Researchers documented two adult king cobras guarding a nest with 72 eggs in Yunnan, China—a clutch that may be a record. They could not identify the snakes’ sexes, leaving open whether one female laid an unusually large clutch or two females laid eggs in the same nest.
The nest was found on June 6, 2024, in mixed forest west of Kunming and was one of three nests documented in China between 2020 and 2025. Researchers described the observations as the first recorded nesting and clutch-size data for king cobras in China outside southeastern Xizang, but said three nests are too few for firm conclusions.
Nest material included bamboo leaves, twigs and pine needles; the mound grew to about 3.3 feet high and 4.9 feet wide. The population studied is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN and endangered on China’s Red List. Researchers said information on nesting and egg-guarding could aid monitoring and habitat protection.
