Monocled cobras are famed for their magnificent hood, which sports circular markings that resemble eyes. They are timid and yet very dangerous snakes, with a powerful toxin that can prove fatal if not treated. What makes the monocled cobra especially dangerous is the way they repeatedly strike when excited - injecting more deadly venom. Their proximity to villages and cities accounts for the large number of people bitten each year. Reaching a modest two metres in length, monocled cobras prey on the rodents, amphibians and reptiles of Southeast Asia.