COBRA FIGHTS CROWS AND MONGOOSE

TINY COBRA FIGHTS OFF TWO CROWS BEFORE DEFENDING ITSELF AGAINST PAIR OF MONGOOSES

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A tiny cobra successfully fought off two crows before immediately defending itself against a pair of mongooses and finally escaping.

Jannette Kotze was visiting Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa, when she spotted the birds behaving unusually in the distance and saw they had surrounded a snake.

Epic footage shows the crows pecking at the small yellow cobra who in turn lunged at the birds separately, sending them flapping into the air.

After a few minutes of fighting off its feathered foes, the cobra was immediately faced with a couple of hungry rodents who tried to make it into a snack.

Again, despite its size disadvantage, the snake fended off the mongooses’ coordinated attacks and managed to escape down a nearby hole.

“Both the birds and mongooses are meat eaters and they will eat snakes if they can.“
Jannette Kotze

Jannette said: “I was absolutely stunned to see all this happening. Both the birds and mongooses are meat eaters and they will eat snakes if they can.

“The standoff lasted 15 minutes in total before the cobra managed to escape down one of the many mouse or squirrel holes in Kgalagadi.

“Incredibly, despite the onslaught it fought against, it didn’t appear to be injured at all.

“Even though we were 50 metres away from them, I could tell the crows were acting strangely.

“Only when I zoomed in closely did I spot that they, along with the mongooses, had surrounded the cobra.”

🐍 Learn More About: Yellow Cobras

🧬 Scientific Name: Naja species
📏 Size: 1.2 – 2.5 m (4 – 8 ft)
⏳ Lifespan: 10 – 20 years
🏞️ Habitat: Savannas, forests & grasslands (Africa & Asia)
🍽️ Diet: Small mammals, birds, amphibians & other snakes
⚡ Behavior: Can spit venom to defend itself, usually avoids humans but will strike if threatened, solitary except during mating season
☠️ Venom: Neurotoxic; can cause paralysis, respiratory failure & eye damage if spat
🥚 Reproduction: Lays 10–30 eggs in hidden nests
🌱 Conservation Status: Varies by species; some stable, others threatened by habitat loss