Africa’s Naja ashei snake has been identified as a new snake species and it is the largest spitting cobra according to scientists at the conservation nonprofit WildlifeDirect.
Announced officially on December 7, 2007, blood and tissue samples helped confirm that these massive, aggressive, extremely venomous snakes are a separate, previously unidentified species.
Royjan Taylor of Bio-Ken received a phone call from Watamu about a snake eating one of her chickens. She called for help because she was aware that the snake might have been this species. Sure enough, it was. Check out the Naja ashei photos here.
Commonly known as Ashe’s spitting cobra, the newly identified species is named after the late James Ashe, the founder of the Bio-Ken Snake Farm research center in Watamu, Kenya (a coastal town about 2 hours North of Mombasa). Ashe first caught a larger-than-normal spitting cobra in the 1960s and believed it belonged to a different species.
Royjan Taylor believers the recognition of the new species is an opportunity to raise awareness about snake conservation as well as a way to fine-tune remedies for the powerful bite. The discovery will help develop an anti-venin for the particular snake.
Naja ashei is one of 30 or so known cobra species and one of 126 known species of snakes in Kenya. Spitting cobras shoot their venom into the eyes of their victims. In captivity, handlers do well to use safety googles but face masks are better. Cobras usually rear up and flare their hood before striking or spitting.
These reptiles play a vital role in controlling rodent populations and are important to the ecosystem. Unfortunately, they have received a bad rap through time and many misinterpretations about these reptiles exist. As a general rule, humans fear and hate them.
Today we have learned much more about animals and the role they play. Technology has assisted us on this matter. Small, temperature-sensitive, implantable radio transmitters thave made it possible to collect unbiased information on the activity patterns, habitat use, and thermal ecology of snakes.
Just how snakes use their habitats and why they choose them is driven partially by behavioural thermo-regulation. Over time this data has revealed that micro-habitats exist within larger habitat contexts. If you want to learn more about this topic visit the Science & Environment Bulletin
Other links of interest:
Bio-Ken Snake Farm: You can take a Big 5 Snake Safari with this group.
