Cape Cobra vs Mole snake

[Vanderpor]

My wife was mountain biking in northern suburbs of cape town and came across 2 snakes relatively close to each other. She took a picture of this one. Can anyone help me identify if this is a cobra or a molesnake and how to spot the difference from the picture taken? The second snake raised its cobra head once they passed it, so no doubts on that one.

[jka]

That's a mole snake!
Easy differences to spot:
The mole snake has a smaller head with a sharper nose (they are borrowing snakes)
They mole snake is more bulky build, one of the same length as a cape cobra wil be way bigger in girth.
The head is also smaller in comparison to the length of the snake

Don't think cause a snake lifts its head its a cobra, that's a easy mistake to make.

[atropos]

Hi Vandepor, just like jka said...mole snake no doubt. Here is a picture of a cape cobra. Notice how when the head is lifted the neck area actually gets flattened and spread horizontally. All snakes can lift their heads up (that's how they get up into bushes etc.) but not all can flatten the neck region and spread a hood like the cobras and their relatives.

[Vanderpor]

And there I was bragging to my family that I "knew" snakes. Thanks for you clear and detailed explanations.

[atropos]

It's how we learn. Now you know