King cobra nest discovered in Hat Yai rubber plantation
A team of southern herpetologists and rescue workers recently discovered a king cobra’s nest in a rubber plantation in Hat Yai. They plan to incubate the eggs before releasing the hatchlings into the wild.
Upon receiving a report from a 49 year old local called Charan Jankaew, residing at house number 59, Ban Nai Si, Moo 4, Thung Tamsao Subdistrict, Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, the rescue team went to investigate. Charan reported that a king cobra had made a nest and laid eggs near a bamboo clump adjacent to his rubber plantation.
Upon arrival, the team found a large king cobra consuming a lesser snake beside its nest. They waited for the cobra to finish its meal before attempting to capture it. The process took approximately 13 minutes due to the snake’s aggressive nature and protective instinct over the eggs. The captured cobra measured 3.10 metres in length and was placed in a sack for relocation.
After securing the snake, the team dismantled the nest and placed the eggs in a foam box. The captured snake was then transported and released into a remote forest area, far from human settlements. The eggs will be incubated and, once hatched, the young snakes will be released back into their natural habitat.
Recently, a member of the herpetology team, using the Facebook account Bao Mueprap Bongla Dan Tai Pa Yai Nat Wi, posted images of the uncovered eggs. A total of 44 eggs were counted, and the team is now waiting to see how many will successfully hatch.
According to information from the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, king cobras mate between November and March, laying between 12 and 51 eggs from January to May. The mother snake guards and incubates the eggs until they hatch within 60 to 70 days, typically from March to July, reported Sanook.
The Venomous Snake Club previously encountered the highest number of king cobra eggs, with a record of 80 eggs found in Chai Nat Province, marking it as the highest number of eggs laid by a king cobra.
