Mount Everest Under Threat? King Cobras' Arrival Sparks Climate Change Panic

10 king cobras found near Mount Everest in Kathmandu signaled climate change, experts warned.

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In a dramatic find, nine king cobras and one monocled cobra, which normally inhabit tropical lowlands, have been seen in and near Kathmandu, only 160 kilometers from Mount Everest, during the last month. Specialists are raising an alarm, attributing the sightings of these poisonous snakes in Nepal's cooler Himalayan zone to climate change, indicating wider ecological changes and increased community safety threats.

Unusual Snake Sightings

The snakes, such as the world's longest venomous snake species, the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), and the monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia), were spotted in urban neighborhoods such as Bhanjyang, Gupaleshwar, Sokhol, and Phoolchowk by The Kathmandu Post. They typically reside in humid environments such as Indian and Southeast Asian paddy fields and mangrove forests, and their presence in high-altitude Kathmandu is unheard of. Rescue operators safely transferred the snakes to forests, but findings of snake nests and eggs indicated that they could be breeding in the area, according to local reports.

Climate Change As The Suspect

Scientists blamed this migration on a rise in temperatures in Nepal's mountain regions at a rate of 0.05°C per year—higher than the Terai lowlands, according to studies cited by experts. Warmer microclimates are allowing tropical species to survive at greater elevations," a herpetologist explained to ANI, describing it as a "warning sign" of the far-reaching implications of climate change. Subodh Acharya, a rescue instructor, proposed another hypothesis, that snakes had been brought accidentally from the Terai by truck in pieces of wood or haystacks, but climate change is still the widely-held explanation.

Public Safety Concerns

The sightings have also generated fear in Kathmandu's residential areas, with snakes spotted in courtyards and homes. Nepal's Terai region has still been struggling with a major snakebite crisis, with 2,700 deaths every year, mostly women and children, citing the continued threat of venomous snakes, according to health ministry statistics. The case of king cobras being seen in colder parts of the country adds another layer of concern regarding human-wildlife conflict as habitats change.

Call For Action

Experts called for urgent measures to tackle climate change and track biodiversity shifts to reduce threats. "This is not an isolated event but a manifestation of ecological disturbance," a researcher said in an interview with The Kathmandu Post. X posts mirror public concern, with users such as @NepalWildlife advocating for improved conservation measures. As Nepal deals with rising temperatures, the sighting of king cobras near Mount Everest highlights the need for immediate global climate action.