Monocled cobra: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the monocled cobra lives – recorded in 5 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Naja kaouthia
Group	Snakes
Status	Least concern (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Found in	5 countries
Continents	Asia
Class	Reptile
Order	Squamata
Family	Elapidae

Where does the monocled cobra live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the monocled cobra in 5 countries and territories across Asia. Wikidata gives its range as: People's Republic of China.

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

Is the monocled cobra endangered?

The monocled cobra’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Least concern” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.

What kind of animal is the monocled cobra?

The monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia) is a reptile in the order Squamata and the family Elapidae, genus Naja. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the monocled cobra

The monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia), also called monocellate cobra and Indian spitting cobra, is a venomous cobra species widespread across South and Southeast Asia. It is characterized by a distinctive circular or "monocle"-shaped marking on the hood, though the pattern can be highly variable or even absent in some individuals. It occupies a wide range of habitats, including forests, agricultural land, and areas near human settlements. It is responsible for a significant proportion of snakebite incidents and fatalities in its range, due to its potent neurotoxic venom and frequent proximity to human settlements. Some populations of the monocled cobra have the ability to spit venom with notable accuracy, though not all individuals exhibit this behavior.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Monocled cobra (revision 1375674284), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q41165 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).