King Cobras In Chiang Mai

[sundaypsychos]

yesterday whilst riding my bike behind the 700yr stadium, i was exiting one corner and i noticed an unfamiliar " log" on the trail ahead of me. as i rode closer the " log" moved. first thought was snake, second thought was big snake as i had previously mistaken it for a log. i am interested in all wildlife and particularly snakes so i threw the bike down and ran to where it had slithered into the bush to get an identification. as i neared it i could begin to see the full length of its body and the unmistakeable " hood" of the k.c. it was a charcoaly black colouring with a yellow colouration under its head and hood.

the snake was probably between 3.5-4metres long( i think they are on record in india as hitting 6metres+) so it must have been an adult, it moved at a good speed as when i got nearer it bolted into thicker undergrowth. the thickness was probably about the size of an average mans clenched bicep. as it sped off i could clearly see plants and bushes disturbed on its path away from me. an amazing sight as other snakes i have seen that have dissapeared 1 metre from you, you never catch another sign of them as they arent big enough or fast enough too rustle foliage.

i have never seen one of these creatures in the wild before and it was an awe-inspiring sighting. it left me with goose pimples all over and a banging heart rate.

when my buddy arrived to go riding together i told him what i had seen,

some two minutes later he had crashed and ended up in shrubbery away from his bike, i have never seen a man move so fast on all fours. hilarious!!

so watch out if you are on your bicycle behind 700yr stadium, THEY ARE out there!!

i wondered if any of you have had encounters with king cobras in thailand? id love to hear them.

cheers

[H2oDunc]

I have one living under my house here on Samui. Very beautiful creatures and as long as he leaves me alone I will do the same

Edited July 1, 2009 by H2oDunc

[StevieH]

i've seen a couple when doing jungle runs on a saturday, though not as big as 4m in length. there are a lot of then in chiang mai's surrounding area apprently and if you're near running water, streams, waterfalls and whatnot, i'm told to keep an eye out for them.

before i moved to thailand i was a huge fan of snakes but now that i live here i'm very respectful, even a little bit nervous of them.

[IanForbes]

What a marvelous experience, sundaypsycho! King cobras are fascinating creatures and very smart... as well as being deadly. The serve a valuable service in keeping rodents and other snakes in check.

I've only seen a few in the wild and wasn't very successful in getting photos. I have a not bad video of one crossing Sirikut reservoir, but the boat operator wouldn't get any closer than 200 feet. I had to use the video camera at almost maximum telephoto to get any detail and then it was pixelated. I wanted to be let off on the island it was heading for, so I could use my Nikon SLR, but the Thai boat operator was terrified and wouldn't bring out boat to shore.

The other King cobra was in a wooded area next to a small stream in north eastern Thailand. I followed along beside it with my camera from a distance of about 15 feet, but it let me know I shouldn't get any closer. Every time I moved in for photo it raised up and flattened its neck. Unfortunately, all the photos I took were too covered in the brush that separated us and all you can make out are glimses of the big snake. They were definitely large King cobras and not pythons.

[haybilly]

What a marvelous experience, sundaypsycho! King cobras are fascinating creatures and very smart... as well as being deadly. The serve a valuable service in keeping rodents and other snakes in check.

I've only seen a few in the wild and wasn't very successful in getting photos. I have a not bad video of one crossing Sirikut reservoir, but the boat operator wouldn't get any closer than 200 feet. I had to use the video camera at almost maximum telephoto to get any detail and then it was pixelated. I wanted to be let off on the island it was heading for, so I could use my Nikon SLR, but the Thai boat operator was terrified and wouldn't bring out boat to shore.

The other King cobra was in a wooded area next to a small stream in north eastern Thailand. I followed along beside it with my camera from a distance of about 15 feet, but it let me know I shouldn't get any closer. Every time I moved in for photo it raised up and flattened its neck. Unfortunately, all the photos I took were too covered in the brush that separated us and all you can make out are glimses of the big snake. They were definitely large King cobras and not pythons.

