The king cobra is not considered aggressive. It usually avoids humans and slinks off when disturbed, but is known to aggressively defend incubating eggs and attack intruders rapidly.

After a large meal, king cobras may go for several months without another one because of their slow metabolic rate.

The average lifespan of a wild king cobra is about 20 years, though they may live longer in captivity.

Found in almost every part of the Indian subcontinent, the king cobra is a prominent symbol in the mythology and folk traditions of India, as well as the official national reptile.