Cobra Vs. Anaconda
The anaconda and the king cobra are two of the largest and most deadly snakes in the world. They attain similar lengths (over three times the height of the average man), but have very different physiologies and predatory techniques. While they live on different continents and so will not come into contact with each another, a comparison between the two shows why both are among the most feared reptiles on earth.
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Length
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The anaconda and the king cobra are the two longest species of snakes in the world. On average they reach similar length when fully mature, but the cobra can grow around a foot longer than the anaconda; 18 feet as opposed to 17 feet.
Mass
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While the king cobra may just beat the anaconda in terms of body length, it is no match for it when it comes to body mass. Pound for pound, the anaconda is the largest snake in the world, capable of weighing more than 550 lbs. and measuring more than 12 inches in diameter. The cobra, in contrast, rarely weighs more than 20 lbs. or has a diameter over 4 inches.
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Killing
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The anaconda's muscle mass is used to kill its prey. It is a constrictor, catching its prey with its mouth, then coiling its body around the animal and using its huge muscles to squeeze and suffocate the animal. The anaconda does not have any venom. The cobra, in contrast, has a highly potent venom. While not the most venomous snake in the world, a single bite from the cobra, delivering just 1/5 oz. of venom, is enough to kill 20 people.
Prey
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Anacondas eat much larger animals than the cobra does. Its diet consists of wild pigs, deer, capybara, turtles, and the anaconda has even been known to prey on other predators such as caimans and jaguars. The cobra primarily hunts other snakes, including venomous ones, as well as lizards, the eggs of reptiles and birds, and small mammals such as rats.
Adaptability
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The anaconda lives primarily in the water, inhabiting slow-moving streams, swamps and marshes. The water supports its weight, and its size makes it cumbersome on land. It also prevents it from climbing trees. The cobra, however, is equally as comfortable on land, in the water and in the trees.
Range
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The king cobra and the anaconda are unlikely to ever come into conflict as they are native to different continents. The cobra lives in Asia, inhabiting the plains and rain forests of China, India and Southeast Asia. The anaconda is found in South America, living in the rain forests of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in countries including Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.
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References
- Photo Credit snake5 image by Clarence Alford from Fotolia.com
