Hobbies And Interests
Ecosystems
The Central Asian Cobra lives primarily in the rocky foothills and dry lower mountains of the region, lightly forested with almond and pistachio trees. The snake is also found in tugai, which are forested river valleys adjacent to arid regions. It is not often found at elevations of more than 2,100 meters. This cobra usually makes its home in holes and crevices in the rock. Central Asian Cobras will lay their eggs in the hollows of trees or in the nests of rodents they have eaten.
Food Sources
Like other snakes, Central Asian Cobras are carnivores. Their primary food sources are small mammals, such as gerbils, rats, mice and voles, as well as some birds, amphibians and smaller reptiles. Like other cobras, their hunger is what sometimes brings them into contact with humans, as they occasionally prey on poultry or enter homes in search of rats and mice.
Threats to the Snake
In addition to being a predator, the Central Asian Cobra is also a prey. Mongoose, several varieties of birds of prey, and the King Cobra all occasionally hunt the Central Asian Cobra. Humans sometimes hunt the snake for their skins, for show as a subject for snake charmers or for staged fights with mongooses. The cobra is also hunted for use in local medicinal recipes.
Threats to the Ecosystem
The main threat to the Central Asian Cobra as a species comes from humans. The construction of new housing, cutting wood for firewood, and deforestation to create pastureland, causes the destruction of habitat for cobras and their prey and increases the likelihood of confrontation with humans, as the cobras seek food in human-populated areas. Excessive irrigation for agricultural purposes has led to the loss of much of the tugai ecosystem as it is transformed into desert. The overgrazing of cattle leads to a reduction of food sources for the cobra's prey as well. These trends, along with over-hunting and indiscriminate killing by humans, have led to a reduction of the Central Asian Cobra population.