Two massive cobras facing off against one person would send most people running. Yet in a Reddit video, a snake catcher in India remains remarkably calm.
More startling still, he appears to manage the encounter with his bare hands, a small stick, and a hat used as a distraction.
Here's what to know
In the video shared on Reddit, the handler keeps two cobras reared up in front of him at the same time, trying to hold their attention away from his body.
(Click here if the embedded video doesn't appear.)
One commenter responded to the fact that the snake handler almost didn't even use a stick. "Love the way he doesn't even bring a stick with him. 'I'll just use whatever I find lying around,'" they wrote. Another commenter noticed the same detail, writing, "And he went for the little stick."
A separate commenter interpreted the method as a decoy strategy, saying, "I think the intention was to keep them focused on the hat instead of his hands, while making sure the hat stays far enough that the snake won't attack it. I am not saying that's how I would've done it, but I think that was his plan."
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More background
Snakes do not typically seek out dramatic confrontations with humans, but they can end up near homes, roads, farms, and work sites as habitat overlap increases.
A commenter described a wedding in Nagpur, India, where a cobra turned up in the kitchen, and said the young local rescuer was "horrified" at the idea of killing it because "he wouldn't, that these were special and you dont kill them."
Nonlethal handling can protect people while also preserving animals that play an important role in local ecosystems.
Knowledge and restraint often matter more than force when humans and wild animals cross paths.
Where can I learn more?
Across India, similar encounters show how often cobras end up in homes and other human spaces. They follow rescuers, frightened residents, and the dangerous close calls that happen when snakes turn up unexpectedly.
• In southern India, a veteran rescuer bags a 12-foot king cobra without protective gear.
• In Telangana, a snake catcher bags an Indian cobra found inside grandparents' house.
• In Gujarat, rescuers safely return an Indian cobra to the wild after a tense discovery.
• In Kota, India, residents find cobras in 2 homes, including one beside ladoos.
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