Among the many characteristics that make the king cobra a formidable predator are its lethal venom and superior eyesight. In addition to being very mobile and adept swimmers, their hoods serve as an effective deterrent against potential predators.

King cobras, like all snakes, can detect vibrations through their jaw bones and smell and taste the air with their tongues. However, their vision is superior than that of many other snakes, having a range of up to 330 feet. In addition to their speed, king cobras can also elevate more than a third of their bodies off the ground to scare away predators. This also enables them to strike from significantly greater distances than most other snakes.