Recently, many residents in the northern provinces of Vietnam have encountered juvenile Chinese cobras appearing in densely populated areas. This has caused considerable alarm among the public.
The Most Common Cobra Species in Northern Vietnam
Recently, on major social media platforms in Vietnam such as Facebook and Zalo, many users have reported sightings of snakes in various locations, including rice fields, parks, and even residential areas.
These snakes have primarily been spotted in northern provinces, extending to the northern central provinces like Nghe An and Ha Tinh. Observers have noted that while they are uncertain of the species they encountered, the size and behavior of the snakes—raising their heads and spreading their hoods—indicate that these are juvenile cobras that have not yet matured.
Many netizens have shared images of cobras they encountered in residential areas of northern provinces (Photo: Facebook group “Identifying Snakes and First Aid for Snake Bites in Vietnam”).
Based on the images shared by netizens, it appears that these snakes belong to the same species, which is the Chinese cobra.
The Chinese cobra, scientific name Naja atra, is also known as the king cobra or common cobra… and is one of the most common venomous snakes in northern Vietnam.
This species is mainly distributed in southeastern China, Hainan Island, Taiwan, northern Vietnam, and a small part of northern Laos.
In Vietnam, this snake is abundant in northern provinces, extending to the northern central provinces and is sporadically found in Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces. Southern provinces from Thua Thien-Hue downwards seem to have no recorded sightings of the Chinese cobra.
The Chinese cobra can be found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, forests, shrublands, swamps, riverbanks, and agricultural rice fields… It can even be found in residential areas, particularly in overgrown, abandoned lots in cities.
This species is active throughout the day but primarily hunts at night. Their main diet consists of toads, frogs, lizards, rodents, and even other snakes. Juvenile cobras mainly feed on frogs and toads.
Identifying Features of the Chinese Cobra
The Chinese cobra is a medium-sized venomous snake, typically measuring between 1.2 to 1.5 meters in length, though individuals can occasionally reach lengths of up to 2 meters, which is rare. Like other cobra species, the Chinese cobra is easily identifiable by its ability to spread its hood and lift its head when threatened.
Various patterns behind the neck of the Chinese cobra (Photo: HongKong SnakeID).
This snake has a triangular-shaped head, with a body that can be black, brown, or gray, featuring some yellow stripes running horizontally along its body. The underside of the snake is lighter in color. When the hood is spread wide, a horseshoe-shaped pattern can be observed with two circular markings resembling eyeglasses. Sometimes this pattern extends into a line but still retains the horseshoe shape.
When the Chinese cobra lifts its head, two black spots can be seen beneath its hood.
The pattern on the Chinese cobra can be confused with that of the eastern brown snake (also known as the one-eyed cobra), even though their distributions do not overlap, as the eastern brown snake is usually found in southern Vietnam.
Differences in patterns behind the neck of the eastern brown snake (left) and Chinese cobra (right) (Photo: AZAnimals).
All cobra species possess dangerous and potentially lethal venom, so if you encounter a cobra, regardless of the species, it’s crucial to keep your distance to avoid serious consequences from a snake bite.
Why are Chinese Cobras Appearing More Frequently at This Time of Year?
This increase in sightings is due to the current period being the time when juvenile cobras hatch from eggs after the breeding season.
Juvenile Chinese cobras can spread their hood, lift their heads, and possess lethal venom (Photo: Adam Francis).
Chinese cobras reach maturity and mate in late April or early May, laying eggs from June to July. Each female can lay between 6 to 20 eggs. The eggs hatch after 50 to 57 days, meaning the young cobras emerge from July to September.
While the Chinese cobra is aggressive, it rarely initiates attacks on humans, preferring to avoid confrontation. However, juvenile cobras tend to be more aggressive due to their survival instincts, constantly having to fend off various threats.
Juveniles, right after hatching, are capable of spreading their hoods and lifting their heads to threaten enemies. They are born with fangs and venom glands, making them capable of delivering a fatal bite from birth.
What to Do If You Are Bitten by a Chinese Cobra?
The Chinese cobra has deadly venom. It is responsible for a high number of snakebite incidents and fatalities in Taiwan and mainland China.
The venom of the Chinese cobra contains neurotoxins and cytotoxins that affect the nervous system and heart, causing tissue necrosis at the bite site. When bitten, the wound will appear dark red and swollen.
If not treated promptly, the victim may suffer from tissue necrosis, chest pain, high fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, a dropped tongue leading to loss of voice, weakening limbs, difficulty breathing, and ultimately death.
In the event of a bite from this snake, it is essential to keep the victim calm and avoid excessive movement, which can accelerate the spread of venom.
As the Chinese cobra has cytotoxins that cause necrosis, it is extremely important not to apply a tourniquet, as this may worsen the injury. The victim should be taken to the nearest medical facility for proper wound care.
There is currently an antivenom available for bites from the Chinese cobra, which helps reduce the risk of death and long-term consequences following a snake bite.
What to Do When You Encounter a Snake or If a Snake Slithers Into Your Home?
According to Mr. Nguyen Chi Lam, a representative of the Viet Snake Rescuer group, which specializes in rescuing and relocating snakes that appear in human habitats, here are some guidelines for what to do if you encounter a snake:
- When a snake enters your home, the first thing to do is to remain calm, keep a safe distance from the snake, use your phone or recording device to capture images of the snake, and then send this image to snake experts or local rescue teams.
Mr. Nguyen Chi Lam with a pink-eyed green snake (Photo: NVCC).
Photos of the snake species are also very useful in the event of a snake bite, as they assist doctors in determining the appropriate treatment and selecting the correct type of antivenom for different cases.
- While waiting for rescue teams or snake relocation experts to arrive, the public should keep an eye on the snake to prevent it from escaping their line of sight and hiding in obscure corners of the house.
- If contacting rescue teams or reptile experts is not possible, residents can use a stick, broom handle… and a container to capture the snake. Use the stick or broom handle to guide or hook the snake into the container, then tightly close the lid to prevent the snake from escaping.
According to Mr. Lam, everyone must maintain a safe distance and avoid attempting to catch the snake without sufficient skills, as this action may provoke the snake, causing it to react defensively. At this point, the snake may become aggressive and attack, leading to unfortunate accidents.
- It is important to note that if a snake feels threatened or is killed, it will release a scent that humans find difficult to detect and is also hard to clean. This scent can attract other snakes of the same species but of the opposite sex, as well as snakes that prey on other snakes, posing a danger to humans.
Catching a rat snake, nearly mistaking it for a more dangerous creature than a king cobra
How to Distinguish Between King Cobras, Common Cobras, and Bull Snakes
