The deadly African snake that has its own pepper spray

The deadly African snake that has its own pepper spray

Spring is around the corner and that means the spitting cobras are waking up. This week on Snake Rescue Extra, snake expert and podcast host Nick Evans provides insight and precautions to take when treating bites and venomous spit by this snake.

Spitting cobra
Nick Evans

September and October is mating season for the Mozambique Spitting Cobra, so this means that seasoned snake catcher, Nick Evans will be receiving regular calls for this type of snake.

Despite its name, it is not from Mozambique - if anything, this serpent is naturally occurring in South Africa and other African countries.

Spitting cobra
Nick Evans

READ: WATCH: Black Mamba gives snake catcher the run-around in Durban home

Although this reptile feeds mostly on toads, rodents, and other snakes, it does bite and has a cytotoxic venom. Therefore, much like the black mamba, please keep your dogs away from it.

"This species can bite, it is actually the snake responsible for the most snake bites in this country, " says Nick.

Listen to Nick Evans in the podcast below as he gives more insight on this snake's ability to spray its venom, as well as precautions to take if you are spat at...

Spitting cobra
Nick Evans

LISTEN | READ: The snake Nick Evans gets 20 monthly calls about

Nick's organisation, KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, is a chapter of The Lawrence Anthony Earth Organisation.

Contact Nick on 072 809 5806 for information about snake removals. Email him if you'd like to find out about his educational talks.

Find past episodes from Snake Rescue below.

IMAGE CREDIT: Nick Evans


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