Watch: Oblivious hiker poses for photo as cobra silently moves past her

For one tourist, a peaceful hike through Singapore’s Bukit Timah Nature Reserve turned into a heart-stopping moment when an unexpected visitor decided to make its presence known. Yeshi Dema was enjoying her trek, stopping to pose for photos and videos, unaware that danger was lurking just a few feet away.
As she did a peace sign for the camera, an 8-foot-long cobra suddenly slithered out from the undergrowth beside the concrete trail, and moved directly towards her. In a crazy coincidence, Dema opened up her feets to pose for a picture, right when they reached close to her. This way it slithered past her undisturbed. Dressed in long jogging pants and sneakers, she remained blissfully unaware—until another hiker spotted the snake and shouted a warning.
As per reports, Dema recalled, “I was hiking Bukit Timah Nature Reserve with my friend. Upon descent, I asked to take photos and videos. I was posing when someone shouted, ‘Hey!’ and pointed to the ground.”

Her initial reaction was pure instinct—she leaped away and bolted toward her friend. “I realized it was a snake. I was so scared my whole body trembled. I cried and laughed at the same time,” she admitted.
As per reports, the incident happened on March 15 and was caught on camera. Soon enough it went viral after being posted on Instagram. The video has since racked up nearly 3.9 million views, with many viewers in awe of just how close the cobra came before slithering away. One user commented, “Luckily the girl was not aware so the snake just passed by because did not feel disturbed. Try if the girl conscious then she must scream. Don't know what's about to happen..”

Nestled just miles from Singapore’s urban landscape, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a lush sanctuary teeming with biodiversity. Being one of the last patches of primary rainforest in the country, the reserve is not only home to over 840 species of flowering plants but also to a diverse array of wildlife, including crab-eating macaques, reticulated pythons, and various species of cobras.
Among them is the black spitting cobra, known for its ability to spray venom over six feet. While encounters like Yeshi’s are rare, they serve as a reminder that nature has its own surprises.