Question

The only snake that builds a nest is-
a. Krait
b. King Cobra
c. Chain Viper
d. Saw-scaled Viper

Answer 1

Hint: The only snake that builds a nest is found in India. It is a venomous snake species of the family Elapidae, which are endemic throughout Southern Asia. They can be identified by a larger head and narrower hood that they have in compared to other cobra species. They also have a pair of large scales which are called occipitals, located at the head. These species of snakes are usually of shy and nervous nature, but can turn aggressive when triggered. They are the only species of snake which are known to build nests. For this, the snakes use leaves, wigs and other dry vegetations.

Complete answer:
The king cobra is the only nest building snake found in India. The main reason for building a nest is to keep the eggs safe. The king cobra can lay about thirty to forty eggs at a time.
The nest prepared by the female king cobra is generally made up of leaves, weeds and loose vegetations. All these are all tucked together to form a nest-like structure. The nests are generally made at the base of trees and contain several chambers.

> The female King Cobra further puts more leaves and plants to camouflage its nest. This helps in protection of eggs and also the heat generated from the decomposing vegetations helps to keep their eggs warm. Throughout this entire time, the female King Cobra stays with its eggs and ferociously protects the hatchings.

> The option (a) Krait is the venomous snakes which are also known as Indian krait or blue krait. The scientific name of Krait is Bungarus caeruleus. They are generally black or bluish black in color and are mainly found in the Indian subcontinent. They prefer to live in termite mounds, rat holes and also inside houses. They are also frequently found in water bodies.

> The option (c) Chain Viper, also known as Russell’s viper are the species of venomous snakes and are almost found throughout the Asian continent. In India they are found in Punjab, Karnataka and Bengal. The scientific name of Chain Viper is Daboia russelii. They are easily identified as they contain lenticular or more precisely lunar marks all over its body. They can live in any habitat, preferably in forest areas and in pairs.

> The option (d) Saw-scaled Viper is mainly known as Echis. They are found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and in a few parts of Africa. They have a slender body with rounded snout and big eyes. They are found in arid or deserted areas.

Hence the option (b) King Cobra is the correct answer.

Additional information:
The scientific name of King Cobra is Ophiophagus Hannah. The female King Cobra generally starts laying eggs from late March to late May. The hatchlings of this species of snakes are equally venomous like the adults. They show a prominent color, which fades away as they grow up.

Note: The male King Cobra usually finds shelter in the animal burrows, trees, rocks etc, while all the females’ makes a specialized nest for their hatchlings. Unlike a bird, who builds their nest for incubation of eggs, the female king cobra primarily builds the nest to provide protection to her eggs. The female king cobra also uses certain materials like dry leaves to cover its eggs.