Overview

• IFS officer Parveen Kaswan shared an 11-second video on X showing an unidentified man gripping a massive King Cobra with his bare hands
• The post has drawn thousands of reactions reflecting a mix of awe, fear and curiosity about human encounters with the world’s longest venomous snake
• Viewers’ questions about proper encounter procedures have prompted calls for clearer guidelines on safely handling or distancing from King Cobras
• King Cobras can reach up to 18 feet in length and deliver neurotoxic venom potent enough to kill large mammals, underscoring the risks of close contact
• The Indian Forest Service continues to use viral footage to educate the public about the snake’s habitat in the Western Ghats, Northeast India and Odisha and to promote its conservation