South African cobra swallows poisonous snakes

As one of the fastest-attacking snakes in the world, the poisonous puff adder still cannot escape the mouth of the South African cobra.

Gabi Hotz encountered a South African cobra eating its prey. (Photo: Latest Sightings).

Gabi Hotz, a wildlife lover, encountered a South African cobra ( Naja nivea ) enjoying its meal in the Kgalagadi reserve, Botswana, Latest Sightings reported on January 21 . "We spotted a snake - a large South African cobra. Seeing snakes on wildlife tours doesn't happen often. Seeing a South African cobra is even more special," she shared. shall.

The South African cobra was not alone, it had caught something and was in the middle of swallowing it, Hotz said. The remains of prey emerging from the snake's mouth do not look like birds or rodents. Using cameras and binoculars, the tour group realized it was a puff adder snake ( Bitis arietans ) , a venomous snake belonging to the Viper family. The Puff adder is one of the fastest attack snakes in the world, but that is still not enough to help it defeat the South African cobra in this case.

"We watched in amazement as the South African cobra slowly swallowed its prey little by little. We could see every muscle of the cobra moving to swallow its prey. With its mouth fully opened, the South African cobra Phi makes swallowing a puff adder snake whole look pretty easy ," Hotz said.

South African cobras swallow puff adder snakes quite easily. (Photo: Latest Sightings).

The South African cobra, also known as the golden cobra, is famous for its deadly venom and is considered one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa. They are quite aggressive and will raise their bodies and expand their necks when threatened. The venom of the South African cobra is very strong and this animal also causes many deaths each year. However, they play an important role in their ecosystem. They eat a variety of prey, including rodents, birds and other snakes.

South African cobras regularly fight with other snakes, often resulting in the death of the opponent. Experts don't fully understand the reason for this behavior, but it's likely a way to reduce competition for resources.