The Mozambique spitting cobra is one of the most common cobras in the savanna region, often found near water. This cobra’s diet mainly consists of frogs and toads, other snakes, birds, eggs, small mammals, and even insects occasionally.
It is considered one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa. The snake can quite accurately spit its venom up to two to three meters. Its bite causes severe local tissue destruction (similar to that of the puff adder). Venom to the eyes can also cause impaired vision and if left untreated could cause blindness.
This snake is highly nervous and when confronted can rear up to as much as two-thirds of its body length, spread its long narrow hood and will readily “spit” in defense.
Like all snakes this cobra would much rather flee from humans than waste its precious venom on a bite. Snakes do not see humans as food and by injecting a venomous bite its actually wasting venom that could have been used on a meal.
Wayne – Kapama River Lodge
28/01/2013
