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Langkawi Nature Blogs
Langkawi: I saw my first Cobra
Mark: 9 January 2010
Today I either saved a cat from a snake or a snake from the cat.
I don’t know which one. Here are some pics of the snake – it came just to the entrance of the house and if the door would have been open – it would probably have rendered us a visit.....
I have no clue about snakes – but this seems to be a Cobra. Hm.. didn’t know we have Cobras here, but it certainly looks like one (see the other pics).
The cat was very afraid but at the same time went into full attacking mode, quite close, with fully awakened killer instinct in the body language and with unmistakable unfriendly noise. Sorry – no picture of the two ‘together’ – as I had the idea I had to intervene very fast to keep the afternoon friendly.
Would any one of the nature savvy know, what would have happened otherwise?
I would be interested to know who would have won the fight :-)) ? ?
Comments
by jalil on 12 Jan 2010, 1:12 am
ooeeeee, you are either very brave or very ignorant of cobras potential strike capabilty. just a spit from the cobra can blind you ! the cat i think would have much better chances. it is faster than the cobra. but the cobra venom is cyto and neuro toxic.
i once "met" a cobra 'couple' in the nearby jungle. lucky me there was a broken bamboo nearby. snakes hate bamboos, especially broken ones. the bamboo, especially broken ones, has micro splinters, which can hurt the snake.
so what happened to the cobra ? did you notify the wildlife dept ? someone could get killed if it went into a house and stepped on by accident.
Thanks Jalil by Mark on 12 Jan 2010, 1:12 pm
First I had no clue waht this was. I tried to see if the tail was short - which would mean it was poisonous, but I was not sure about. Only when it opened up its 'collar' I got a bit impressed....
I let the snake alone and it disappeared peacefully....
"Wildlife Dept." - Are you kidding?
I live beside the jungle (or at least beside a piece of it). No way to find a snake here - and there are probably many more...
BUT: the good news is, the snakes are afraid of us - and so no one has to fear them, if he is not putting them in a corner where they can not escape....
Mark
ugh, cobras ! by jalil on 12 Jan 2010, 8:15 pm
the good news for the snakes is that i am scared hell of them. if you have, like me, very nearly (one inch more) stepped on one by accident while i was a kid, you would also perhaps fear snakes for the rest of your life.
but that you live near the jungle means they are your neighbours. and so yes, you are right, no need for the wildlife dept.
actually if you have live chickens you could offer your neighbours lunch. they will probably decide to stay. yikes.
I was told backchannel.... by Mark on 11 Jan 2010, 3:07 pm
that the cat would probably have been bitten and would probably not have survived that.
Mark