King CobravsAfrican Lion

The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake at up to 18 feet, with venom potent enough to kill an elephant with a single bite. It can rear up to six feet off the ground, making it one of the most imposing snakes on Earth. Its neurotoxic venom attacks the nervous system and can kill large animals in hours without treatment.

An adult male African lion, however, is a 400-500 pound predator specifically evolved to kill large, dangerous animals. Lions regularly prey on cape buffalo, which are far larger and more dangerous than any snake. Their reflexes, paw strikes, and bite force are all optimized for catching and killing fast-moving prey. A lion's paw swipe can generate enough force to shatter bone.

The critical problem for the king cobra is delivering its venom. A lion's attack is explosive — a single paw swipe or bite from a 500-pound big cat would be devastating to the cobra's relatively fragile body. Lions in the wild do encounter and kill large snakes, using their reflexes and paw strikes to neutralize the snake before it can bite. The cobra's best shot is a defensive strike as the lion attacks, but snakes generally lose against opponents this much larger.

If the cobra does land a bite, its venom is absolutely lethal. But the lion's thick mane and fur provide some protection around the head and neck, and the cobra would need to penetrate the skin deeply enough to deliver a full venom dose. Even if envenomated, the lion would likely kill the cobra before the venom takes effect — king cobra venom takes time to work, and the lion's attack would be lethal in seconds.