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Venomous Snakes
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Sandeep Holla:
When the size and attitude makes the king!  *This image is copyright of its original author
Vinod Kasture:
Spectacled Cobra ( Naja Naja ) March - 2016 Location - Mul  *This image is copyright of its original author
Spiders and Snakes:
Did you know that in the first issue of Venomous Snakes of the World (1962s) it was an accepted fact that there were only two species of rattlesnakes in the USA but by the time of the 2012-2013 rewrite by Scott Shupe, more than 13 species had been recognized? Unfortunately, public approach or opinion hasn't changed much in that time, and people still believe old folk tales of rattlesnakes chasing them, fangs still killing people after spending 20 years stuck in a boot, or that they are aggressive. Perhaps, tellingly, of the average 7,000-8,000 persons bitten by venomous snakes in the USA each year, 72% (I would bold that if I could) are intoxicated/drunk young men. Because only about 80% of bites result in envenomation, and only about 0.08% of bites result in death (an average of 5 per year out of 7,000-8,000 per year) and most bites can be avoided by simply stepping away from the snake giving the warning, it's time they get a better reputation. After all, they do go through extensive lengths to warn you when they're upset and most snakes won't do that.  *This image is copyright of its original author
@Majingilane:
About #34: quite agree ! The ignorance is the cause of so much numerous tragic errors and tragedies... Venomous snakes have particularly suffered because of that. Cold blooded animals, venomous animals... When the psychology differs so much with regard to those of human people, this is a hard work to apprehend these beasts and to make them understood and appreciated.
Karthik Singh Born Wild:
Rise like a sun.. Spectacled cobra / Naja Naja Devarayna durga, Tumkur, Karnataka.  *This image is copyright of its original author
Naja nivea
Photo and information credits: Shannon Wild "Cape Cobra photographed in the Kgalagadi, South Africa (wedged between Namibia & Botswana)"  *This image is copyright of its original author
What a beautiful Cobra, I think it's the first time I see one of this colour.
Karthik Singh Born Wild:
Reflection Spectacled Cobra / Naja Naja Devarayana durga, Tumkur, Karnataka.  *This image is copyright of its original author
Eagle Eye Photography:
I decided to share something unique for my Birthday. We were driving in Kruger National Park and came across a Mozambique Spitting Cobra and a dead Tree Squirrel. I unfortunately didn't see the MSC striking the Tree Squirrel, if that was the case because one can see blood and pieces of the squirrel in the road which means that the squirrel could be simply road kill which the MSC is collecting. It was interesting to see the MSC dragging the squirrel out of the road and hooding at the cars. I unfortunately did not have enough time to see if the MSC could swallow the large prey.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Naja nigricincta nigricincta
Photo and information credits: Andrea & Antonella Ferrari Namibia  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Surya Gowda:
Standing high Spectacled cobra Naja naja Sub adult Tumkur outskirts, Karnataka April 2016  *This image is copyright of its original author
Wilderness Safaris:
A Writhe of Anchieta's Cobras On a recent trip to Linkwasha whilst on our afternoon game drive we included a stop at the breathtaking Ngamo Plains. The Ngamo Plains are situated in the furthest reaches of south-eastern Hwange National Park and boast a vast open expanse of wilderness with natural pans as well as some elevated areas with the occasional tree to break up what would otherwise be a constant distant horizon. Being late April, the grass was starting to thin but still maintained its lush green look as well as expansive herds of wildebeest and impala for grazing. It is always a great place to visit due to the amount of grazers and browsers that can be found at this time of year and the potential of predators that follow. After watching a black-backed jackal searching for what looked like eggs due to the loud dismay of some nearby crowned lapwings, Richard, our guide, continued along the road to find a spot for sundowners. As I scanned the area for more animals, shifting my eyes from giraffe in the distance to another herd of wildebeest, James my colleague let out a faint ‘Ah!’ then silence. The tone of his voice told me he had seen something but he was not letting on. I asked what he had seen and he answered that he thought he saw a large snake a few feet off the road but it looked dead. We quickly asked Richard to reverse so we could see if it was true. After backing up