Watch the Sighting:
Safari guide Dave Pusey was on a drive in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park when he witnessed this incredible sighting. Dave and his group had already had a lucky morning, having spotted a Puff Adder a few hours prior.
It had just rained, and there were lots of signs of snake movement on the sandy ground, so Dave was on high alert for any possible sightings. As he continued his drive down Mata Mata road, sure enough, he noticed some movement out of the corner of his eye — a Cape Cobra!
A Slithery Safari Skirmish
Dave immediately stopped his vehicle, there was something unusual about this sighting. The snake held a very rigid posture and looked ready to strike!
After a quick scan of the snake’s surroundings, Dave noticed a small ground squirrel, only a few inches away from the cobra, with rage in her eyes. The group initially worried that this squirrel would be no match for the cobra, but soon, they would very much be proved wrong…
Don’t Mess with Mom!
The battle broke out, and it was anything but dull. The squirrel went on the offensive, running at the cobra trying to push it back.
The squirrel’s bravery was outstanding! As it continuously advanced on the snake, Dave realized that this was a determined mother, trying to defend her babies from predation.
“The squirrel kept creeping up to the snake and just as it got close enough, the snake would launch forward and snap a bite at the squirrel. The squirrel, however, reacted much too quickly and jumped out of the reach of the bite every time!”
An Unexpected Victory
After watching the battle go back and forth for about half an hour, the squirrel managed to push the snake into some bushes where it eventually slithered away down a hole. Once the coast was clear, the mother seemed to relax and continued going about her business.
Dave and his group couldn’t believe how fiercely this mother protected her young. He recounted that although he had been travelling to the Kgalagadi for several years, he had never witnessed anything similar to this encounter before!
This sighting teaches us that although the ‘Big Five’ may often steal the spotlight while on safari, the smaller creatures can bring just as much excitement! Dave’s keen eye helped catch this incredible interaction, so always keep your eyes peeled on the ground, because you never know what you may find!
Fast, Fierce and Fatal
Cape Cobras are an extremely venomous species of cobra that inhabits the savanna, fynbos, bushveld, desert, and semidesert regions of South Africa. They are generalists, meaning that they eat a wide variety of prey, including rodents, other snakes, lizards, birds, and sometimes carrion.
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Even though they are terrestrial snakes, Cape Cobras are incredibly agile and have been known to climb trees and bushes to rob nests of their eggs. When they are inactive, these snakes rest in holes or under ground cover for longer periods of time.
If threatened, the cobra raises its body, flares its hood, and hisses loudly in warning, as seen in this encounter. It strikes without hesitation while on the defensive, but if the prey remains still, the cobra will often flee the scene.
Considering that Cape Cobras prefer rodents over other prey, it is a miracle that the mother ground squirrel and her babies made it out of this encounter alive! This snake learned its lesson that day — don’t mess with moms!