Cobras have been the most revered
reptiles in India. Perhaps the only reptiles to have a high spiritual
significance in our culture, cobras are both respected and feared throughout
the country. This has also been the reason that cobras aren't easily attacked
by spectators.
The Indian sub-continent hosts four
types of cobra species – the Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja), Monocled Cobra (Naja
kaouthia), Andaman Cobra (Naja sagittifera) and Central Asian Cobra (Naja
oxiana). However, it is Spectacled and Monocled cobras that occur vastly
throughout the country. Both these cobra species share the same habitat but are
quite different in their behavior.
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| Monocled Cobra (Naja kaouthia) |
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| Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja) |
For rescuers, it is important to
have enough knowledge of cobra behavior before handling/rescuing one. Rescue tactics
would largely depend upon the behavior of the particular specimen, the condition of
the cobra and the length/age of the species.
