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Black-necked Spitting Cobra — printable fact sheet
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Black-necked Spitting Cobra
Naja nigricollis
The spitting cobra does not really spit — it sprays. Its fangs have forward-facing openings near the tip rather than at the bottom, and a sharp contraction of muscle around the venom gland fires venom out of them under pressure, over a couple of metres. It aims, and it aims at t…
Did you know?
- Unlike most cobras, the Black-necked Spitting Cobra often prefers to flee rather than stand its ground, using its spitting ability as a last resort.
- It does not spit — it sprays, firing venom from forward-facing holes in its fangs under muscular pressure. It aims for the eyes, tracking the face and sweeping the spray to improve its odds of a hit. The venom is harmless on skin but can blind if not washed out of the eye immediately. Spitting evolved separately several times in cobras — possibly as a defence against our own ancestors.
What I learned
Draw the black-necked spitting cobra
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