Study reveals four distinct species of king cobra, ending 185-year classification

A new study has identified four distinct species of king cobra, ending a 185-year belief that it was a single species. Researchers from Kalinga Centre for Rainforest Ecology conducted a 12-year analysis of DNA and physical traits across the snake's range. The four species are found in different regions: one in southwestern India, another in eastern Pakistan and parts of India, a third in the Malay peninsula and surrounding islands, and the last in Luzon, Philippines. Each species has unique physical characteristics. King cobras are currently listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Their populations are threatened by habitat destruction and illegal trade.