the vehicle we came alongside what looked like exactly that, a motionless, very large snake. It was about 20 feet away and the light was fading fast. The snake looked like a snake but there seemed to be no end to it, nor any beginning! As we looked on puzzled, Richard quietly informed us that it was in fact not one large snake but two that were engaged in a fight. Each snake had the other in its jaws and this made an almost endless writhe of slippery scales. We used our camera zooms and binoculars to get a better look as we watched the battle ensue. It was a pair of Anchieta’s cobras, previously known as the Egyptian Cobra; one was somewhat larger than the other. Although both snakes had their fangs firmly pierced into the skin of the other, neither would die from the venomous cytotoxic bites that would otherwise be extremely dangerous to humans, as they seem to be immune from their own poison.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author We watched for a good ten minutes as each snake tried to manoeuvre into a better position to inflict a telling bite on the other. It played out like two large wrestlers jostling for position, each wanting a better hold but not wanting to risk losing the current position they had. The pair slid back and forth ever so slowly until the larger snake, estimated to be around six foot, doubled back on itself and had more purchase on the sandy soil to shift the smaller snake into a position to swallow it!  *This image is copyright of its original author With a swift release and then a bite the larger snake had the smaller one positioned face first down its gullet. It held firm for a few minutes before slowly swallowing its competitor. The smaller snake was not done yet and proceeded to try and roll its way out of danger, something similar to the death roll practiced by their reptilian kin, the crocodile. The larger snake instantly rolled the same way as the smaller one, resulting in the smaller snake trying to wrap what was left of its un-swallowed body around the top half of the snake devouring it. This provided a respite for about two minutes before the smaller snake started to continue its slow disappearance into the belly of the larger snake. It seemed that the sheer power of the larger snake’s peristalsis was enough to slowly slide the smaller snake down its throat. By now the sun had set and we had forgotten completely about our sundowner plan! Cannibalism is not uncommon in snakes and many may eat the same species or another species of snake if possible. It is likely that the larger Anchieta’s cobra did not actively hunt the smaller one but was following up on a female when the two became engaged in a territorial battle. The result was an opportunity for the larger snake to not only win the rights to the female but also get in a meal as well. Written and Photographed by Graham Simmonds
Naja annulifera
Photo and information credits: Wild Aperture - Steve Walker Photography "A beautiful Snouted Cobra rears up in front of my camera."  *This image is copyright of its original author
From Kruger Sightings:
Two mambas wrestle it out in a mesmerising show of dominance. The act is a form of pre-mating ritual, whereby the males battle to show their dominance over another and win the females companionship. Plaiting their bodies together as they wrap themselves around the other, the males look to force their rival towards the ground. The act is known as male combat - but the two snakes do not injure or bite one another. Kirstie, who was on a safari to Pilansberg National Park in North West Province, said: 'I was fascinated. As you can hear from the soundtrack, there was some debate as to whether they were mating or fighting. It almost looks like they are plaiting their bodies around each other. it was mesmerising.' Kirstie and her group were parked around 15 metres from the mambas when the pair slithered into the road ahead of their vehicle. She added: 'As we came around the corner in the road that leads to the viewpoint, I saw something out of the corner of my eye and stopped the car. 'What I had seen was the two snakes just moving into the road. For the first time in my life I thought to hit the video button on my camera. 'What you see on the video is the duration of what we saw, they moved into the bushes on the other side of the road and we lost sight of them.' When Kirstie got home, she then submitted the video to Latest Sightings' Film and Earn Program. Black mambas’ venom is highly toxic, commonly causing a human bitten by them to collapse within 45 minutes of a single bite. This has led to them being regarded one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa. However, attacks on humans are rare, as black mambas tend to avoid confrontation. |
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