We humans are at the top of the food chain and can defeat many creatures in nature. However, when facing some specific creatures, we still feel nervous and fearful in our hearts, such as snakes.
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Most people will be nervous and afraid when they see a snake, whether it is poisonous or not, as if our fear of snakes is engraved in our genes.
Even some people who have never seen a snake will always worry about being bitten when they see a snake. Snakes have a very strong ability to survive. Except for some polar cold areas where there are no snakes, they can be found everywhere else, whether on land or in the ocean.
In fact, snakes are a very ancient creature, and they have existed on the earth for more than 150 million years. Over the years, more than 3,000 types of it have been known, and there are more than 650 types of viper alone.
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When we are in the wild, we will inevitably encounter them, and they are always hidden in hidden and inconspicuous places. If someone accidentally breaks into its territory, it will launch a surprise attack. If it is a non-venomous snake, will be fine. If it is bitten, it will only hurt. If it is a venomous snake, it will be troublesome.
Among these venomous snakes, cobra is the most feared one because it is extremely toxic and only takes 15 milligrams to cause death.
cobra is actually a general name for people of the cobra genus . In addition to cobra, there are also king cobra , saliva snake , water cobra, etc., which are collectively called cobras. These snakes all have one characteristic, that is, they are basically large venomous snakes.
According to statistics, there are currently more than 20 confirmed species of the genus Cobra, and these cobras are basically distributed in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Most cobras are relatively large and can grow to about 1.2m-2.5m.
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Plains, hills, bamboo forests or bushes in mountainous areas are all places that cobras like. Therefore, the chance of seeing cobras in rural areas is relatively high.
Their appearance ranges from light yellow and white, to dark brown, to black. Generally speaking, the more upright-looking the cobra, the more venomous it is. The most terrifying thing is that some of them can spray venom, so even if you are not bitten, you may be poisoned if you get close to it. Therefore, in some areas, people also call cobra the "King of Snakes".
However, all things in the world are interdependent. Even the feared cobras have their natural enemies that can restrain them. They fly in the sky and run on the ground, such as eagles, honey badgers, snake vultures... is their nemesis.
Among the natural enemies of these venomous snakes, the snake vulture is definitely the most beautiful one. It is a raptor from Africa. It can grow to 1.2m-1.5m in length and is a nightmare for many African venomous snakes.
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Although the snake vulture is a bird of prey, it has a very beautiful appearance. There is a circle of black crest feathers on its head. When it moves, the crest feathers will flutter, which is very eye-catching. Moreover, its eyes are round and big, bright and energetic, and its eyelashes are long and very thick, which are particularly obvious against the bright orange-red skin around the eyes.
Its legs are slender and powerful, resembling a red-crowned crane . It has uniform light gray feathers and tail feathers that look like spears, making it look elegant yet majestic.
The crest of the snake vulture usually hangs obediently on the back of the head. Once it is alert or angry, it will stand up, which is full of intimidation. Because the snake vultures at this time looked like medieval European secretaries holding quills behind their ears for easy access at any time, they were also called "secretary birds".
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The wings of snake vultures are very large. The wings can reach about 2 meters. Not only can they reach an altitude of 4,000 meters, but they can also hover in the air for a long time. But the strange thing is that they don’t like to fly. , even when frightened, they rarely flap their wings and fly away.
Compared with other birds that like to swim in the air, the snake vulture is like a "veteran cadre" and prefers to "walk" slowly and leisurely on the grassland. It is a veritable "race walking champion".
However, during the breeding season of snake vultures, they will take off because the male birds have to perform difficult wave-like flight performances to court mates. The snake vulture is a very dedicated bird. Once they find a partner, they will stay together for life until death. In their world, there is only "widowhood" and no "divorce". It is a rare "monogamy" system in the animal world.
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When snake eagles hunt, they do not rely on brute force like other raptors, but rely on high intelligence to hunt. They eat venomous snakes like eating spicy strips, so they Also known as the "Snake Killer".
In the middle of the last century, naturalist von Sommeren revealed the process of snake vultures hunting venomous snakes.
One day, when he was observing the hunting process of the snake vulture at close range, he found a cobra about 1 meter in length crawling in the grass near the snake vulture. Soon, the cobra's movements attracted the attention of the nearby snake vulture.
At the beginning, the snake vulture did not immediately launch an attack. Instead, it spread its wings, flapped continuously, and kept running near the cobra, as if dancing. Soon, under the constant jumping of the snake vulture, the cobra crawled around and successfully made itself dizzy.
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At this time, the snake vulture seized the opportunity to launch an attack. It used its hard beak to peck the cobra, and used its long and powerful legs to kick the cobra vigorously. From time to time, it would also move the snake back and forth on the ground. He beat it hard, and soon the snake was exhausted from the torture.
At this time, the snake vulture used its sharp beak to peck the snake's vital part hard. After the snake was completely dead, it elegantly swallowed the snake into its belly bit by bit.
During the entire hunting process, the snake vulture's feet, wings, and beak are its fighting tools. Its spread wings cast on the ground, becoming a shadow surrounding the snake. Its feet are so powerful that it can stun a leopard 's cub with one kick, and its beak is sharp and hard, and it can peck a leopard's cub. The last bite was a bloody hole, and its dance-like movements were just a set of fake moves to confuse the prey.
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It can be said that snake vultures have super high IQ, and they use this intelligence to the extreme when hunting. Only such birds of prey can be called the "pride of Africans."
In reality, the general public likes the snake vulture very much, because it is not only smart and powerful, but also beautiful and elegant. Many countries highly respect it. South Africa has it printed on its national emblem, and Sudan regards it as its national bird.
However, their beauty and power have been subject to poaching. Now, the habitat of the snake vulture is disturbed and the living environment is threatened. The number of the snake vulture is decreasing year by year. Now, they have become a vulnerable species and have to Said, this is a very regrettable thing.
