India, April 18 -- Snakes stir some of humanity's most primal fears. The very word "snake" evokes images of fanned-out hoods and flickering, forked tongues. The fear of being bitten and of venom coursing through the bloodstream, is real. India is a global snakebite hotspot, accounting for nearly half of the world's snakebite deaths (81,000-138,000 annually). The World Health Organization classifies snakebite as a "neglected tropical disease," and with good reason. Yet these reptiles need protection as much as any other species. And chief among them is the iconic king cobra-the world's largest venomous snake that can grow up to six metres long.

Surprisingly, not much is known about this giant- its identity, its ecological role, even the t...