I have not yet seen any Hammadryad in Thailand but have been 'lucky' enough to see many in India--seldom in the wild but often as part of some fakir's show--probably minus real fangs/venom--but believe me, if it is in it's own habitat keep well back--they can rise up about 2 metres high and strike very fast--might make an interesting photo--just might be your last, though.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

What a marvelous experience, sundaypsycho! King cobras are fascinating creatures and very smart... as well as being deadly. The serve a valuable service in keeping rodents and other snakes in check.

I've only seen a few in the wild and wasn't very successful in getting photos. I have a not bad video of one crossing Sirikut reservoir, but the boat operator wouldn't get any closer than 200 feet. I had to use the video camera at almost maximum telephoto to get any detail and then it was pixelated. I wanted to be let off on the island it was heading for, so I could use my Nikon SLR, but the Thai boat operator was terrified and wouldn't bring out boat to shore.

The other King cobra was in a wooded area next to a small stream in north eastern Thailand. I followed along beside it with my camera from a distance of about 15 feet, but it let me know I shouldn't get any closer. Every time I moved in for photo it raised up and flattened its neck. Unfortunately, all the photos I took were too covered in the brush that separated us and all you can make out are glimses of the big snake. They were definitely large King cobras and not pythons.

I have not yet seen any Hammadryad in Thailand but have been 'lucky' enough to see many in India--seldom in the wild but often as part of some fakir's show--probably minus real fangs/venom--but believe me, if it is in it's own habitat keep well back--they can rise up about 2 metres high and strike very fast--might make an interesting photo--just might be your last, though.

As the OP mentioned up behind 700 year is a good area. There is a big reservoir of water that attracts snakes. Really any quiet road near water at dusk and wait around to see snakes come out to soak up the last of the heat from the tarmac. Some times of the year seem better but at night fall I have seen a number of good sized snakes and vipers on the road that rings Huay Tung Thao reservoir and other places I like the pedal the bicycle. The trick for the cyclist is to be ready for a bunny hop in the event of an imminent bike snake collision.

[StevieH]

have to say that i've shat myself the two times i've seen them up close. froze on the spot and then shuffled slowly backwards then given them five minutes or so to make their merry way. amazing creatures but i have no intention of dying alone in the jungle like.

[kimincm]

I have one living under my house here on Samui. Very beautiful creatures and as long as he leaves me alone I will do the same

Love your attitude,so much better than this ,"only good snake is a dead snake" I see here on a more than regular basis.

[mcgriffith]

One King was lying in the road on the backside of Doi Pu Kha (near Nan; National Park) as I came around a downhill corner on my motorsai.

Maximum swerve to avoid running it over at 40+ kph.

As I went by, it struck at me....I lifted my feet almost neck high.....startled the sh_t out of me.

I have a very healthy respect for these critters, but I would advise to keep a healthy distance, unless you are a snake expert/wildlife biologist, etc.

Thais have told me stories of friends in villages being bit- and they know how to live with them.

Tread with caution.

[saintofsilence]

These pics are from the snake show in Chiang Mai when I went there last year

[Rinrada]

We get quite a few big ones out in Mae-on usually whacked while trying to cross the road......No road sense ...look right,left and right again and if safe wriggle across.

Locals dont mind as they quickly scoop em up and in a flash its Snake and Chips.....saves going to the market.

Havnt seen too many on our land but last time came across quite a number of the wee speckled green coloured ones...very attractive ..about a metre long but seems they are harmless ...must look up Wicki and check.

[sundaypsychos]

wow, wasnt expecting that that many people have seen them in the wild, i guess the roads are a good place to see them aswell. its funny, just 1 month ago my sister who is in bolivia at a puma rehabilitation camp saw a bushmaster, probably the most dangerous snake in south america.

are they endangered species here in thailand? i hope not as people have said they serve very valuable in the food chain, oh how id love one to whack of some of the bloody dogs in my soi!!

[StevieH]

if you hang around the water in places like huay thung tao reservoir or the chiang khian scout camp at around 5pm then you'll have a fair chance of seeing one.

