NEW Spitting Cobra Species - Kenya

[RehabRalphy]

NAIROBI (Reuters) - A new species of giant spitting cobra, measuring nearly nine feet and possessing enough venom to kill at least 15 people, has been discovered in Kenya, a conservation group said on Friday.


WildlifeDirect said the cobras were the world's largest and had been identified as unique. The species has been named Naja Ashei after James Ashe, who founded Bio-Ken snake farm on Kenya's tropical coast where the gigantic serpents are found.

"A new species of giant spitting cobra is exciting and reinforces the obvious -- that there have to be many other unreported species but hundreds are being lost as their habitats disappear under the continued mismanagement of our planet," said the group's chairman, Kenyan environmentalist Richard Leakey.

Ashe, now deceased, was the first to catch a larger-than-normal spitting cobra in the 1960s and suggest it belonged to a different species.

Bio-Ken director Royjan Taylor said the recognition of the new species was an opportunity to raise awareness about snake conservation as well as find remedies for the powerful bite.

"Naja Ashei is responsible for a very serious snake bite," he told Reuters by telephone from the farm. "People don't care about saving snakes. They talk of saving dolphins or cats, but never snakes!"

The conservationists' excitement has drawn scientific endorsement from a British-based biologist.

Research published by Wolfgang Wuster, of the University of Wales, said a field visit confirmed the Naja Ashei is a new species. "The new species is diagnosable from all other African spitting cobras by the possession of a unique DNA," he wrote in a review in July.

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[playlboi]

it's pretty crazy how we are still finding new species of animals everyday. this could result in a good and bad way. good being that we could benefit from learning of a new species and utilizing its potential to our use, i.e. poison for antibiotics, etc. and the bad being that we are invading the animal's home, the only way we are finding out new species; by deforestation and stripping away the land of the animals to further our existence. but that is a part of life and we can only wish for others to be aware of their surroundings and try to conserve this beautiful place where a vast amount of animals, including ourselves, call it home. nice post! conserve mother earth!!

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Another sad thing is that these animals will likely find their way smuggled into the pet trade. Half the people on this board (myself included) are probably thinking "Oooo, pretty! I need that..."

Unfortunately, the offspring of successful private breeding programs never find their way back into the wild, even when it could help with bring an endangered population back from the brink. (not that we have much data about the status of this new species)

 

[VARNYARD]

Awesome find Mike, he looks a lot like a forest cobra, however they don't get that big. :shock:

 

[COWHER]

i think cobras are some of the most beautiful snakes i have ever seen!!

 

[KoreanDeathKid]

hmm. speaking of new cobras, i have been reading an Vancouver article on a man that was bitten by his pet cobra and lost some of his fingers
pretty crazy how people can keep these animals

 

[VARNYARD]

I agree, it is not worth the risks. Also there are way too many non-venomous species out there to keep hots and take the risks.

 

[DZLife]

I always love to hear about a new species of animal being discovered....ESPECIALLY reptiles!

 

[VARNYARD]

Yea, I do too, I would also love to be one of the ones doing it.

 

[DZLife]

That would be an honor...can you imagine how great it would be to discover a new reptile species?