Guwahati: Residents across Assam have been encountering an increasing number of King Cobras in human-inhabited areas such as schools, hospitals, homes, paddy fields, and parks.
The King Cobra, known as the world’s longest venomous snake and traditionally a forest-dwelling species, is appearing more frequently in towns and villages, indicating significant environmental changes.
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Wildlife experts and conservationists attribute this trend to habitat loss, declining prey populations, climate fluctuations, and expanding human encroachment.
In districts including Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Barpeta, Kamrup, Sivasagar, and the outskirts of Guwahati, wildlife rescue teams have repeatedly been called to safely remove King Cobras from residential areas, school buildings, hospital corridors, and market yards.
While such incidents were previously rare, they now occur several times each year.
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Snake conservationist Devajit Moran explained, “When the King Cobra leaves its natural habitat, it is not out of curiosity but survival.”
Between 2001 and 2023, Assam lost over 3.24 lakh hectares of forest cover, notably in Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, and Sonitpur districts.
These losses are largely due to road construction, coal mining, tea plantations, and other infrastructure projects.
The destruction and fragmentation of natural corridors have isolated species like the King Cobra from their prey, forcing them to travel longer distances and enter human settlements.
A forest ranger from Kaziranga noted, “Previously, cobras lived freely in undisturbed canopies. Now, only patches remain, and the snakes have limited safe habitats.”
King Cobras are sensitive to environmental conditions. Changes in weather patterns, particularly increased temperatures and irregular rainfall, are driving them away from traditional nesting sites. Scientists suggest that climate stress is causing the snakes to move to higher altitudes or unfamiliar areas.
Annual floods in Assam also affect snake habitats. During the monsoon season, burrows and nests can flood, forcing snakes, including King Cobras, to move to higher, drier ground near human residences, schools, and storage facilities.
Wildlife teams often conduct rescues during these periods to minimize risks to both people and snakes.
King Cobras primarily feed on other snakes, such as rat snakes, which are common near human dwellings due to the presence of rodents.
As forests lose prey, King Cobras follow their food sources into places like grain godowns, poultry sheds, and schoolyards.
A local herpetologist stated, “This behavior is driven by ecological necessity rather than aggression. The snakes come to find food and survive.”
The expansion of urban areas and unplanned development near wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests has increased human-snake encounters.
Illegal settlements and agricultural activities are encroaching on wildlife corridors from Guwahati’s outskirts to Nagaon.
Even protected areas like the Behali Reserve Forest in Sonitpur face encroachments, impacting snake habitats.
Experts emphasize that the increased appearance of King Cobras in human areas signals ecological imbalance. As apex predators in the reptile world, King Cobras help maintain ecosystem stability. Their displacement reflects underlying environmental issues.
Conservationist Devajit Moran said, “The King Cobra is an apex predator. Its presence in human spaces indicates disruption in the ecosystem it governs.”
The King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) can grow up to 18 feet, making it the longest venomous snake globally.
Unlike most snakes, it constructs nests for its eggs and guards them until hatching. It is generally shy and attacks only when threatened.
The species is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and protected under Schedule II of India’s Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
As a predator of other snakes, including venomous species, the King Cobra plays an essential role in controlling reptile populations.
King Cobras are distributed across the northeastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
Environmental groups and herpetologists have urged the Assam government and the forest department to treat this situation as an ecological concern.
Recommended measures include reforestation and protection of degraded forest corridors, strict action against encroachment and illegal logging, training communities in snake rescue techniques, monitoring and safeguarding known nesting sites, and introducing wildlife education programs in vulnerable districts.
While images of King Cobras near classrooms or hospital verandas may seem unusual, these encounters reflect broader environmental challenges. The King Cobra is not a threat to humans but an indicator of ecological distress.
Until forest habitats are restored, prey populations recover, and effective climate action is implemented, King Cobras are likely to continue appearing in human-dominated areas instead of their natural forest habitats.