Reptiles · Squamata · Elapidae

Cape Cobra

Naja nivea

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Cape cobra is one of the most venomous snakes in Africa and the most variable in colour: within a single population there are yellow, golden, brown and almost black individuals. It lives in southern Africa, including farmland and the outskirts of towns, and spreads the hood characteristic of cobras when it feels threatened.

Size

1.2 m – 1.8 m

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaDesertGrasslandCarnivore Diurnal Solitary Reptile Savanna Desert Grassland

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Fun facts

Its colouring varies so much within a single population that bright yellow animals and almost black ones may be siblings from the same clutch, which is disconcerting for anyone trying to identify it.
It is one of the few African snakes that habitually eats other snakes, including cobras of its own species.
It climbs trees to raid weaver nests, and in the sociable weaver colonies of the Kalahari it is a regular predator of those enormous communal nests.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Fynbos, karoo, arid scrub, savannah and farmland of southern Africa
Size at birth: About 30-35 cm on hatching
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Gestation / incubation: 70 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 15 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naja_nivea

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: From September to April in south-western South Africa and Namibia, by day, in arid country and fynbos: it is one of the few cobras active in daylight.