It's bad enough to run into a cobra on land, but in Africa, there are even cobras in the water. The water cobra's strong, streamlined body makes it an expert swimmer, and the snake uses special motion-detecting vision to locate prey underwater. The cobra then dives quickly to make the kill. The water cobra doesn't slither around as easily when it ventures onto land, however, and it has to keep a sharp lookout for potential enemies; black stripes around its body help keep the cobra camouflaged.
Earning Its Stripes: Most species of water cobra have thick black bands around their bodies. When in water or on land, these stripes help break up the snake's outline against rocks and plants so prey-and potential enemies-won't spot it.
Look Ahead: This snake is a swift swimmer, but is somewhat out of its element on land. When crawling on solid ground, the water cobra usually moves slowly, and will often rear up to peek over obstacles to make sure its path is clear of danger.
Lagoon Living[]
When on land, the water cobra sneaks a peek at what lies ahead.
As its name implies, the water cobra spends most of its time in water. This snake is as "at home" as a fish in lakes, lagoons or forests that have been flooded. Africa's narrow Lake Tanganyika, the longest lake in the world, is the habitat for hundreds of water cobras. During the day, they search the shallows of the lake for prey. When the water cobra bites a fish, it doesn't let go-it lets the victim struggle in its jaws for a few seconds until its venom takes effect, then begins to swallow the fish whole.
Flight, Not Fight: Like all cobras, this snake spreads out a thin "hood" of skin and scales around its neck when disturbed. The water cobra isn't as aggressive as others in its family, though, and is more likely to flee from threats than to strike at aggressors.
Seafood Lover: Because water cobras hunt mostly fish, their venom is suited to act quickly on aquatic prey. When attacking small mammals, the cobra's toxins work more slowly; this gives the victims, such as rats, a chance to bite and hurt the snake.
Sea Snakes[]
The water cobra isn't the only aquatic snake out there. It is cousin to the sea krait, also a water snake, but which dwells in salty seas, usually around coral reefs. Though the water cobra's venom is only mildly dangerous to people, the sea krait has the deadliest venom of any snake in the world. Luckily, the krait shares the shy personality of the water cobra and avoids confrontations.
