Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which borders Namibia to the west, is a sizable wildlife sanctuary in the Kalahari Desert region of Botswana and South Africa. Red sand dunes and arid rivers define it. Wildlife includes springbok and wildebeest herds that migrate, as well as raptors and black-maned Kalahari lions and other carnivores.
Visitors staying at the Nossob Campsite within the park got to witness something rather incredible. For starters, the tourists spot a rare orange cobra. The cape cobra has a stunning coloring that mimics a vivid sunset.
Adult cobras of this medium-sized snake range in length from 47 inches to 73 inches at their longest recorded length. When compared to other venomous snakes in Africa, the cape cobra is not typically combative or aggressive. But if it feels threatened and has no other way out, it will attack; otherwise, it will make a hasty attempt to flee.
That’s exactly what happened with several animals surrounding the gorgeous warm-toned snake in this video. At first, we see one squirrel start to bully the serpent. Little do we know, six more of his buddies are about to enter the scene.
The snake continues to strike anytime a squirrel is about to attack. While many people naturally feel sorry for the squirrels in this situation, it’s the cape cobra that’s the victim. If this wasn’t enough, eventually a mongoose gets involved.
Small mammals, bats, lizards, eggs, and even fruit are all consumed by mongooses. Many mongooses may fight and kill venomous snakes for food, notably those of the genus Herpestes. The people continue to watch all seven squirrels and a single mongoose as they keep the serpent surrounded.
A Heavyweight Champion
At one point in the footage, the squirrels decide to take a spot on the sidelines and let the mongoose take over. When mongooses attack, they rely on quickness and dexterity, dashing at the snake’s head and snapping its skull with a vicious bite. Lucky for this orange cobra, he was able to slither away unharmed.
Someone who viewed the video linked below made a great observation. They say, “It’s a good thing the cobra was in fighting shape. The goal was to wear him down before going in for the kill. The mongoose realized he wasn’t tiring at all and gave up.”
The encounter ends with the snake slithering over a small hill, with the mongoose following suit. It’s safe to assume the interaction ended there. We agree with the comment above and think that the mongoose was getting bored of trying to tire out the snake.
Mongoose isn’t afraid of much. Notably, one of their biggest fears is humans. This makes it even more surprising that this one came so close to the visitors watching the squirrels bully the snake. There are no rules in the wild and these animals show just how intense things can get!
Up Next
- Brave Snake Charmer Shows Sassy King Cobra Who’s Boss
- Gaboon Viper vs Mongoose: Who Would Win in a Fight?
- The Best Bird Decoys for Scaring Away Snakes, Squirrels, and Other Pests for 2022
- This Is Why Your Dog Chases Squirrels
Discover the "Monster" Snake 5X Bigger than an Anaconda
Every day A-Z Animals sends out some of the most incredible facts in the world from our free newsletter. Want to discover the 10 most beautiful snakes in the world, a "snake island" where you're never more than 3 feet from danger, or a "monster" snake 5X larger than an anaconda? Then sign up right now and you'll start receiving our daily newsletter absolutely free.
More from A-Z Animals
The Featured Image

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.