Page 12 - Jan-Mar 2019

Naga-The Snake Guardian tHe gOOd SnAKe!

The Tamils call cobras Nulla
Pambu – the good snake.
indiAn cOBrA

The Indian Cobra or King cOBrA
the popular Naga of Scientific Name:
Indian culture finds a Ophiophagus hannah
special place in India, through local Names: Kala
wildlife, mythology, customs
and festivals. nag, Naga raja (Hindi),
Sankhachoor (Bengali),
Indian Cobra (Naja naja) is Ahiraja (Odia), Krishna
famous for its spectacular sarpam (Malayalam), Raja
display where it spreads nagum (Tamil)
its large impressive hood Illustration by: S. Mithun Raj, King Cobra is the world’s
on being threatened. The XI A, Alpha English Higher longest venomous snake
generic name and the Secondary School, Puducherry and the deadliest of them all.
specific epithet of the Indian King Cobras inject a larger
cobra, Naja, are derived from the Latinisation of quantity of venom and can store Illustration by:
Sheetal,
‘Naga’ the Sanskrit word meaning cobra. enough venom to kill an Asian IX H, KPS, Ambala
The Indian Cobra also known as the Spectacled Elephant too. Cantt.
Cobra, is a medium-sized, heavy bodied snake, M. sri Vikash, riverside Public school,
with most adult snakes ranging from 3 to 5 ft. in Kotagiri
length. Throughout its massive range, the Indian
cobra’s colour and pattern varies quite a bit.
indiAn cOBrA VS King cOBrA

Great relevance in Indian National Reptile of India
MY BOLd eYe! Culture

The Indian cobra protects itself Belongs to the Naja of Contrary to the name,
sometimes by turning its back to Cobras it belongs to a different
predators in an attempt to intimidate group and is its only
them with the ‘bold eye’ markings on member
the back of their hood. The extending Huge and wide hood Narrow and longer hood
of the hood also protects the Circular markings on the Inverted v-shaped
snake by making it difficult for back of the hood markings on the neck
the teeth of a predator to grip it.
Priya, Viii, Dundlod Vidyapeeth, Jhunjhunu; b. Praneetha, Viii D, akshara
school, Kakinada

ActiVitY: dAnce OF deAtH
The most common snakes used by snake charmers in India are the
Indian Cobra. As cobras are sensitive snakes and refuse to take food
except under ideal conditions, they usually die within a couple of
months of being sold to the charmers.

Write a newspaper report about the snake charmers in your region
and make suggestions of useful professions for them related to
snakes. Illustration by: U. Seershika, IX B, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Atmakuri
Rama Rao School, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

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