Resident discovers deadly cape cobra lurking under pillow
- A resident in Stellenbosch, South Africa, found a cape cobra under their pillow.
- Emile Rossouw, a professional snake catcher, was called to safely remove the cobra.
- This frightening incident illuminates the dangers posed by venomous snakes in residential areas.
In Stellenbosch, South Africa, a dramatic encounter unfolded in the bedroom of a local resident who was startled to find a highly venomous cape cobra coiled beneath their pillow. This incident took place on December 9, and it prompted a swift response from wildlife professionals trained to handle dangerous reptiles. The resident, upon discovering the snake, contacted Stellenbosch Snake Removals, a local organization specializing in snake removals. Within moments, reptile wrangler Emile Rossouw arrived to safely extract the snake from the potentially hazardous situation. During the extraction, Rossouw humorously acknowledged the seriousness of the situation by quipping, 'Not something you want in your bed.' The cape cobra is notoriously recognized as one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa, given its potent venom that can lead to fatal outcomes. According to the African Snakebite Institute, this species, along with the black mamba, is responsible for a significant number of fatal snake bites across South Africa.