Naja nigricincta
Silhouette: V. Deepak · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Naja nigricincta, or Western barred spitting cobra, is a species of spitting cobra in the genus Naja, belonging to the family Elapidae. The species is native to the deserts and drier regions of southern Africa. The species is largely nocturnal, and is often found while crossing roads at night. There are two recognized subspecies.
Naja nigricincta had long been considered to be a subspecies of the black-necked spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis), but morphological and genetic differences have led to its recognition as a separate species. Two subspecies are currently recognized under Naja nigricincta. The nominate subspecies N. n. nigricincta, commonly known as the zebra spitting cobra, zebra cobra, zebra snake or western barred spitting cobra, is given its name because of the dark crossbars that run the length of the snake's body. The subspecies N. n. woodi, commonly known as the black spitting cobra, woods black spitting cobra, is solid black and is found only in the desert areas of southern Africa. Both subspecies are smaller than N. nigricollis; with average adult lengths of less than 1.5 metres (4.9 ft).
Naja nigricincta is an oviparous... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 2 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abilene Zoological Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Indianapolis Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | The Abilene Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Hartbeespoort Dam Snake and Animal Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | National Marine Aquarium of Namibia | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 7 | Thrissur Zoo | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | National Reptile Zoo | 🇮🇪 Ireland |
No species of the same family or order lives in Namib-Naukluft National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Barred Spitting Cobra sighting in Namib-Naukluft National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 34th most-seen of the 39 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Western Barred Spitting Cobra in Namib-Naukluft National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–February, April–August and October–November, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western Barred Spitting Cobra sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Western Barred Spitting Cobra sightings, Namib-Naukluft National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Etosha National Park (Namibia, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Barred Spitting Cobra is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Namib-Naukluft National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
