Kochi: A semi-evergreen forest area in central Kerala witnessed Sunday a rare battle between a King Cobra and Monitor Lizard. The ferocious fight between the two reptiles was captured on video by forest officials patrolling the Thundam range under the Malayattor division, 50 km from here. The clash between the reptiles took place on a road passing through the forest. “It was the rarest of rare sights,” said Muhammed Rafi, Thundam forest ranger.
Rafi said his colleagues witnessed the fight while they were patrolling the area. “They reached the spot in the middle of the fight. They recorded it till the reptiles ended it and left the place,” informed Rafi.
While the snake slithered towards the woods, the monitor lizard went in the opposite direction where a canal was located, Rafi said. “My colleagues monitored the movements of both reptiles after they ended their fight. The monitor lizard had suffered several bites of the King Cobra but it did not show any symptoms of the venom affecting its body,” the ranger said. It should be stated here that the venom in a single bite of a King Cobra is enough to kill 10 fully-grown adults.
The snake also escaped unhurt though it was attacked by the monitor lizard using its strong claws, teeth, tail and limbs. Rafi however, said it is not known which reptile attacked first.
The video of the fight since then has gone viral.
According to officials, both Monitor Lizards and King Cobras are present in good number in the Thundam forest range.