Subadult Cape Cobra near Melkbosstrand, Cape Town, South Africa (20180103)
Cape Cobra (Naja nivea) - venomous and very dangerous.
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A local resident called me earlier today to remove this subadult Cape Cobra from under their sofa.
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Also known as a "Koperkapel" or "Geelslang" in Afrikaans, the Cape Cobra is a common venomous snake in our area that can range in color from yellow through reddish brown to black.
When threatened or cornered, it's quick to spread a hood and won't hesitate to bite. Cape Cobra venom is highly neurotoxic (the most potent of any African cobra), which means that it attacks the nervous system and causes respiratory collapse (the victim stops breathing), which in turn leads to suffocation.
As in most cases, this snake was doing its best to try and get away from us humans. Even though it's essential to be respectful of the danger that a snake like a Cape Cobra poses, if you give them room to escape they will always try to get away and hide - there's no snake in South Africa that will aggressively chase you.
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A local resident called me earlier today to remove this subadult Cape Cobra from under their sofa.
--
Also known as a "Koperkapel" or "Geelslang" in Afrikaans, the Cape Cobra is a common venomous snake in our area that can range in color from yellow through reddish brown to black.
When threatened or cornered, it's quick to spread a hood and won't hesitate to bite. Cape Cobra venom is highly neurotoxic (the most potent of any African cobra), which means that it attacks the nervous system and causes respiratory collapse (the victim stops breathing), which in turn leads to suffocation.
As in most cases, this snake was doing its best to try and get away from us humans. Even though it's essential to be respectful of the danger that a snake like a Cape Cobra poses, if you give them room to escape they will always try to get away and hide - there's no snake in South Africa that will aggressively chase you.
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Animals