Reptiles
Cape Cobra
Naja nivea · also called yellow cobra
On a stony hillside in the Western Cape, a golden Cape cobra rears up and spreads its hood, its bright scales glinting in the morning sun.
Overview
The Cape cobra, Naja nivea, is a Least Concern venomous snake of dry scrub, fynbos, grassland, and semi-desert in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. Its golden colour, hooded display, and potent neurotoxic venom make it one of southern Africa’s most feared and most recognisable snakes.
A cobra that visits farms
Because rodents shelter around barns and outbuildings, the Cape cobra often follows them in, and is a recognised cause of serious snakebite in the Cape.
Status
Least Concern, widespread across southern Africa.
Cape Cobra: common questions
Is the Cape cobra venomous?
Yes, it has a highly neurotoxic venom, and is regarded as one of the most dangerous snakes in southern Africa.
What colour is the Cape cobra?
It varies from bright yellow to copper-brown to almost black, depending on the region.
Why does the Cape cobra enter buildings?
It often enters barns, outbuildings, and sometimes houses in search of rodents, which brings it into contact with people.
Where is the Cape cobra found?
It lives in dry scrub, fynbos, grassland, and semi-desert in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.