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Common Name: Ekans, Arbo
Scientific Name: Crepundium flavaventer
Description: Ekans is a large snake pokemon, measuring 73 inches long. Its scales are pale to rich purple, with a thick yellow band around the neck and several thin black bands around the body, as well as a black band between the eyes. Its underbelly is yellow, as are its slit-pupiled eyes. On the end of its tail is a yellow rattle, formed from large, loosely-connected scales.
Ekans is a rear-fanged snake, with many small, sharp teeth in its mouth.
Range: Ekans are widespread in Kanto and Johto.
Habitat: Ekans are adaptable, and will live in forest, woodland, and savannah habitats. They like soft soils that allow for easy digging.
Call: Ekans growl to communicate, vibrating their calls against the ground so that underground Ekans will be able to hear them.
When threatened, Ekans will rattle their tails as a warning before striking.
Diet: Ekans are carnivores, hunting at night by stealth. Their diet is mostly made up of Rattata, but they also will eat Caterpie, Meowth and Mankey. Ekans have been seen to wait outside of Zubat caves at dusk and dawn, snatching the Zubat out of the air as they go in and out of the cave. They will climb trees to take bird pokemon such as Spearow and Pidgey from their nests as they sleep, and also feed off of a variety of pokemon eggs, which they seem to prefer to all other foods.
Ekans are capable of both poisoning and constricting their prey, and will choose different methods for different circumstances. Ekans have a limited supply of venom, so when attacking a small prey item such as a Rattata they will generally choose constriction. But, when facing more dangerous prey such as Mankey, they will strike and retreat, letting the venom weaken their prey before subduing them.
Ekans are capable of eating prey larger than their heads by separating their lower jaws, their bodies expanding greatly. Recently-fed Ekans can often be found basking in the sun, a hugely distended lump in the middle of their bodies. However, one meal can last them weeks.
Life Cycle: In late summer, male Ekans become restless, leaving their normal territories and seeking out females. Unfortunately for them, the females are often unreceptive, and will only mate if their fat reserves are enough to fuel the production of eggs.
If the female does mate, she will retreat into her burrow all winter, incubating her eggs and not eating. She will also guard the newborns for several days after hatching. Then they leave, and she begins building her reserves back up for the next mating.
Ekans do not have venom at birth, but begin producing it only a few months after hatching. They may live up to 30 years.
Relationship with Humans: Ekans are not particularly sought for the arena, so are still abundant in many areas. However, fear of their venom has led to extermination campaigns in some districts, where they have understandably become quite rare. They are not yet considered threatened.
Naturalist's Notes: Ekans, like all snakes, possess a keen sense of smell. They smell by flicking their tongues to pick up airborne scents, then press the tongue against a sensitive spot known as the Jacobson's organ, which picks up the scent. They are able to follow even several-day old tracks for miles, and have been trained to sniff for drugs.
Ekans are cold-blooded, and spend much of their time basking in the sunlight. They can often be seen spread out on roads, simply soaking in the heat.
Although they are generally not aggressive towards humans, Ekans possess dangerous venom, and can strike up to half of their body length away (over 3 feet). If bitten, apply a tourniquet, try not to move, and call for help. Ekans venom can seriously debilitate and even kill if untreated.
Ekans fall prey to their cousins the Arbok, as well as to Nidoqueen/king, both of which are resistant to Ekans venom.