Reptiles
Rinkhals
Hemachatus haemachatus · also called ringhals
On a Drakensberg hillside at dusk, a rinkhals rears up and spreads its hood, then flips onto its back and lies limp, the pale bands on its throat the only sign that it is alive.
Overview
The rinkhals, Hemachatus haemachatus, is a Least Concern spitting snake of grassland and mountain slopes in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe. Its hood, spitting, and play-dead defence make it one of the most theatrical snakes in Africa, though it is not a true cobra.
A snake with three defences
The rinkhals spreads a hood, spits venom at the eyes, and if that is not enough, rolls over and feigns death, a sequence that discourages many predators.
Status
Least Concern, widespread across southern Africa.
Rinkhals: common questions
Is the rinkhals a true cobra?
No, it belongs to its own genus, Hemachatus, and differs from true cobras in having keeled scales and giving birth to live young.
What does the name rinkhals mean?
It is Afrikaans for ring neck, and refers to the pale bands across the dark throat.
How does the rinkhals defend itself?
It spreads a hood, spits venom at the eyes of an attacker, and, if that fails, plays dead.
Where is the rinkhals found?
It lives in grassland and mountain slopes in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe.