"Beautiful Performance": Cape Cobra Playing Dead in Video Stuns Nature Lover in Video

• A Cape Cobra was filmed playing dead in Montagu, Western Cape, surprising wildlife viewers who thought only the Rinkhals used this survival tactic
• The species, known as Naja nivea, is considered the most venomous cobra in Africa and carries a predominantly neurotoxic venom
• Wildlife fans were stunned by the cobra's behaviour, with many saying they had never seen the species use this tactic before

A Cape Cobra was filmed playing dead in Montagu, Western Cape, in a video that left nature lovers completely caught off guard. Wildlife enthusiast Gerrie Heyns posted the footage on 9 July 2026, and it quickly drew attention for showing a survival behaviour rarely associated with the species.

The snake in the video was the Cape Cobra. It is widely regarded as the most venomous cobra on the African continent, carrying a predominantly neurotoxic venom that attacks the nervous system. Seeing one curl up and go limp to avoid a threat is not something most people would expect.

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Survival trick with few known practitioners

The behaviour shown in the video is called thanatosis, the act of feigning death to discourage predators. It is most commonly linked to the Rinkhals, a spitting cobra found across southern Africa, and the Hognose snake. The Cape Cobra pulling the same move is far less documented, which is part of what made the clip so striking to viewers.

Heyns noted in the post that the Rinkhals is widely recognised for using this tactic, and that the Hognose snake also does the same. The Cape Cobra footage raised questions about just how many snake species rely on this behaviour in the wild.

Watch the Cape Cobra play dead in the video shared by Gerrie Heyns: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1E1C5ckNjF/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Viewers react to the cobra's performance

Wildlife fans flooded the comments with a mix of disbelief and admiration:

@Colette Chris Kitson said:

"Wow! How amazing."

@Jesse Chetty wrote:

"What a beautiful performance! What a beautiful snake!"

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@Mark Johnson joked:

"He learnt that trick from the Hognose Snakes 😅"

@Tatiana Woods shared:

"OMG, I had no idea Cape cobras did thanatosis too! Thanks so much for sharing, Gerrie! ❤️🥹☺️"

@Manene Manene noted:

"We are well informed it's a dangerous snake."

@Muzi Makhoba-Mshengu admitted:

"Yerr. I thought it's only Rinkhals that play dead."

Other Briefly News stories about snakes

• Details about the alarming escape of over 800 snakes from a flooded breeding facility in Hengzhou village, China scared people.
• A professional snake catcher, Warren, successfully removed the largest black mamba of his career from the Albert Luthuli Central Hospital residences.
• The rescue of a massive black mamba from a dark kitchen by KZN snake catcher Kaelan Pillay showcased the skilled handling of a highly venomous snake.

Source: Briefly News