Which venomous snake is the longest living species?

The king cobra is the longest living venomous snake species.

The king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah, is recognized as the world’s longest venomous snake. It is native to a wide stretch of Asia, from the Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia to southern China. Although its name suggests otherwise, it is not a true cobra in the genus Naja; it belongs to Ophiophagus, a genus whose name means “snake eater.”

King cobras mainly hunt other snakes, including venomous species and sometimes other king cobras. They are also unusual among snakes because the female builds and guards a nest for her eggs. A clutch may contain several dozen eggs, and the female can remain near the nest during incubation.

People often confuse “longest venomous snake” with “longest snake overall.” That title belongs to nonvenomous constrictors such as the reticulated python. The black mamba is also long and highly venomous, but it does not normally exceed the king cobra’s maximum length. The king cobra is classified as Vulnerable and is threatened by habitat loss and persecution.