Patrons at a golf course last weekend were shocked when one of the world's most dangerous cobras slithered onto the green near them.
The incident occurred at a course in Cape Town, South Africa, on Saturday, as captured in a video shared on Instagram by a user named @elitheapeachey. In the clip, the sizeable cobra can be seen slithering onto the manicured grass of a tee box quickly and with an aggressive stance, at one point lunging at a sign planted in the ground.
Further back, a mongoose, one of the cobra's natural predators, can be seen briefly before turning back into the woods, its presence likely explaining why the snake was moving so quickly into an open space.
"Koperkapel (Cape Cobra), on our ladies' tee box!" the user wrote in a post alongside the clip. "I'm definitely going to hit straight from now on!"
The incident reportedly took place at the Atlantic Beach Golf Club, situated on the western coast of South Africa on the northern edge of Cape Town. Newsweek reached out to the club via email for comment.
The players were right to be alarmed at the snake's presence, as the Cape cobra, primarily found in South Africa, is regarded as one of the most dangerous species of cobra on the continent. Reaching relatively large sizes, upwards of 4.5 feet, the cobra is also known for its considerable aggression and highly potent venom.
"Following envenomation, symptoms usually begin within minutes and include pain and swelling, necrosis of the wound site, migraine headaches, as well as nausea and vomiting," a description of the Cape cobra's venom from Owlcation reads. "Dizziness, diarrhea, and convulsions are also common, along with paralysis of the extremities. As the venom progresses, symptoms tend to grow in severity before culminating in cardiac arrest, coma, or respiratory failure."
The Cape cobra and the Black Mamba account for the majority of fatal snake bites in South Africa, according to the African Snakebite Institute. If bitten, the institute's official page for Cape cobras stresses that victims must seek immediate hospitalization and that a strong antivenom is required for survival.
Stories about nasty surprises involving cape cobras are familiar in the region. In February, a couple reported picking up a towel bundled up on the ground outside their bathroom, only to find one of the deadly creatures curled up beneath it. In April, a plane carrying four passengers was forced to make an emergency landing after one of the snakes was found onboard.
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Thomas Kika is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in upstate New York. His focus is reporting on crime and national ... Read more
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