Cobra is distributed from southern Africa through southern Asia to islands in Southeast Asia. In its distribution range, snake charmers like to use different kinds of snakes, and snake charmers will frighten snakes into taking a defensive posture in which the front of their bodies are lifted off the ground. Snakes respond to the snake charmer's movements or to the snake charmer's music. The snake charmer knows how to avoid the snake's slow attack, and may have pulled out its fangs.

The fangs are short and located in the front of the mouth, and there is a groove attached to them to secrete venom. Cobra venom usually contains neurotoxin, which can destroy the nervous system of prey. Cobra mainly feeds on small vertebrates and other snakes.

Cobras rely on nerve venom to kill their prey. Nerve venom can block neuromuscular conduction, resulting in muscle paralysis and death.

The bite of cobra (especially larger species) can be fatal, depending on the amount of venom injected, neurotoxins in venom will affect breathing; Although antivenom is effective, it must be injected as soon as possible after being bitten. In South Asia and Southeast Asia, thousands of related deaths occur every year.

The natural enemies of cobra include grey mongoose and some birds of prey: Mongoose bite the cobra's head directly when winning by speed, but in the process of fighting, the cobra will also bite the mongoose, so the mongoose can detoxify itself and wake up after several hours of fainting, but a small number will be swallowed by the cobra.