Cobras are traveling by train and spreading across India

On the move

Cobras are spreading throughout India by utilizing the world's busiest railway system. Science magazine reports that an increasing number of these snakes are being rescued after slipping into carriages on Indian trains.

Searching for food

It appears these creatures board stationary trains, drawn inside by the rodents living within the carriages.

Reaching unintended destinations

Experts explain that the snakes are looking for easy prey and enter for this reason. However, once trains start moving, the cobras are already inside and often end up in unexpected places, joining new ecosystems and cities in India where they previously did not exist.

A venomous species

Biologist Dikansh Parmar told Science that king cobras, among the most venomous and longest snake species in the world, are now appearing in regions where they have not been found before.

Harmful to both

"This includes cities where the danger increases for both people and the snakes themselves," the source highlights.

In Western Goa

Independent notes that the Western Ghats king cobra (Ophiophagus kaalinga) has been recorded in several parts of western Goa. How did it arrive there? By traveling via train.

Not their natural habitat

Usually, experts say, this species is native to the inland forests of Goa, near rivers and streams. Now, however, it can be found in India's well-known coastal areas, all due to their journeys by train.

Between 2002 and 2024

Sometimes, these venomous snakes are rescued and their discoveries documented. According to these reports, between 2002 and 2024, Indian researchers observed Ophiophagus kaalinga cobras in different parts of Goa where they would not normally be found.

In other areas of Goa

Specifically, 18 were located in the north and 29 in the southern part of Goa.

Please take action

As a result, Indian authorities have begun efforts to halt the migration of king cobras into regions where they are not native.

Rescues

Thanks to the mobile phones of passengers and railway workers, not only sightings but also rescues and the safe return of these snakes to their original habitats have been documented.

For them and for humans

Indian authorities warn that the movement of these reptiles on trains, and their subsequent introduction to new cities where they were previously absent, brings risks for both people and the snakes themselves.

Lethal bite

For humans, the danger comes from the introduction of a new venomous species whose bite can disrupt the victim's central nervous system. It can cause severe pain at the site, blurred vision, and even kidney, respiratory, or heart failure.

Not aggressive

Specialists say these snakes are usually not aggressive unless provoked. However, if encountered inside a train or in unfamiliar urban environments, they may feel threatened and attack anyone nearby.

Danger for the snakes too

For the king cobras themselves, the threat includes being killed by people who find them or being introduced into ecosystems very different from their natural habitats, where they may face new predators or have less food to support their survival.

Queens of the Snakes

King cobras are considered among the most impressive species in the snake world. They are notable for their striking olive-green, gray, or black coloration, accented with yellow bands and a cream or yellowish underside.