Claim:
A video that circulated in March 2024 genuinely confirmed a snake species with “hair” on its head.
Rating:
Context:
While herpetology specialists instructed Snopes no such snake species exists within the wild, the video’s backstory was unknown. It was unclear whether or not it confirmed a staged scene — that’s, if the hair-like matter was hooked up to an actual reptile — or if it was created utilizing artificial-intelligence (AI) software program. Also, it was potential the video confirmed a specific snake with a uncommon organic deformity.
In March 2024, a video circulated on social media supposedly exhibiting a snake with what gave the impression to be a tuft of white, stark hair akin to that of the primary character within the 1935 movie, “Bride of Frankenstein.” For occasion, a submit on X (previously Twitter), archived right here, had obtained greater than 23.8 million views on the time of this publication.
Some customers nicknamed the snake the “Don King Cobra” (archive) or “Don King Snake” (archive) primarily based on its alleged resemblance to the previous American boxing promoter’s memorable hair.
If the snake appeared like one thing from a science-fiction flick, that is as a result of it was extra prone to seem in a movie than in actual life. No snake species with a hair-like tuft exists within the wild, in response to amphibian and reptile researcher Rachel Keeffe, who analyzed the footage for Snopes. “No snakes identified to science have hair like that depicted within the video,” stated Keeffe, of Mount Holyoke College’s Department of Biological Sciences.
That stated, we won’t rule out the likelihood that the snake had some type of deformity. It was unknown who recorded the footage, making it inconceivable for Snopes to ask about it.
In different phrases, it was unknown whether or not the footage was an genuine documentation of an actual reptile, both with a organic deformity or an object placed on its head, or whether or not it was a creation potential by way of digital-editing or artificial-intelligence (AI) software program.
“I’d think about the video was achieved by both gluing a tuft of fur to the snake’s head or including it in by way of video modifying or AI,” wrote Keeffe in an e mail.
In an try and piece collectively the video’s origin story, Snopes performed a reverse-image search utilizing a screenshot from the video by way of Google Lens (archive). We discovered the clip had been shared on numerous platforms in February 2024, together with YouTube (archive), Instagram (archive), TikTok (archive), 9gag (archive), Reddit (archive), and BitChute (archive).
Based on our analysis, the earliest iteration of the video was posted on YouTube on Feb. 5, 2024, (archive) with the title, “Feather on cobra snakes.”
Snopes tried to contact the proprietor of that YouTube account by e mail to ask who recorded, or created, the footage. We obtained an error message.
The Snake’s Distinct ‘Spectacles’ Pattern
Rayna Bell, an herpetology skilled on the California Academy of Sciences, agreed with Keeffe: No such snake species with a hair-like tuft is thought to science. In an e mail to Snopes, she acknowledged the snake has “one thing on its head” however was unable to find out what the article was.
Keeffe stated the snake gave the impression to be an Indian or spectacled cobra, scientific title Naja naja, which is native to its namesake nation in Southeast Asia.
Keeffe stated the species is legendary for a “spectacles” sample on their hoods. (That sample is seen within the in-question video.) The San Diego Zoo describes their look as having “two round patterns linked by a curved line that appears just like the cobra is carrying glasses or spectacles.” The markings resemble eyes, which can be utilized to trick potential predators.
The Indian cobra has traditionally been utilized by snake charmers (the observe was banned in 1991) and performs an necessary function within the ecosystem by consuming giant numbers of rats, in response to the zoo.
Snopes has debunked different rumors associated to snakes, together with whether or not a “snow snake” may kill folks by freezing their blood and if copperhead snakes had been as soon as discovered dwelling inside fish caught by anglers.
Sources:
Bride of Frankenstein. Directed by James Whale, Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association of America, Universal Pictures, 1935.
Cobra | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants. https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/cobra. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
Feather on Cobra Snakes. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvs2v7kEc7w. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
“Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations.” Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations, https://www.fiapo.org/fiaporg/information/indian-snake-charmers-refusing-to-change-their-tune/. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
Google Lens. https://lens.google.com/search?ep=cnts&re=df&s=4&p=AbrfA8qezDwlpg6bBmmgujdAiw2ivJqVHKRZtA31RCPYuYe3nz9kuASVdaMcsHZbOYCXLriQVNuU5Rm14vsMggp5yveQ-NxtFJFVCAZLt0SVlj1WDaYEXCQlpdU1hhJGmxtna9IJwccWyYDVb7sEuJZPgIraHeKjR3_gI2q2A-IM7Z1IYK2l0LuvoU14zIMluhPBSOMKowbSsnqlQlfkvusEsfsdgXa1PNhQwS_miVU3ZlsGnLh3i3wgDIMGQO6z6cwDEb3eyF0dzgpercent3Dpercent3D#lns=W251bGwsbnVsbCxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbCxudWxsLG51bGwsIkVrY0tKREk0WWpWbE1tSmlMV1k0TVRBdE5HUmpNUzFoWmpBMExUTXlNR00zWWpkaVpEQXhZUklmTkRGNUxYZHROVEpvT1hkU1NVVXhUR3gwZUVKVlRIQTBWR3N3ZERaQ1p3PT0iXQ==. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
“Https://Twitter.Com/Motr181/Status/1770532792579014945.” X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/Motr181/status/1770532792579014945. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
“Https://Twitter.Com/NotTinaKotex/Status/1770558885935583369.” X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/NotTinaKotex/standing/1770558885935583369. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
“Https://Twitter.Com/ThebestFigen/Status/1770526997380317379.” X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/ThebestFigen/standing/1770526997380317379. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
I Have Never Seen a Snake like This earlier than. Is This the “Don King” Breed of King Cobra’s? 🐍😳. www.bitchute.com, https://www.bitchute.com/video/3wVk4moz7RvD/. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
Indian Cobra – an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/matters/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/indian-cobra. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/ranthamboresome/reel/C42jl5FRXl2/. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
TikTok – Make Your Day. https://www.tiktok.com/@abbas511791/video/7333599577179802898. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
बाल वाला नाग#shorts. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MaAOBe1OMLg. Accessed 27 Mar. 2024.
