This spitting cobra from Mozambique not only injects its venom. It can also spit venom at potential predators.


VENOM?


POISON OR


Venomous animals inject toxins directly into their victims by biting or stinging them. Poisonous plants and animals must be eaten or touched to infl ict harm.


Good to be King King cobras are one of the deadliest snakes in the world. When threatened, a king cobra rears up. As much as a third of its body can come off the ground. It fl ares its hood and moves forward, as if to chase down its prey. Once it strikes, prey has little chance of survival. King cobra venom acts fast. It quickly


cripples the nervous system. It blocks the brain’s ability to communicate with muscles. T e prey animal becomes paralyzed. Watch out! King cobras inject enough


venom at one time to kill 20 people. But the snake’s lethal toxins may one day help to kill pain in people instead. Some researchers now think the king cobra’s venom can be used to create a pain-killing drug many times stronger than the strongest ones used today. T e venom from other cobra species also


have medicinal uses. Research suggests that these deadly substances may be vital in treating several major conditions. In certain strengths, cobra venom might lessen the pain of arthritis. Other elements in cobra venom may be instrumental to finding cures for Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.


5


The king cobra is the longest species of venomous snake. Adults can grow to nearly 6 meters long.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24