[T_Dog]

yesterday whilst riding my bike behind the 700yr stadium, i was exiting one corner and i noticed an unfamiliar " log" on the trail ahead of me. as i rode closer the " log" moved. first thought was snake, second thought was big snake as i had previously mistaken it for a log. i am interested in all wildlife and particularly snakes so i threw the bike down and ran to where it had slithered into the bush to get an identification. as i neared it i could begin to see the full length of its body and the unmistakeable " hood" of the k.c. it was a charcoaly black colouring with a yellow colouration under its head and hood.

the snake was probably between 3.5-4metres long( i think they are on record in india as hitting 6metres+) so it must have been an adult, it moved at a good speed as when i got nearer it bolted into thicker undergrowth. the thickness was probably about the size of an average mans clenched bicep. as it sped off i could clearly see plants and bushes disturbed on its path away from me. an amazing sight as other snakes i have seen that have dissapeared 1 metre from you, you never catch another sign of them as they arent big enough or fast enough too rustle foliage.

i have never seen one of these creatures in the wild before and it was an awe-inspiring sighting. it left me with goose pimples all over and a banging heart rate.

when my buddy arrived to go riding together i told him what i had seen,

some two minutes later he had crashed and ended up in shrubbery away from his bike, i have never seen a man move so fast on all fours. hilarious!!

so watch out if you are on your bicycle behind 700yr stadium, THEY ARE out there!!

i wondered if any of you have had encounters with king cobras in thailand? id love to hear them.

cheers

Welcome to TV sundaypsychos and thanks for the report! I ride through that area fairly often, and am wondering if you saw it up in the trees or where the trails go through the area by the small pot holes? They are territorial so chances are it lives right in the area you saw it. I've not seen a live Cobra in the wild yet even though I do quite a bit of riding on single track trails. Some friends in the CM Hiking Club found and photographed a Python last year about the same size. They are out there! Happy riding!

[Crow Boy]

We get quite a few big ones out in Mae-on usually whacked while trying to cross the road......No road sense ...look right,left and right again and if safe wriggle across.

Locals dont mind as they quickly scoop em up and in a flash its Snake and Chips.....saves going to the market.

Havnt seen too many on our land but last time came across quite a number of the wee speckled green coloured ones...very attractive ..about a metre long but seems they are harmless ...must look up Wicki and check.

Sounds like a kukri snake - non poisonous, eats small rodents and frogs etc. Useful in the garden and when they get bigger they eat other snakes. They can be very fast and as the name implies have wickedly sharp teeth that curve backwards.

Enjoy but don't play with snakes unless you are POSITIVE you can identify and handle them.

FYI the common rat snake is identical to the common cobra. They are often used in snake shows because they will bite at ANYHING that moves. The big difference is that they are not poisonous. Still they are very agressive and have a nasty bite if they connect.

CB

[sundaypsychos]

t dog, after entering the trails from behind the guard shack. you have a bit of dirt before hitting the concrete that skirts the reservoir. after leaving that concrete again on the largest trail, you go for about 150metres before a semi/steep rutted uphill section. it was crossing that rutted uphill section heading inland.

i went out again yesterday at the sam time with my camera and stayed till dark but no sign of it!! wishful thinking i guess!

[IanForbes]

King cobras DO get very long (up to 18 feet) but they are slendar for their length. They are a highly intelligent reptile and can think.

King cobras don't have the little circle mark behind their head like the spectical cobras do. As somebody already said, they are territorial and live in a selected home... often a cave.

[T_Dog]

Ian... Do I detect a little exit anxiety in your posture! Nice photos!

[T_Dog]

t dog, after entering the trails from behind the guard shack. you have a bit of dirt before hitting the concrete that skirts the reservoir. after leaving that concrete again on the largest trail, you go for about 150metres before a semi/steep rutted uphill section. it was crossing that rutted uphill section heading inland.

i went out again yesterday at the sam time with my camera and stayed till dark but no sign of it!! wishful thinking i guess!

