If you, like many, have a legitimate fear of snakes, the term you’re looking for is “ophidiophobia.” It’s one of the most common phobias reported by adults, which makes herpetologists quite the odd bunch. However, even the most experienced herpetologists will admit: Studying these reptiles is one thing and encountering them in unexpected places is quite another.
The 2006 movie Snakes on a Plane is a cult classic because it plays on this fear. Imagine you are 30,000 feet in the air in the pressurized cabin of a 747, and everywhere you look, there are venomous snakes just as confused, afraid and hostile as you are. It’s not a good situation, to put it lightly.
Here are four of the most unbelievable places people have unexpectedly encountered venomous snakes.
1. Cape Cobra In The Cockpit Of A Plane
South African pilot Rudolph Erasmus was 11,000 feet in the air when he found out the hard way that snakes are cold-blooded creatures. This happened just last year.
“I felt this little cold sensation underneath my shirt where my hip is situated—but basically where you’ve got your little love handles,” Erasmus told NPR.
Thinking he might not have closed his water bottle tightly enough, he looked down only to be greeted by a Cape cobra’s head. Cape cobras are highly venomous, and although they are usually found in the arid savannas and semidesert regions of southern Africa, today it was nestled uncomfortably underneath the captain’s seat of a Beechcraft Baron 58 private plane.
Erasmus was stunned for a moment, but quickly regained composure and managed to make an emergency landing at a nearby airport. All four passengers onboard the plane were unharmed.
2. Indian Cobra In An Amazon Package
Receiving an Amazon package is usually a straightforward experience, but for a young couple in Bengaluru, India, it turned out to be an ordeal they will remember for the rest of their lives.
The couple had placed an order for an Xbox controller, and to their utter surprise and shock, they discovered an Indian cobra within the Amazon package. Although it was stuck to the tape, the snake can be seen attempting to free itself in a video recorded by the couple.
The highly venomous snake, a member of the infamous Big Four, was released safely by wildlife officials in the outskirts of Bengaluru.
This incident happened a few days ago, and thankfully, nobody was harmed.
3. Eastern Brown Snake In A Washing Machine
Last year, a woman in Queensland, Australia discovered an eastern brown snake—one of the world’s most venomous—coiled up inside her washing machine.
Eastern brown snakes have a reputation for being nervous and are likely to defensively bite if they are cornered or provoked, according to sources.
The woman immediately called up a local snake rescuer, Tom Maddin, who prodded the reptile out of her washing machine.
“Once the snake came out, it quickly looked for an escape route. So, I put my bag in front of it and gave it a gentle tap on the body and it saw a hiding spot, which was my bag,” Maddin told Newsweek.
4. Albino Monocled Cobra In A High Rise
If you live on the third floor of a high rise, a snake encounter may seem like an impossible scenario. But residents of Rice Lofts in Houston, were understandably disturbed when they found a highly venomous cobra slithering around their hallway in 2015.
The snake, later identified by animal control as an albino monocled cobra, had gathered a small crowd and was noticeably on edge. The police were called.
“They tried to catch the snake, but it fought back. Eventually, they were able to use a broom to corral the snake in a bag,” ABC13 reported.
While nobody was harmed, a man suspected of owning the snake, Brandon Ricks, was served three citations for keeping highly venomous snakes within Houston city limits.
Encountering a snake in an unexpected place can be a startling experience, but it’s crucial to stay calm and prioritize safety. If you find a snake in or around your surroundings, avoid attempting to handle or harm the snake. Instead, promptly contact a professional animal rescue service. Should the snake be inside your home, try to keep an eye on it from a safe distance. This keeps the snake in view and prevents it from finding hiding spots, making it easier for experts to manage the situation safely when they arrive.
