The Rinkhals snake is extremely venomous. Bites from this snake are rare. If encountering a human, it rushes toward hiding. In other cases, this snake tries a different tactic to avoid harm.
The rinkhals is found in parts of southern Africa. It is also called the ringhals or ring-necked spitting cobra.
The rinkhals plays dead. Although well documented, thanatosis is a last resort. It may allow its tongue to hang out to fool predators it is dead.
The saw-scaled viper may be the deadliest snake. Scientists believe it causes more deaths than other snakes combined.
The rinkhals venom is neurotoxic and cytotoxic. It aims at the face. The venom causes pain and necrosis from the cytotoxic effect. If entering eyes, it causes great pain.
If distressed, the rinkhals spreads its hood showing distinctive, striped neck. It can spray venom up to 2.5 meters. It flings body forward as it sprays because its aim is poor. It convincingly fakes death by rolling onto its back with mouth agape.
The rinkhals is found in grasslands but also in fynbos in the Western Cape.
Rinkhals snakes are extremely venomous. Bites need immediate treatment.
Like other spitting snakes, the venom causes pain, swelling, blistering and tissue damage. Severe cases cause breathing difficulty.
Rinkhals give 20 to 30 live young, up to 63 in summer. The 16 to 22 centimeter young are replicas of adults. The potentially deadly venom is less potent than most cobras and fatalities are rare.
The venom goes for the bloodstream. It triggers blood clots then punches holes in vessels causing bleeding because nothing stems flow after clots use up clotting ability.
According to research, rinkhals give 20 to 30 live young, up to 63 in summer. The 16 to 22 cm young are adult replicas. The potentially deadly venom is less potent than most cobras and fatalities are rare.
Researchers discovered a potentially extinct rinkhals species in Zimbabwe. It represents an old, distinct lineage demonstrating museum genomics revealing rare, extinct species.
Antivenom for rinkhals is effective. The rinkhals quickly shams dead with body upside down and mouth open.
Few venomous snakes in the Cape: Cape Cobra, Rinkhals.
The Rinkhals seldom exceeds 1.2 meters. It differs from cobras giving live birth and having keeled scales. It spreads a hood in defence. If threat remains, it sprays venom towards eyes accurately. It convincingly fakes death so don’t approach even if dead.
Scan ahead to avoid snake bites. Step onto logs and rocks because a snake could lie on the other side.
The ringhals reaches 1.5 meters but usually 90-120 cm. It resembles cobras but differs in ridged-like scales, laying 25-30 eggs, faking death by rolling onto its back with mouth open, and spitting neurotoxic and cytotoxic venom.
The SHHS educates about venomous snakes. Here you find everything about rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, copperheads, king cobras and the black mamba.
What to do if bitten by a rinkhals?
If bitten by a rinkhals, you should walk, don’t run until you can reach assistance. The venom is not fast acting. You should have enough time to reach a hospital. Netcare Linmed Hospital does stock antivenom which is effective against bites from puff adders, mambas, cobras and rinkhals. Try to identify or take a picture of the snake. This will help medical staff. Do not try to suck venom out or apply a tourniquet. Rinse eyes if spit venom reaches them.
When threatened, a rinkhals will rear up and hood. If it still feels threatened, it will flatten itself to 5mm. After hooding, if the Rinkhals still feels threatened, it will flatten its body and lie down.
The venom is potentially deadly but not as potent as most cobras. Human fatalities are rare. Bites are quite rare. There have been no deaths in 30 years.
It differs from true cobras due to keeled dorsal scales. Only spitting cobras and the rinkhals can spit venom which is painful if sprayed in the eye.
They hunt at night, basking on rocks during the day. They play dead by turning upside down with tongue hanging out to fool predators.
Symptoms of bites are swelling, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and mild fever.
Be prepared to administer CPR. Remove tight clothing and jewellery if swelling occurs. Seek medical assistance immediately.
Where is the rinkhals snake found?
The rinkhals, also called the ring-necked spitting cobra or the ringhals, is a venomous snake species found in parts of Southern Africa. It belongs to the monotypic genus Hemachatus. The species is endemic to southern Africa, found through most of eastern South Africa and along the southwest Cape. Isolated populations occur in western Swaziland, Inyanga in eastern Zimbabwe near the Mozambique border, and in the mountains of Lesotho. These snakes prefer grassland habitats, shrublands, marshy fields, and swamps which allow them to blend into their surroundings with their variable coloration.
When confronted, the rinkhals spreads its hood showing distinctive rings and can spit venom up to 2.5 meters. The venom causes great pain and necrosis due to cytotoxic effects, especially if it enters the eyes. Bites are rare and fatalities virtually unheard of. Antivenom is effective treatment. The rinkhals is also known to convincingly play dead by flipping onto its back with its mouth hanging open. With a length up to 1.5 meters, the rinkhals is a unique and fascinating snake of southern Africa.
What does a rinkhals look like?
The Rinkhals snake is a venomous snake native to South Africa. It can grow to a length of three and a half feet. This snake can rear up and spread its hood like a true cobra but belongs to a different genus. It has a diet of frogs, toads, and rodents.
If distressed, the rinkhals spreads its hood, showing its distinctive, striped neck. It can spray its venom up to 2.5 m. It is also known to fake death by rolling onto its back with its mouth agape.
Once you know which features to look out for there is no mistaking the rinkhals – if it is standing up and spreading a hood. When standing in defence the first feature you might notice is the pale cream to yellow bars on the throat area.
First described in 1790, the Rinkhals is a snake often encountered in urban areas of the highveld. It is closely related to the true cobras but actually falls into it’s own genus, being the only species in the genus.
The Rinkhals snake isn’t a true cobra species. However, the snake is closely related, especially due to the ability to spit venom. It is a beautiful species that belongs to the monotypic genus Hemachatus. This small to medium sized snake is an intelligent species that, like the King Cobra, has been placed under a different genus, being one of its kind.
Rinkhals mainly hunt frogs and toads for their foods. However, their diet also includes lizards, rats, birds, eggs, and other reptiles.
Enjoy this article on the Rinkhals Snake, including where they live, what they eat and more. Now with quality pictures. It’s an expert at playing dead and can spit venom nine feet aiming at eyes.
Where to Find a Rinkhals Snake? The Rinkhals snake is from South Africa. It’s found in Cape Town, Eswatini and Johannesburg.
Their venom effects are pain, swelling, nausea and stomach pain. The LD50 values range from 1.1 to 1.6 mg/kg. Their venom rarely causes death.
If a person does get bitten by a Rinkhals snake, seek medical help. Do not try to remove the venom. Antivenoms can treat this snake’s bite.