VIDEO: Jake Russell Fights Cape Cobra

This video shows a brave Jake Russell terrier taking on a cobra!

Patsy found the snake behind the bookshelf, took it out and started messing with it on the lawn.

That was pretty brave for an 8 year old dog.

According to Wikipedia, the Cape cobra, also called the yellow cobra, is a moderate-sized, highly venomous species of cobra inhabiting a wide variety of biomes across southern Africa including arid savanna, fynbos, bushveld, desert and semi-desert regions. The species is diurnal and is a feeding generalist, preying on a number of different species and carrion.

Predators of this species include birds of prey, honey badgers and various species of mongoose. The Cape cobra is also known as the “geelslang” (yellow snake) and “bruinkapel” (brown cobra) in South Africa.

Afrikaans speaking South Africans also refer to the Cape cobra as “koperkapel” (“copper cobra”), mainly because of a rich yellow colour variation. This species has no known subspecies.

The Cape cobra is a medium-sized species of cobra. Mature specimens are typically about 1.2 to 1.4 metres (3.9 to 4.6 ft) long, but may grow up to 1.6 metres (5.2 ft) in length. Males are slightly larger than females.

The longest specimen on record was a male from Aus, Namibia and measured 1.88 metres (6.2 ft) long. Another very large specimen was also a male found in De Hoop Nature Reserve with a total length of 1.86 metres (6.1 ft).

Cape cobras vary widely in colouration, from yellow through golden brown to dark brown and even black. In addition, individuals show a varying degree of black or pale stippling and blotches, and although colour and marking are geographically related, it is also possible to observe virtually all colour varieties at one location.

For example, the Kalahari Desert specimens in Botswana and Namibia are usually more consistently yellow than the more southerly populations. However, at De Hoop, and other specific locations in the Western Cape, all colour variations have been recorded.

Juvenile specimens generally have conspicuously dark throats extending down the belly for the width of a dozen or so ventral scales. The colour fades during the first year or two of life, but while it lasts it commonly leads laymen to confuse the juvenile Cape cobra with the Rinkhals spitting cobra.

The Cape cobra is a diurnal species and actively forages throughout the day. During very hot weather it may become crepuscular, but is rarely if ever observed during the hours of darkness. It is a terrestrial snake, but will readily climb trees and bushes, and shows considerable agility in for example systematically robbing the nests of the sociable weaver.

When not active, it hides in holes or under ground cover, such as brush piles, often remaining in the same retreat for some time. It is a quick moving and alert species, and although a report mentions that this species is generally calm when compared to some other African venomous snakes, it strikes readily if threatened.

When disturbed and brought to bay the Cape cobra raises its forebody off the ground, spreads a broad hood and may hiss loudly. While on the defensive, it strikes unhesitatingly.