How venomous is a king cobra and what should you do if you see one? Kuya Kim answers

Have you ever encountered a snake, let alone a king cobra? How about two king cobras?

As seen on Kuya Kim's Sunday report on "24 Oras," that's what happened to motorists in Mawab, Davao de Oro when two king cobras were spotted on the side of the road, causing traffic.

The two snakes were coiling around each other, as seen in the video uploaded by Arjay Perez.

"Ang ginagawa ng dalawang king cobras na ito ay  mating ritual," said Dr. Arvin Deismos, a herpetologist.

Deismos added that the mating ritual usually happens in a forest habitat. The case of the  pair seen in Davao de Oro shows that the cobras were trying to adapt to the changing environment.

According to the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office of Mawab, someone hit the snakes in fear. One of the snakes died while the other escaped. 

"Nakita po natin sa video, nasa gilid siya. Hindi naman sila magiging istorbo o magiging threat doon. Hindi po natin sila dapat patayin," said Atty. Heidi Caguioa, an animal rights lawyer.

The king cobra is currently included in the threatened species list. They are protected under Republic Act No. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

So how strong is the poison of a king cobra?

According to Kuya Kim, the king cobra is not the most venomous snake, but the neurotoxin from its bite can kill 20 people or one elephant.

The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world. The average length of a king cobra reaches approximately three to four meters.

Back in 1937, a king cobra that was as long as 5.7 meters was found in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

If you find yourself in a situation with snakes, Kuya Kim advised not to panic and not to run or move because the snakes may think sudden movements are an attack toward them.

Kuya Kim also said that snakes usually only attack when they feel threatened.

—Kimberly Tsao/MGP, GMA Integrated News