Good morning Science Geeks, Today is a brand new day to lean and thus i am very excited to share to you all the things i have learned in my Biology class -about the Philippine Cobra.
'Snakes' are elongated, legless, carnivorous reptiles. There are many families and species of snakes. Snakes are found almost in every part of the world and most of us feared and are scared of them.In poisonous snakes the labial glands have become modified into poison glands and these do not help them in digestion. The tongue is bifid at the apex. Some of this dangerous snakes are Cobras, Krait and Vipers. But the thing that really scares people is the Philippine Cobra.
photo source
The Philippine Cobra
The Philippine is home to some of the most beautiful and dangerous species in the world.The Philippine cobra was described by American herpetologist Edward Harrison Taylor in 1922. To note that he generic name naja is a Latinisation of the Sanskrit word nāgá (नाग) meaning "cobra". The specific epithet philippinensis is Latin and literally means "from the Philippine Islands".
The 3 Kinds of Philippine Cobra
Little we know about this , actually the Philippine Cobra have three species of spitting cobras that are native to the Philippines:
The Equatorial Spitting Cobra
photo source
The Southeastern Philippine Cobra
photo source
and the Northern Philippine Cobra
photo source
Where can we found them ?
photo source
That is the map that shows specifically on where these cobras live. The Philippine cobra is endemic to the Philippines. It occurs in the northern regions of the Philippine Islands. They can be found on the islands of Catanduanes, Luzon, Marinduque, Masbate, and Mindoro. It is also likely that this species may occur in other neighboring islands, but this remains unconfirmed. Records from the Calamianes group and Palawan require confirmation.
These Cobras are widely spread all over the northernmost part of the Philippines and they inhabitat low-lying plains and forested regions, along with open fields, grasslands, dense jungle, agricultural fields, human settlements, and they can even be found in urban areas.
Philippine Cobra: The Venom
photo source
Most of us really feared to get bitten by snakes, especially getting near to a Philippine Cobra. Among all Cobra species, Toxicological experts claim that Philippine Cobra possess one of the most toxic venoms. One bite from these deadly “sniper” Spitting Cobras can kill a person within half an hour. Their venom has the deadly ability to interrupt the transmission of nerve signals and to cripple respiratory systems. Only the Caspian Cobras (Naja Oxiana) are known to produce a more powerful venom than that of the Filipino species. These venomous snakes could destroy a person vital organs easily.
They are capable of accurately "spitting" their venom at a target that is up to 3 m (9.84 ft) away from where they are. Imagine that distance.Its diet consists of mice, small rats, frogs, lizards and other snakes.
What happens if you got bit by this Cobra?
photo source
Bites by the Philippine cobra produce prominent neurotoxicity with minimal to no local signs
But these are the Symptoms
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- dizziness
- difficulty breathing
photo source
DEATH
Snake Bites by the Philippine Cobra is a common cause of death among Rice farmers in this tropical country. According to a research by the U.S Naval Medical Research Unit, the death rate from cobras bites was estimated to be as high as 107.1 deaths per 100,000 per year at one site. Approximately 98% of the research victims were males, and only 8% of them reached a hospital.
Although venom toxicity values can vary greatly even among specimens of the same species, the Philippine cobra has the most toxic venom among all of the Naja (cobra) species according to all known toxicological studies which give the species a value (only conducted on mice), thus making it the most venomous cobra species in the world.
This video observed the behavior of the worlds Most deadliest cobra.
Although they are extremely dangerous, snakes play a vital role in the equilibrium of our ecosystem. Maintaining a high level of biodiversity is important to all life on Earth, including humans, and snakes are an important part of that biodiversity. To know that without them the numbers of prey species would increase to unnatural levels and the predators that eat snakes struggle to find food.The fact that snakes are a key component in the balance of nature.Their presence or removal from an area directly impacts the health of an ecosystem.
Thank you so much, be safe everyone :)
Sources
1.Master, C.(2014)Philippine Cobra: Deadliest on the Planet?. Retrieved on May 10, 2018 from https://cobras.org/philippine-cobra/
2.Brits in the Philippines(2018)Philippine cobra the most deadly Cobra in the world. Retrieved on May 10, 2018 from https://britsinthephilippines.top/philippine-cobra/
3.Emiliya A.(2017)Philippines’ “Cobra King” Dies After Drinking Blood of Poisonous Snake That Bit Him. Retrieved on May 10, 2018 from http://www.odditycentral.com/news/philippines-cobra-king-dies-after-drinking-blood-of-poisonous-snake-that-bit-him.html
4.Shree, K. (2013)What roles do snakes play in their ecosystems to maintain equilibrium?. Retrieved on may 10, 2018 from https://www.quora.com/What-roles-do-snakes-play-in-their-ecosystems-to-maintain-equilibrium
Video
1.GMA Public Affairs(2018)Born to Be Wild: Doc Ferds observes the behavior of the Samar cobra. Retrieved on May 10, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/