The Black Pakistani Cobra

How to Identify

• Body colorUnlike the typical light brown or yellow-hued Spectacled Cobras found across India, this variant is famous for being almost entirely jet-black or dark charcoal gray. • Coloration: Jet-black or dark coloration matching the rest of the dark/melanistic body (sometimes with a slightly darker or matching black tip).
• Head shapeThe Pakistani Black Cobra (Naja naja karachiensis, now scientifically classified broadly under Naja naja) possesses a distinctly elliptical, flattened, and relatively short head.
• Scale pattern• Dorsal Scale Color: Adult Naja naja karachiensis (commonly known as the Pakistani black cobra) are typically uniformly jet-black (melanistic) on top. • Juvenile vs. Adult Change (Ontogenetic Shift): Young juveniles in southern Pakistan can be grey and may or may not show a hood mark, but they turn pitch black as they mature into adults. • Hood Mark: Unlike standard spectacled Indian cobras that have prominent binocellate (spectacle) markings on the hood, adults of this subspecies often lack clear or visible dorsal hood patterns due to their uniform black coloration. • Ventral and Throat Scales: The underside outside of the throat region is usually light, and throat patterns can feature a light area followed by dark banding (about 4 to 7 ventral scales wide) or varying degrees of mottling. • Scale Texture: The body is covered in smooth, oblique scales characteristic of the species, with smooth, glossy, iridescent black finishes in adult specimens.
• Eye characteristicsThe eyes are medium-sized and alert with completely round pupils
• Neck markingsConnection to Neck: At rest, the head is not highly distinct or well-defined from the neck, which sets it apart from many other venomous snakes (like vipers) that have sharply triangular, distinct heads.
• Average lengthThe average length of Naja naja karachiensis (the Pakistani black cobra or Indian cobra variant) is about 1.5 to 1.9 meters (4.9 to 6.2 feet), with some larger individuals or maximum lengths reaching up to 2.2 to 2.4 meters (7.2 to 7.9 feet). • Average Length: 1.5 to 1.9 meters (4.9 to 6.2 feet). • Maximum Length: Up to 2.2 to 2.4 meters (7.2 to 7.9 feet). • Hatchling Length: Around 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches) at birth.
• Tail characteristicsThe tail of Naja naja (commonly including the regional black morph formerly classified as Naja naja karachiensis, the Pakistani Black Cobra) shares the standard morphological traits of the Indian cobra: • Subcaudals: Divided (in a double row) on the undersurface of the tail, with standard counts typically ranging from 48 to 67 subcaudals across Naja naja populations. • Proportions: Generally tapers to a pointed tip. As is typical in snakes, males often have a slightly longer post-cloacal tail length relative to their total body size compared to females, though individual variation is high.
• Distinctive markings• Often recognized by its dark or black-scaled coloration in Pakistan, though it belongs to the broader Naja naja (Indian cobra) species complex.

Habitat

• Forest
• Grassland
• Agricultural land
• Desert
• Urban / peri-urban areas

IUCN Status

Population Trend

Decreasing

Main Threats

• Habitat loss
• Human persecution
• Road mortality
• Illegal trade / collection
• Climate change
• Pollution / pesticides