China residents found three king cobra nests, including one guarded over 72 eggs

Three king cobra nests discovered by residents in Yunnan, China, have given scientists an unusually close look at a part of the snake’s life that remains poorly documented. The nests, found between 2020 and 2025 in different parts of the province, contained 30, 72 and 25 eggs. The largest clutch, found west of Kunming, was particularly unexpected, with two king cobras observed guarding the same nest during several visits. Scientists could not establish the snakes’ sexes, leaving open the possibility that two females had contributed to the unusually large clutch. The other nests were found in bamboo forests, including one where young king cobras were later seen emerging. The observations are significant because they represent the first documented king cobra nesting and clutch-size records in China outside the Xizang Autonomous Region.