Mongoose vs. Cobra: Viral video shows fierce battle off-road, bringing traffic to a halt
These two animals are hardwired to be enemies where the snake is often venomous and deadly, and the mongoose is quick, fearless, and resistant to venom. Their battles are fast, fierce, and interesting.
Recently, one such rare encounter played out not in a jungle or forest, but right in the middle of a busy road in Uttar Pradesh's Auraiya district.
The fierce battle happened between a black cobra and a mongoose in the middle of a road near the Barmupur canal track in the Sadar Kotwali area.
It brought traffic to a standstill and stunned bystanders, many of whom captured the moment on their phones.
According to eyewitnesses, a black
cobra
was seen sitting in the center of the road with its hood fully spread. The snake appeared alert and ready to strike, while the witnesses in cars and bikes stopped at a distance, waiting with bated breath to see what would happen next. 'Some people were also seen capturing pictures and videos of the snake on their mobiles,' reported online sources as shared on social media.
What exactly happened?
The real action began when the cobra slithered toward the roadside bushes. Hidden there was its long-time rival of the serpent, a mongoose. Seizing the moment, the mongoose pounced. 'As soon as the cobra moved towards the bushes, the mongoose considered it a suitable situation and started attacking the black cobra,' stated the viral video caption, which quickly circulated online.
In the blink of an eye, the mongoose caught the cobra and dragged it into the nearby fields.
The snake tried to defend itself, but the mongoose's speed and reflexes proved superior. As the two vanished into the undergrowth, the onlookers finally breathed a sigh of relief and traffic resumed.
The snake-mongoose rivalry is well known in Indian folklore and biology. The mongoose is known for its lightning-fast reflexes and partial immunity to snake venom. 'The mongoose becomes furious on seeing the snake,' one local commented online. 'It is said that the reason for this is that the snake sometimes eats its children.'
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