Ekans

Ekans (Arbo (アーボ Ābo) in the original Japanese) is a snake-like Pokémon that swallows whole the eggs of small bird pokémon such as Pidgey or Spearow. Its highly poisonous fangs make it a hazard in the wild. It uses its tongue to test the air for the presence of prey (small Pokémon that it feeds on.)

Ekans normally evolves into Arbok at level 22.




Names
The name Ekans is the word snake spelled backwards.

In French, its name is Abo. In German, its name is Rettan. In Japanese, its name Aabo, a reversal (by syllables/morae) of the word "boa". Its name in the beta version was Arbo
Biology
Ekans is a carnivore and an omnivore. It can be diurnal or nocturnal. Although it hunts in grasslands, it sleeps in trees, curled up into a ball.

Like normal snakes, its tongue can be used to 'taste' the air, sensing danger and nearby presences. Unlike normal snakes, which are born with the most potent poison, Ekans have no poison at all when just hatched.

Its natural prey are the eggs of Pidgey and Spearow. However, it will eat larger prey if it can catch it, distending its jaw to swallow it.

In the video game
Ekans began as an exclusive to Pokémon Red, and could not be caught in Pokémon Blue or Pokémon Yellow, but it could be found in Pokémon Gold, where it can be bought at the Goldenrod Game Corner. It can also be caught in the wild in Pokémon Silver, Pokémon Crystal, and Pokémon FireRed.

Ekans can learn one of two abilities: Intimidate or Shed Skin. Intimidate lowers the Attack of any pokémon it starts a fight with (as with the Growl maneuver), and Shed Skin gives Ekans a 1 in 3 chance of recovering from a status ailment every turn.

Its moves are primarially normal-type moves that lower an opponent's capabilities, although it also learns two poisoning maneuvers (Poison Sting and Acid) and (beginning with Pokémon Gold and Silver)the Ice-type move Haze.

Its hit points, defense, Special (in Pokémon Red and Blue and Pokémon Yellow) and Special Attack (starting in Pokémon Gold and Silver) are in the bottom 20% of all pokémon.

In the animé
In the anime, the most notable Ekans was owned by Jessie, who had recived it before Episode 1 on her birthday. In a sentimental scene in episode 31 (Dig Those Digglet), Jessie's Ekans evolving into an Arbok after Jessie cried over it. As an un-evolved Ekans, one of the things that Jessie used it for is its wrapping technique, similar to that of a boa constrictor's. Later on, Jessie would release Arbok to protect a group of Ekans.

In the card game
In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Ekans appears six times: Expedition, EX Sandstorm, and EX Team Rocket Returns.

• In Fossil, Ekans is weak (only 40 HP), but can cause poison with just one energy and paralysis and damage with only two.
• In Team Rocket, it is of standard health (50 HP), cannot cause paralysis, but can attack without Grass energy.
• In Gym Challenge, Koga's Ekans could cause both Confusion and Poison with only one grass energy, but the move worked only 25% of the time.
• In Expedition, it has standard health, can attack with one energy, and damages and poisons with the same attack.
• In EX Sandstorm, Ekans is of standard health, and does 10 damage and paralyzes 50% of the time with one colorless.
• In EX Team Rocket Returns, Ekans is a variant reprint of EX Sandstorm, with more HP (60) but without the ability to do damage. Thus, it cannot knock anything out, only stall pokémon.