Policeman flees snake screaming and video goes viral

A video showing a South African policeman running away from a snake while letting out a high-pitched scream has gone viral.

We first saw the video at the Independent, but the man's colleagues (kindly) uploaded the footage to YouTube, where it's become a sensation after viewers found his reaction hilarious.

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The video shows the policeman letting off his dog at the edge of a wood. It's not clear what he expects his dog to find, but when he follows the animal, the officer gets a nasty surprise.

He then lets out a large shriek and runs for his life as the cameraman laughs his head off.

Considering what kind of snakes you can find in South Africa, we're not too surprised at the man's reaction.

According to nature-reserve.co.za, there are between 130 and 160 different species of snakes in South Africa, most of which are not dangerous to humans. However, there's a few deadly species and the most commonly feared are listed below:

Black Mamba
This is probably the most feared snake in Africa, and is its largest venomous snake. It can grow up to 14ft long and move at 20km/hour. Its powerful venom can kill a man within 20 minutes of being bitten if the fangs hit a major vein or artery.

Puff Adder
While the Black Mamba is the most feared snake, the puff adder actually causes more deaths every year. It's the most widespread snake in Africa, and as they are extremely well camouflaged, it's easy to stumble across them on bush walks or while hiking.

Boomslang
The Boomslang is found all over South Africa and grows to around 6ft long. It's a shy snake that's not often seen and is usually found in trees. However, its venom is haemotoxic and, without anti-venom, victims can die from internal and external bleeding. The victim can end up bleeding from all orifices, but it can take up to 24 hours for symptoms to appear.

Cape Cobra
One of the most common snakes in the southern regions of South Africa, the Cape Cobra is easily encountered as it often ventures into human habitats. They have powerful neurotoxins that can cause paralysis and shut down breathing. Death can occur between one and 10 hours of being bitten, but if anti-venom is administered, bites are often not fatal.