How do king cobras protect their eggs?

King cobras exhibit unique reproductive behavior among snakes by actively constructing and defending a nest for their eggs.1

To protect their offspring, the female king cobra builds a compact mound using dead leaves, soil, and ground litter, which she gathers by using a loop of her body as an arm. After laying 20 to 50 eggs within this mound, she remains nearby, often coiling above or near the nest for approximately two months to guard them. The female is known to fiercely defend the breeding ground against potential threats, and there is evidence suggesting that the male may also remain in the vicinity to help guard the area. If a predator or person approaches the nest too closely, the guarding parent will strike to protect the clutch.12