How a Mozambique spitting cobra was removed from a toilet rim

Whoever sat on a toilet at the Masorini picnic site in the Kruger National Park on Sunday may have had a lucky escape from the highly toxic venom of a Mozambique spitting cobra. The cobra was found hidden under the rim of the toilet seat, and was likely there to cool off in the Phalaborwa heat.

The Phalaborwa Snake Park told TimesLIVE Premiumthey were at the Kruger National Park’s Sable Hide at the weekend when they received a call from a ranger at the park informing them about a snake peeking out of the rim of a toilet seat in the ladies’ bathroom.

This was in one of the two cubicles in a rondavel at the picnic site, a refreshment spot where visitors rest, enjoy snacks and use the ablution facilities.

Olive Coetzer, her husband, Carl, the snake park’s chairperson, and vice-chairperson Fanie Strydom received photos of the snake in the toilet and immediately went to the scene. Though they were not on duty at the time, they had their snake-catching gear in their vehicles, she said.

“When we arrived, there was no-one on site at the picnic area or in the bathroom. It was deserted as it’s a quiet picnic spot this time of year. When we first went into the bathroom and investigated, we saw parts of its body. When we poked around with snake hooks, it pulled itself far up into the rim and there was no way to put a hook in there as the space was too small,” she told TimesLIVE Premium.

That is when they decided to use the endoscope to determine the snake’s location and establish a plan to remove it from under the toilet rim. They discovered that the snake was a Mozambique spitting cobra, which has highly toxic venom that can cause tissue damage.

The snake was positioned near the pipe under the rim that goes into the toilet.

“We took the top part of the toilet off, and we got a flexible stick from one of the bushes and poked it to move back into the rim. It moved its body out again and we were able to hook it. Fanie took the tail, and they gently took it out,” she said.

She said while the snake catchers were dressed in protective gear, the cobra, which was 1.2m in length, was spitting its venom during the hour-long removal process as it felt it was in danger.

But once it was removed from the toilet, it did not seem irritated nor aggressive, Coetzer said.

“We released it back into the Kruger National Park with the section ranger. We do the relocation site inspection and find where it is safe and away from people, buildings and activities.”

However, it was possible that someone could have sat on the toilet, unaware of the venomous snake sitting under the rim as it was not clear how long it had been there for.

“There is a possibility that it could have bitten someone. It could have been there while someone was on the toilet, no-one knows. If someone was there and didn’t get bitten, they are very lucky. The snake likely came in through the water pipes since cobras are good swimmers, or it came in through the window to find water to drink and cool off.”

She said the snake park received many calls during the 'snake season' between October and April, when they often find different types of cobras and venomous snakes.

“We also don’t have extreme cold winters, so in winter we do get the occasional call-outs. This year there have been more calls due to the extreme weather and the snakes love the heat since they are cold-blooded. We get all sorts of dangerous snakes too, including black mambas and boomslang. The cobras love water and since there might not be natural water in the Kruger National Park, they can smell water in the area and go there out of thirst or heat.”