Five friends vacationing at a resort in the Philippines got an unexpected scare when a king cobra slithered through the plumbing and emerged from a toilet.
According to a report from NDTV Travel, while staying at a resort in Salvador Benedicto, within the Northern Negros Natural Park, the group became alarmed when one guest spotted a dark shape in a toilet bowl.
Assuming the toilet had simply been left unflushed, they tried flushing it again. Instead, the head of a snake emerged.
The footage, later shared by CBS News on X, shows one of the guests cautiously raising the toilet lid and using a long stick to prod the animal. The snake then slides out, briefly stops, and turns toward the person recording as it flicks its tongue.
A hotel guest captured the terrifying moment a king cobra emerged from the toilet of a resort in Don Salvador Benedicto, Philippines. The guest called resort staff to help catch and remove the venomous snake. pic.twitter.com/dzoHNnHolB
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 14, 2026
One of the guests, Dranreb Teodoso, later told The Sun, as reported by NDTV, that after he discovered the reptile, the rest of the group did not believe the warning.
According to NDTV, the travelers initially thought the snake was harmless, but commenters online suggested it was a king cobra.
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The outlet reported that authorities in the area were launching an investigation into how the snake entered the plumbing, noting king cobras have been spotted in the region before.
Officials are investigating the possibility that the snake escaped from illegal captivity. If true, its presence in the pipes highlights the dangers of illegally owning snakes, as it could put lives at risk if it escapes.
NDTV also suggested the reptile may have been searching for a cooler hiding place during extreme heat.
Commenters under the video published by CBS News were shocked by the footage.
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"New fear unlocked," one user said.
"Absolutely not," another said.
"I've always had a fear of this, and this is not helping," another said.
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