Wow, I expected the area further in where all the water potholes are, more toward Huay Tung Tao. Thanks for the update. I've seen tons of smaller snakes but never a Cobra. My wife and I found a tree snake wrapped up on a frog two weeks ago toward Op Khan Falls and as I tried to photograph it, it leaped up into a tree right next to me. Got my attention! I thought it would just slither away on the ground but it went for vertical. Be really careful photographing snakes as I have seen the red ones lunge 2 meters toward workers trying to dispatch them. I've heard some say that Cobras can only strike downward from their head, but there was a show on TV a while back where the cobra flies up toward a guy at a 45 degree angle. Wild snakes can be rather unpredictable.

[Loaded]

I've seen loads of different snakes on the exercise track near Huay Tung Tao while riding my bike. Never seen a cobra there, yet! I'm sure they are around. They scare the life out of me.

Just in case you are bitten, what should you do?

I've heard kill the snake and take with you to the hospital, but easier said than done. Where's the best place to go? IE where is there anti venom?

[BigSnake]

Give our friends in the snake world a wide Berth and they will do like wise. As we all know many bite happen while trying to kill the snake, why not just let it slither away.

[StevieH]

I've seen loads of different snakes on the exercise track near Huay Tung Tao while riding my bike. Never seen a cobra there, yet! I'm sure they are around. They scare the life out of me.

Just in case you are bitten, what should you do?

I've heard kill the snake and take with you to the hospital, but easier said than done. Where's the best place to go? IE where is there anti venom?

think if a king cobra bites you out in the wild you're pretty screwed aren't you?

[Gonzo the Face]

King cobras DO get very long (up to 18 feet) but they are slendar for their length. They are a highly intelligent reptile and can think.

King cobras don't have the little circle mark behind their head like the spectical cobras do. As somebody already said, they are territorial and live in a selected home... often a cave.

Just a little aside.... Note Ian the Snake Handler.......unfortunately the other guys are fondling the skin on the snake,,,,,,, but look at Ian's left hand. Its fondling the snakeskin on the guys wallet....

Way to go Ian

Ian that expession is perfect for someone caught with a hand in the wrong pocket..... love it.....

gonzo

Edited July 3, 2009 by Gonzo the Face

[sundaypsychos]

stevie h, if the wildlife documentaries i watch are to be believed, i dont think you are screwed. although a pretty intimidating looking beast its venom is not as potent as that of smaller cobras or kraits for example.

if it was me i would try to get the identification, tourniquet the bitten limb, and then head as quickly as possible to a hospital. in fact i dont think an identification is 100% necessary as they now have a anti-venom cocktail that encompasses most of the dangerous species of snakes venom.

and i would definitley not try and kill the snake as it was only protecting itself in its own environment. in my living room might be a different story though!

[wolf5370]

Guy at the snake farm told me with a Thai Cobra (more poisonous than King), you have about 45 minutes to get to hospital - but may still loose a limb due to tissue damage - he was missing 3 fingers from just such a bite (had been bitten 9 times!). Also is best to take the snake as helps specialise the anti-venom.

[IanForbes]

Thanks for my morning laugh, gonzo. The strange expression on my face and odd body position is because of the snakes strength. It was trying to straighten and pull free, and it was pulling my head to one side. I really woudn't want to piss one off in the wild. I'm fairly comfortable with dangerous wild creatures but a lot has to do with reading their body language and not threatening them. Twice I'm come close to running over cobras with my motorcycle and once I almost hit a large python with my bike.

[Datsun240Z]

I love snake, when....

They are on my plate.

[Crow Boy]

stevie h, if the wildlife documentaries i watch are to be believed, i dont think you are screwed. although a pretty intimidating looking beast its venom is not as potent as that of smaller cobras or kraits for example.

