Which snake species is the national reptile of Pakistan?

The Indian cobra is the national reptile of Pakistan.

The Indian cobra, Naja naja, is also called the spectacled cobra because of the distinctive spectacle-shaped marking on the back of its hood. It occurs across the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and parts of Nepal.

When threatened, it raises the front of its body and expands its hood. Its venom affects the nervous system, and bites require urgent medical treatment. The species is culturally prominent throughout South Asia and appears in traditional stories, religious imagery and public symbolism.

The Indian cobra is one of the “big four” snakes commonly associated with the greatest number of medically important bites in India, alongside the common krait, Russell’s viper and saw-scaled viper. Pakistan’s national animal is the markhor, not a snake.