Terrifying video of massive King Cobra 'standing up' and swaying is viral. Watch

The King Cobra's ability to stand up is a result of its unique anatomy. (Image: Screengrab from video @susantananda3/Twitter)

Indian Forest Service officer Susanta Nanda shared a terrifying video of a massive King Cobra literally “standing up” and swaying. He also said that the deadly snake is capable of looking at person in the eye and can lift a third of its body off the ground.

“The king cobra can literally "stand up" and look at a full-grown person in the eye. When confronted, they can lift up to a third of its body off the ground,” Nanda wrote with the clip.

The king cobra can literally "stand up" and look at a full-grown person in the eye. When confronted, they can lift up to a third of its body off the ground. pic.twitter.com/g93Iw2WzRo— Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) February 27, 2023

The daunting video is viral with over 5,400 likes and lakhs of views.

Twitter users chimed in with their reptile knowledge.

“Almost all snakes can standup to one third of their length, since kings can reach lengths of 15-18ft their 1/3rd is about 5-6 ft and hence they can look into a human eye,” one user wrote.

“I was face to face with one such cobra in this stand up position way back in 1997. It does intimidate you,” wrote another.

Scientifically known as Ophiophagus hannah, the King Cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world. The snake can stand up and its iconic stance is an intimidating display of the reptile’s size, strength, and readiness to strike if necessary.

When confronted, the King Cobra will lift up to a third of its body off the ground, supporting itself with its tail and using the lower part of its body as a pivot. This posture is known as the "hooding" display, in which the snake spreads its distinctive hood, revealing the impressive spectacle of its elongated ribs, and hisses loudly, creating a distinctive sound that can be heard up to 100 meters away.

The King Cobra's ability to stand up is a result of its unique anatomy. Its long, flexible body allows it to lift itself off the ground while still maintaining balance, and its muscular tail acts as a counterbalance to keep the snake upright. The hooding display is a warning sign to potential predators or threats, indicating that the snake is ready to defend itself if necessary.

Despite their intimidating appearance and reputation, King Cobras are generally shy and avoid human contact whenever possible. However, if provoked or cornered, they will not hesitate to use their bite as a defensive weapon.