Snakes and mongooses are natural enemies because the mongoose has to kill the snake so the snake doesn't kill the mongoose and the snakes have to kill mongooses so the mongooses don't kill the snakes. What is this? Basically, they each need to kill the other to survive so they kind of hate each other.
The mongoose is known for its ability to fight and kill venomous snakes, especially cobras. Their specialised acetylcholine receptors render them immune to venom.
The mongoose specifically hunts venomous snakes throughout its range for food. These animals have some resistance to venomous snake bites, which means they come into this battle with an advantage.
Cobras actually fear mongooses so much that they try to avoid confrontation with their formidable little opponent. Due to the mongooses natural defense against snake venom the only way a cobra can kill them is with several bites. However, mongooses actually win around 75 to 80 percent of fights with cobras.
Mongooses have mutated cells that block the mambas' neurotoxins from entering their bloodstream. This makes them capable of surviving the venomous snake's deadly bite. (See how a mongoose fends off a lion.)
The hedgehog (Erinaceidae), the mongoose (Herpestidae), the honey badger (Mellivora capensis) and the opossum are known to be immune to a dose of snake venom.
18. What is the Natural Enemy of the Mongoose? (What Eats a Mongoose?) Snakes, hawks, marabou storks, leopards, and jackals are all predators of the mongoose. Snakes will kill a mongoose to protect themselves, but cobras and black mambas are unlikely to actually eat the mongoose.
It's not impossible for a mongoose to get sick or even die from a cobra bite, but mongooses make a glycoprotein that binds to the protein in the venom so a moderate amount of snake venom won't hurt them.
What predator would even try to attack a cobra? The snake's biggest enemy is the mongoose, which is quick enough to dart in and bite the back of the cobra's neck before the snake can defend itself.
The mongoose can withstand the lethal bite of the poisonous snake, and in 75 to 80 per cent of fights with cobras, the mongoose invariably wins. The Indian grey mongoose is famous for its love of battling and devouring venomous snakes like cobras.
It is no doubt that king cobras do occasionally consume large prey such as monitor lizards or even pythons. One cannot but wonder how the snake is able to make dynamic decisions and evaluate the risks and gains of pursuing prey such as a rock python, which can potentially kill the cobra by constricting it.
Despite their fascinating reputation for attacking venomous snakes, mongooses are non-aggressive towards human beings. However, at times they may bite as in the present case.
Their resistance is to the a-neurotoxin in snake venom, specifically. Domestic pigs have a genetic mutation in their cell receptors that prevents binding of the a-neurotoxin, rendering the venom useless. The resistance doesn't occur in most pigs until they are adults, so small pigs are still vulnerable.
A number of mongooses, especially those of the genus Herpestes, will attack and kill venomous snakes. They depend on speed and agility, darting at the head of the snake and cracking the skull with a powerful bite.
Fortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible. It will also flare out its iconic hood and emit a hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog. King cobras can reach 18 feet in length, making them the longest of all venomous snakes.
It's been believed that the mongoose is immune to cobra venom, but this is not exactly true. It does have some resistance to the venom, but it simply avoids being bitten with its ninja moves. Also, it frizzes up its fur stiffly, to become twice its size and makes it difficult for the snake's strike to hit home.
The saw-scaled viper, Echis carinatus, is considered the deadliest snake in the world, according to Britannica. This type of snake is said to be responsible for "more human deaths than all other snake species combined." The venom of the saw-scaled viper is not as lethal as other snakes, but it is far more aggressive.
Mongoose
The mongoose is a snake-killer by nature. These small mammals have some immunity to cobra venom, so they are one of the most successful animals that hunt cobra.
The main predator to the king cobra is the mongoose because the mongoose is immune to its venom. However, mongooses rarely attack king cobras unless they have to.
The king cobra is the largest snake in the world and the Komodo dragon is the largest lizard. Both reptiles have very different styles of attacking prey. A Komodo dragon would overpower a king cobra in a fight.
If the mongoose has some pups in the den, then it will become more likely to attack the lions when in or near its den.
An anaconda would win a fight against a king cobra. This outcome assumes that both of these creatures met in an open area that doesn't allow an ambush to happen.
Predation. Adult mambas have few natural predators aside from birds of prey. Brown snake eagles are verified predators of adult black mambas, of up to at least 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in). Other eagles known to hunt or at least consume grown black mambas include tawny eagles and martial eagles.
Molecular biologist Sara Fuchs and her colleagues found that the acetylcholine receptor in mongooses--like that in the snakes themselves--is slightly mutated so that the venom simply bounces off the muscle cells, causing them no harm.
Some species of mongoose can be easily domesticated, are fairly intelligent, and can be taught simple tricks, so they are often kept as pets to protect the home from vermin.