The venom is very toxic and a combination of three types of poison, neuro, hemo and nectotoxins. However the king cobra does not always bit it victims. The head of the snake is coverned in a thick skull cap of scales and when the snake strikes it will often use its head as a battering ram. It is a very powerful blow and the purpose is to protect the delicate fangs. After the prey is battered the snake can then sink the fangs with care and poison the animal. Remember the main purpose of the poison is to prepare it for digestion. Snakes can and frequently do eat their prey while still alive albeit subdued.

if it was me i would try to get the identification, tourniquet the bitten limb, and then head as quickly as possible to a hospital. in fact i dont think an identification is 100% necessary as they now have a anti-venom cocktail that encompasses most of the dangerous species of snakes venom.

Like most things first aid treatment depends on what is at hand. Using a tournequet works but causes significant damage to the limb by stopping the blood flow. Do NOT wash the wound or suck out the poison. If possible place a sterile pad directly over the bite wound, make the spot with a marker pen, then wrap a wide constrictive bandage around the wound then UP the entire limb as far as it will go, Then using more bandages wind it back down to the very end of the limb and back up. Two to three crepe bandages are good. Split the limb and avoid moving. Get to hospital asap and report a snake bite. The doctors will do a test wipe at the suspected bite site and check for which types of poisons are present and prescribe a cocktail of antivenene.

The poison travels via the lymph system and the important part is to slow it down as much as possible. The victim must be kept calm and carried out.

and i would definitley not try and kill the snake as it was only protecting itself in its own environment. in my living room might be a different story though!

Snakes can and will kill if frightened or threatened so best is to avoid them. In Thailand they are a common experience. If you try to kill it for identification the chances are you will be bitten and that bite will probably be the lethal one.

CB

[Loaded]

Which hospitals in Chiang Mai are likely to have anti venom?

I'm just off for my Saturday morning bike ride at Huay Tung Tao and this thread has f###### scared the life out of me. I'm expecting a king cobra to head-but me before biting me this morning.

Edited July 4, 2009 by Loaded

[Crow Boy]

Which hospitals in Chiang Mai are likely to have anti venom?

All the major hospitals in CM have access to the antivenon

It is manufactured in Bangkok by the Red Cross. The are the second oldest facility in the world - I think the one in Brazil was the first. They use live horses to produce the antivenom. The handlers at the Red Cross milk the snakes and then inject the horse with it. Over many bites and with increased dose the horse develop an immunity to the poison and the antibodies are taken out and used to produce antivenene.

They use different groups of horses for different types of snakes and produce different types of antivenene. One of the problems with asiatic snakes including the cobra family is that the snakes have multiple poisons. All poisonous snakes produce venom which is a protein variant of saliva. The saliva has evolved into being poisonous to other animals including other snakes. The poison is of three different types:

Hemotoxin - breaks down the blood so that it effectively leaks out of the vessels and drowns the animal with fluid into the lungs

Neurotoxin - attacks the central nervous system which controls the circulatory and respiratory system. The victim dies of heart/lung failure

Necrotoxin - this attacks the tissue around the bite site and in the lymphatic system. It is primarily an aid to digestion.

Asiatic snakes produce two or all three types of the poisons making them very effective. The individual snakes also produce different ratios of the poisons depending on where they come from and the type of prey they target.

Bottom line is that if a snake bites you then it is EXREMELY important that you do NOT wash away the poison from the bite site so that the pathologist can determine what type of snake venom, the types of poison protein, and the ratio of the three types in that bite. A very important part is also to determine IF the snake actually bit you at all. Injecting antivenine into a casualty who has not been bitten is really bad.

Back to the question - if bitten I would get the first aid right and then get someone to take me by car as quickly as possible to Rama IV or similar. If the first aid is done correctly you have about three to four hours. If done incorrectly or not at all you probably won't have enough time to write out you will.

I'm just off for my Saturday morning bike ride at Huay Tung Tao and this thread has f###### scared the life out of me. I'm expecting a king cobra to head-but me before biting me this morning.

You are much more at risk of being bitten by a soi dog than a snake in Thailand and the dogs often carry nasty diseases including rabies.

This photo is of the resident python I have living about five feet above my head.

CB