An unlucky Durban woman who encountered a Mozambique spitting cobra while eating supper outside her home, during load shedding, got more than she bargained for – a dose of venom right in the eye.
The incident happened on Wednesday evening.
“The woman obviously just wasn’t aware of the snake’s presence and got to within a range where the snake felt threatened enough to spit. She then got a dose of venom in her eyes,” said snake catcher Jason Arnold, who safely located and captured the cobra.
Arnold told News24 that the woman had quickly rinsed her eyes with water, as the venom causes immediate pain and discomfort.
“Provided you flushed the eyes well enough and within about 15 minutes, you generally won’t require any medical care,” he said, adding that it would be a good idea to also visit an ophthalmologist to ensure that the eye had not been damaged.
Arnold was able to remove the snake from the property and said he would be releasing it into a safe environment on Friday.
He said that it was normal to see cobras and mambas during this time of the year.
“They are not there to harm you, respect them and give them space. They only become defensive towards you if you get too close to them and they feel their life is in danger.”
