2 king cobras seen locked in rare cannibalistic encounter at Windsor Nature Park

Two king cobras were seen locked in an hours-long cannibalistic battle at Windsor Nature Park on Dec. 8.

The rare encounter was captured by Singapore wildlife photographer Ang Jun Yang, who posted his photos on Facebook group Singapore Wildlife Sightings.

"Thanks to the alert of a king cobra sighted in Windsor Nature Park this morning, I decided to try out my luck since I have not spotted this king before," he wrote.

"I rushed over and saw a few metres away...wait it's not one but two (!!) king cobras, and the one in the water was the smaller one."

In several of the shots, the larger cobra's teeth can be seen clamped around the neck of the smaller snake.

In turn, it bites down on on the larger reptile's tail.

Ang told Mothership that after a tussle on land, the smaller king managed to slither into a nearby stream, bringing the fight into the water.

But its attempt at turning the tide of the battle proved unsuccessful.

The larger snake, which Ang estimated to be between 3.5 and 5 metres in length, was later seen ingesting the smaller cobra's head.

The smaller reptile appeared to be around 2 metres in length.

Speaking with Mothership, Ang said that his friends later saw the smaller cobra get loose and make a final escape attempt.

Unfortunately, it was quickly recaptured. It was last seen at around 7pm being dragged into the forest by its hunter.

This was almost six hours after Ang and his friend, Lorenzo Zanirato, first spotted them in the early afternoon at around 1:15pm.

Super rare sighting

An exceptionally rare encounter, cannibalism in king cobras was documented in photos — possibly for the first time in Singapore — earlier this year.

This would hence mark the second locally documented occurrence of such a cannibalistic encounter, said Sankar Ananthanarayanan, co-founder of the Herpetological Society of Singapore (HSS).

He told Mothership that there had been a case of intraspecies conflict earlier in 2019, but as the observer did not stay to see the outcome, it remains unconfirmed if the smaller snake was subdued and killed in the end.

Shivaram Rasu, scientific officer at HSS, said at the time of the June 2024 encounter that it was a "rare and unique occurrence".

He added that while intraspecies cannibalism has been observed worldwide, it remains "relatively uncommon".

The king cobra is the largest venomous snake in the world. While typically shy, it can deliver enough toxins to kill 20 people in a single bite.

Able to reach up to 20 years in age and up to 5.8 metres in length, the king cobra is a native species that is considered locally endangered in Singapore, according to the Red Data Book.

It primarily feeds on other snakes, but also eats lizards, eggs, and small mammals, according to the National Geographic.

What to do if you encounter a snake in a public area

Here's what to do when you encounter a snake in a public space:

• Stay calm and back away slowly. Snakes are generally shy in nature, and will retreat if they are in close proximity to humans.
• Do not approach or attempt to handle the snake. Leave it as it is, especially if you encounter it in its natural habitat.
• Keep your pets on a tight leash as they might chase the snake and frighten it.

  If in need of assistance pertaining to wildlife, do call NParks at 1800-476-1600, or Acres at 9783 7782.

• In the event of a snake bite, do seek medical assistance immediately.

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Top image from Ang Jun Yang