A new fear was unlocked for many recently, when a spitting cobra snake was found curled up inside a toilet bowl at Kruger National Park.

Always check before using a toilet! Images: canva

Snake season in Kruger Park

Many visitors to Kruger National Park will be looking at toilets in a different light, after recent events of a venomous Mozambique spitting cobra being found inside a toilet bowl.

According to a post on the SANParks – Kruger National Park Facebook page, on 2 February, the Phalaborwa Section Ranger received an unusual report from the Phalaborwa gate reception regarding a snake spotted inside the toilet bowl in the female bathroom at Masorini Picnic site.

The ranger then decided to call in members of the nearby Phalaborwa Snake Club, who were fortunately nearby at Sable Dam.

Upon arrival, the snake club were quick to identify the curled up creature as a venomous Mozambique spitting cobra.

Before anything could be done, however, the snake then went deeper into the toilet bowl rim and was not visible or within reach.

“The snake club members had a portable endoscopy camera and the snake could be located. The toilet had to be dismantled, and the 1.2m Mozambique spitting Cobra was captured successfully and released unharmed.” the Facebook post also revealed.

“The stuff of nightmares”

The Kruger Park post has since done the rounds on social media and Facebook users had a lot to say about the scary incident:

Jacqueline Loubser said: “Thanx. I’m never looking at a toilet the same again. 😱😱😱🫣”

Samantha Lloyd Farquharson shared a similar, albeit, rather unfortunate snake incident: “A friend was bitten by a Mozambique Spitting Cobra on the toilet in the Kruger in November last year, was in hospital and icu for 3 weeks. Fortunately fine now. Check those toilets!!! 🚽”

And Desre Barclay just echoed everyone’s thoughts: “This is one story, I will remember for life “