Field picture: Rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus)

[Nightflight99]

This is a picture of an adult rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus). I photographed this specimen during a field research expedition near Whittlesea in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in December 2010. As you can tell, that specimen was full of character...:)

[EL Ziggy]

Wow. I've never seen one of those. Totally awesome!

[reptiledude987]

Did this big guy try to spit at you while taking the picture? How far can some of the spitting cobras actually spit their venom with any accuracy?

[Nightflight99]

Did this big guy try to spit at you while taking the picture? How far can some of the spitting cobras actually spit their venom with any accuracy?
No, I don't think this specimens was spitting. Unlike a lot of the true spitting cobras (genus Naja), rinkhals do not always resort to this tactic. The accurate range for most spitters is about 6-8 ft, and at that distance they can be surprisingly accurate (always aiming for the eyes).

[reptiledude987]

So is 6-8' the range theyre capable of or the range theyre accurate at?

[Nightflight99]

That is their accurate range. Beyond that, it usually disperses into a coarse spray that isn't very effective.