facultative parthenogenesis |journal=Sci Rep |volume=11 |issue=1 |page=7271 |date=2021 |pmid=33790309 |pmc=8012631 |doi=10.1038/s41598-021-86373-1}}</ref>   The parthenogenetic mechanism appears to be a variation of [[meiosis]] referred to as terminal fusion [[automixis]] in which there is fusion of the meiotic products formed at the anaphase II stage of meiosis.<ref name=Card2021/>

The venom of hatchlings is as potent as that of the adults. They may be brightly marked, but these colours often fade as they mature. They are alert and nervous, being highly aggressive if disturbed.<ref name=VS/>

The average lifespan of a wild king cobra is about 20 years.<ref>{{cite web|title=King Cobra |work=[[National Geographic Society]] |date=2010 |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/king-cobra |access-date=2022-10-30|archive-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222125850/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/king-cobra|url-status=dead}}</ref>