Watch an Illinois Snake That Pretends to be a Deadly Cobra
You can't blame the snake for trying. It's relatively harmless, but this Illinois snake pretends to be a deadly Cobra as a part of its own defensive strategy.
I don't care if this bad boy isn't really dangerous. I'd still never like to run into one in the woods. It's an Illinois snake that recently flexed for a wildlife expert. Here's how the guy described it on YouTube:
This wildlife enthusiast shows off a funny-looking snake while sharing a few interesting facts about its species. Isaiah Lieberenz, 18, found this eastern hognose snake as it displayed its fascinating defense mechanisms in Illinois, USA. Isaiah said: "I was excited as that was the species I was looking for. It was puffing up as a defense mechanism."
Look how fierce he pretends to be even though he's really a relatively not dangerous snake cream puff. It's an Eastern Hognose Snake.
As the Illinois Natural History Survey mentions, the snake doesn't just look mean, he/she smells that way too:
This is the “puff adder” or “hissing viper” of folklore. Defensive behavior resembles that of western hognose snake. When first encountered, it commonly flattens the head and neck, hisses, feigns strikes (striking to the side rather than biting), releases feces and foul-smelling musk, then rolls onto its back with mouth open and appears to have died.
Ew. I should point out that their bite does include venom. While not considered dangerous and rarely causes any serious symptoms in human, you still don't want to get on this snake's bad side.
So interesting to see a snake that will act like a Cobra, play dead...try to stink you away to avoid becoming a snake victim.