People enjoying the sun, sea and sand in Hout Bay, Cape Town today had a bit of a surprise when an almost two meter long Cape Cobra decided to enjoy the beach too.
According to Shaun McLeod, a local snake and reptile education expert, Cape cobras don't normally grow quite that big, and this was an unusual sighting. McLeod said, however, it is not unusual for these snakes to head into the water, saying, “They soak themselves in the water when they are about to shed their skin, so their skin gets irritated.”
A couple of people on the beach in Hout Bay took photos of the two meter (almost 7 foot) long snake and immediately posted them to the Twittersphere and apparently some people in the area were alarmed.
One Tweet read:
Jozi_Prime @Lepidipidi
Cape cobra? Yhoo! "@_thabang_m: It's not a snake, it's a Cape Cobra. Calling it a snake is like calling a Lion a cat."
However McLeod said that this kind of snake it not that dangerous. “The only time it would be dangerous is if you physically tamper with it, 98% of people who are bitten by snakes are bitten because of self-infliction. In most times, the snakes won’t attack you but will move away from you,” he said.
However McLeod said that this kind of snake it not that dangerous. “The only time it would be dangerous is if you physically tamper with it, 98% of people who are bitten by snakes are bitten because of self-infliction. In most times, the snakes won’t attack you but will move away from you,” he said.
Listen to an interview with McLeod below:
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