Snake showdown: Cape cobra devours puff adder at Langebaan Lagoon

Cape Town - Summer in South Africa has become a surprising hotspot not just for sunbathers, but also for snakes, as they venture onto the beaches in search of food!

At Langebaan Lagoon, a puff adder, which is considered one of the fastest strikers in the world, clearly wasn’t fast enough for the undisputed king of slithery snack time—the Cape cobra.

Beachgoers got more than just a scenic view when they witnessed a Cape cobra devouring a puff adder, proving once and for all that you really can’t trust anyone—not even your fellow serpent.

Captured on video, the bizarre encounter left social media buzzing:

@Douglas Van Breda: "I’m trying to understand how a puff adder and a Cape Cobra both decided it was a beach day and ran into each other at the water’s edge!?"

@Daniel Hooton: "Nobody is going to Langebaan beach for a while after seeing that."

@Mmoluki Luxes Bafana: "The Cobra 🐍 is shocked; why does today’s adder contain so much salt."

@Isabel Ivy Potgieter: "Giving Australia a run for their money."

While snake-on-snake dining might sound shocking, it’s not uncommon. Cape cobras are known to snack on fellow reptiles, and without limbs, fur, or feathers in the way, they make the ultimate easy-to-swallow meal.

Puff adders are slow moving snakes that may hiss or puff when disturbed. It is mostly active after sunset. They may strike suddenly and at very high speed, considered to be one of the fastest strikers in the world

The Cape cobra is a very nervous snake that spreads its hood when confronted and does not hesitate to strike. It becomes aggressive if cornered, but given space it is most likely to retreat. Cobras are primarily active during the day and early evening.

Cape Argus