Featured Snake – Mozambique Spitting Cobra
Mozambique Spitting Cobra
(Naja Mossambica)
Scroll down for video with a mozambique spitting cobra
Identification: Adults are between 1 and 1,2 metres with a maximum of 1,5 metres. They are a relatively small snake with a blunted head and smooth scales. They can be anything from a pinky grey colour to dark olive above with black edged scales, below is a pinkish colour. They very often have dark cross bands on the throat. (Picture above is of a Juvenile)
Areas: Mozambique spitting cobras are found in Savanna and bushveld. They are often found in abandoned termite mounds, rodent holes and around human habitation. They are found in Sub-saharan Africa from Namibia across through the north of Botswana down through Zimbabwe into the north and east parts of South Africa.
Habits: Juveniles are mainly Diurnal and adults mainly nocturnal, they are a terrestrial species preferring to stay on the ground.
Food: Mozambique spitting cobras eat Toads as well as other snakes, lizards, young birds, rodents and grasshoppers.
Breeding: The females can lay up to 22 eggs in Summer
Danger To Man: The venom of the Mozambique spitting Cobra is potently cytotoxic and neurotoxic and can cause partial blindness and skin loss. These snakes spit suprisingly accurately aiming for the upper body and also bite readily.
Mozambique spitting Cobra by Chris Eason
