Photo by mattiasklumofficial / Presenting the mysterious forest cobra, native to the central and western parts of Africa. It's the largest cobra species, with a length up to 3.1 meters (10 ft). I've also photographed the king cobra, which is much bigger but is the sole member of its own genus. The forest cobra is a capable swimmer and is often considered to be semiaquatic. My team and I searched the lowland forests and wet savanna habitats for this beautiful species during an assignment in Cameroon, and eventually we got lucky. It's a fast snake, with a reputation for being alert and sometimes nervous. Bites to humans are less common than for other African cobras due to various factors, though a bite from the forest cobra is indeed a life-threatening emergency. Ironically the lethal characteristics of snake venom are what make it valuable and sought after for use in medicinal treatments. The toxic components of snake venom have led to the development of remedies for heart disease, diab...