Quick Take
- Remaining calm likely reduced the risk of provoking the snake. See the nerve-wracking rescue →
- Some cobra species have venom that damages tissue as well as attacking the nervous system. Explore the venom's effects →
- The cobra wasn't being aggressive, and its real reason for hiding under the farmer's shirt reveals something most people don't know about snake behavior. Understand the cobra's behavior →
- The single thing that kept the farmer alive wasn't skill or luck. It's something anyone can train themselves to do. See what kept him alive →
Taking a nap outdoors in the sunshine is supposed to be a relaxing experience. A farmer who chose to do this had an experience that was anything but relaxing when he woke up with a cobra in his shirt.
Farmer Wakes to Find a Cobra in His Shirt
A napping farmer is lucky to be alive after a cobra, seeking shelter, slithered under his shirt. Recently, an Instagram video of a farmer waking from a nap to find a cobra on his chest has made its rounds on social media. The video, which has since gone viral across multiple platforms, shows the farmer lying down with the snake’s tail visible as rescuers encourage him to remain still.
A farmer awoke from a nap to find a cobra under his shirt.
©@indialive24.7 / Instagram – Original
One rescuer slowly unbuttons the farmer’s shirt so as not to disturb the snake. The process is painstakingly slow. Those around the farmer remind him not to move and to avoid anything that could make the snake feel threatened. Remarkably, the farmer is able to keep his breathing steady and remain calm.
Once the shirt is unbuttoned, the farmer is asked to slowly remove it. After removing the shirt, he sits up and quickly moves out of the way. The snake then emerges from the shirt, still very much alive.
The farmer does not appear to have been bitten by the snake, thanks to his calm demeanor and the assistance of those around him.
How Deadly Are Cobra Snakes?
Cobras are venomous snakes. Their specialized fangs allow them to inject their venom directly into the bloodstream of another creature. This includes humans.
Cobra venom is composed of neurotoxins that target the nervous system. This can lead to blurred vision, slurred speech, drowsiness, paralysis, and respiratory failure.
Cobra bites can lead to death if anti-venom is not administered.
©Kurit afshen/Shutterstock.com
Additionally, some cobra venom is cytotoxic, meaning it can cause tissue damage in addition to affecting the nervous system. This can result in respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, and even death if not treated promptly with anti-venom.
The exact species of cobra was not identified in the video. However, if the farmer had been bitten, he would have required immediate medical attention to receive anti-venom and be monitored for any ill effects from the venom.
Why the Cobra Slithered into the Farmer’s Shirt
The video did not explain why the cobra slithered underneath the farmer’s shirt. However, there are several reasons why the cobra may have done this while the farmer was sleeping.
Like all snakes, cobras are cold-blooded. While the temperature was not revealed in the video, it is very likely that the cobra was seeking shelter. The shirt could have provided the snake with protection from the sun if it was too hot outside. Conversely, if temperatures dropped, contact with the farmer’s body would have warmed the cobra.
The cobra could have been seeking shelter from the temperature or a predator when it decided to slither under the farmer’s shirt.
The cobra could have been tired. If so, it would have needed shelter to stay out of the elements and protect itself from predators. The shirt would have provided both of these benefits.
Finally, the cobra may have felt threatened by a predator. While retreating, it may have come across the sleeping farmer and seen the shirt as a perfect hiding place.
This story could have had a very different and tragic ending. Thanks to the help of rescuers and the farmer’s ability to remain calm, all parties involved walked away unscathed.
