Unlikely snake encounters in South Africa: venomous visitors in surprising locations
Let’s face it, the sight of a snake – especially a venomous one – can trigger panic in even the most courageous individuals.
Whether it's the slithering danger of the Cape Cobra or the jaw-dropping shock of finding a two-headed reptile, South Africa's rich biodiversity brings all sorts of creatures into unexpected places.
If you think this sounds like something out of a horror flick (I’m looking at you, “Anaconda” and “Snakes on a Plane”), well, you’re not far off.
In Stellenbosch, one man got more than he bargained for when he returned home to find a highly venomous Cape Cobra curled beneath his bedroom pillow.
No, it wasn’t some twisted prank. It was the real deal with one of South Africa’s most dangerous snakes.
Expert snake catcher Emile Rossouw was called in to remove the reptile safely. Cape Cobras are responsible for a number of fatal bites each year, so the encounter was rather serious.
Known for their highly venomous nature, these snakes come in a variety of colours, from dark brown to yellow to speckled beige.
As if their venom wasn’t enough, they also bear a striking resemblance to the Mole Snake and Black Spitting Cobra, making them a bit tricky to identify.
“It's by far our most dangerous cobra, and with the Black Mamba, it accounts for the majority of fatal snake bites in South Africa,” stated Stellenbosch Snake Removals on social media, sharing a clip of the snake being removed.
In a bizarre and rather unsettling incident that happened just recently, a 1.2-metre Mozambique spitting cobra was found in the female bathroom at the Masorini Picnic site in Kruger National Park.
According to a post on the official South African National Parks (SANParks) Facebook page, a ranger was alerted to the unexpected visitor and immediately called in the Phalaborwa Snake Club, who happened to be at Sable Dam nearby. Talk about perfect timing!
Upon arrival, the experts confirmed it was indeed a venomous Mozambique spitting cobra.
But here’s where it gets even crazier: by the time they reached the scene, the snake had slithered deeper into the toilet’s intricate plumbing, making it nearly impossible to spot.
Now, imagine this – you’re just trying to do your business, and you look down to find a deadly snake in the bowl. Wild, right? You can’t help but laugh (or scream) at the thought.
Now, this one’s a real head-turner (pun intended). In Ndwedwe, KwaZulu-Natal, a homeowner made an unusual discovery – a two-headed Southern Brown Egg-eater snake. Yes, two heads.
This rare occurrence is known as bicephaly, a condition where twin embryos fail to separate, resulting in a snake with, well, two fully functional heads.
Nick Evans, the snake rescuer called to assist, confirmed that the snake was harmless.
The Southern Brown Egg-eater is a common species, often found in gardens and other local environments, but it’s not every day you find one with two heads.
Bicephaly is extremely rare, thought to occur in about 1 in 10,000 snake births. While the double-headed creature might seem like something out of a mythological story or an ancient legend, this reptile was very real – and very much alive.
When it comes to choosing where to slither, snakes are truly masters of surprise. Your home and car are not safe havens; they can and will appear in unexpected places.
Take the case of a black mamba, for example, which was found lounging in the engine bay of a car in Durban. This wasn’t a casual pit stop; the snake had likely sought out the warmth from the engine, making it the perfect winter hideaway.
Evans said he caught a black mamba which he described as a "magnificent beast“ under the bonnet of a vehicle.
Another report from Phoenix, Durban, revealed a massive 2.4-metre black mamba tucked inside the engine compartment of a truck.
The driver was left with a serious case of the chills when the snake was discovered, but it’s a reminder of how creative these creatures can be when searching for a cosy spot to scare the s*** out of you.