“Leave It, It Will Not Harm You”: Snake Goes Wild Around Woman’s Neck on Nigerian Movie Set

• A woman filming a traditional scene in Nigeria panicked when a live snake around her neck started moving and wiggling
• Despite snake handlers telling her to stay calm and not touch the reptile, the woman threw the snake towards the crew
• The incident has sparked conversations about using live animals in film productions
• Briefly News spoke to animal expert Jayshri Rangasamy regarding using real animals to shoot movies, take pictures, or make content

A woman's terrifying experience with a live snake during a Nigerian film shoot has gone viral, showing the dangers of using real animals in movie productions.

The incident was shared in early July by content creator @angrymrazucomedy, who regularly posts comedy and entertaining content featuring people across Africa, with the caption:

"Snake att***ack in movie set. What we do for movies."

The video shows a young actress dressed in traditional clothing preparing to film a scene with a large snake draped around her neck. Initially calm, the woman's composure quickly changed when the snake began moving and wiggling its head near her face.

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Throughout the filming, snake handlers behind the camera repeatedly told the actress to "leave it, it will not harm you" and advised her not to hold or touch the reptile. They assured her that staying still and calm would prevent any problems with the snake.

However, when the snake became more active and started moving around her neck area, the woman screamed and immediately flung the reptile away from her body, throwing it in the direction of the handlers who had been giving her instructions.

Briefly News spoke to animal expert Jayshri Rangasamy regarding using real animals to shoot movies, take pictures, or make content and how it’s considered animal abuse, and what alternatives people can use to avoid mistreating animals. She stated:

"Using real animals in videos and photography can be considered abuse when they are subjected to stressful environments, forced to perform unnatural behaviours, or denied proper care, all for the sake of entertainment or aesthetics. This exploitation often occurs behind the scenes, where animals may suffer physical or psychological harm."

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"To prevent mistreatment, the industry should enforce strict ethical guidelines, prioritise the use of CGI or trained animal actors under humane conditions, and support transparency through third-party monitoring and certification. Public awareness and consumer pressure also play a crucial role in encouraging responsible practices and protecting animal welfare. Always look for productions that are certified by reputable animal welfare organisations to ensure ethical treatment."

Netizens react with mixed feelings

Social media users had strong reactions to the video, with many questioning the safety of using live snakes:

@Roy Maduka joked:

Leave it, it will not harm you. As if the snake read the script. The girl also overreacted."

@Splendor Alieze commented:

"I just like how the girl removed the snake and threw it in their direction."

@Don Kyrian questioned:

"Which one is it? Really, will it not harm me? Ha, you guys know well..."

@Ozoemenam Dominic Nnanna added:

"See the joke of the century. It will not harm you... Ha, when we have seen them even bite and kill their owners..."

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@Emeka Omeike observed:

"The snake reacted to the movement of the hand holding the phone, in the background. The hand suddenly moved towards it."

Animal rights when shooting movies

According to PETA, using live animals in film and television productions is inherently cruel and should be avoided at all costs. Animals used for entertainment are often torn from their mothers as babies and forced to perform confusing tricks without understanding what's expected of them.

The organisation states that wild animals like snakes can never have their natural instincts completely overridden through training, making such situations dangerous for both the animals and the people involved. When animals become stressed or agitated on set, as seen in this video, it can lead to harmful situations for everyone present.

PETA's investigations have found that animals used in productions often face poor living conditions and abusive training methods. The organisation encourages filmmakers to use computer-generated imagery or animatronics instead of real animals to create the same visual effects without causing harm.

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Watch the Facebook reel below:

Other people encountering snakes

• Briefly News recently reported on a KwaZulu-Natal girl whose amazing transformation from being terrified of snakes to becoming a fearless handler left South Africans both impressed and worried about her safety.
• A snake with a mysteriously swollen belly sparked intense online debate when social media users couldn't stop speculating about what the massive reptile had eaten for its last meal.
• A Gauteng farmer shared a peaceful video of a huge python moving across his property, delivering an inspiring message about learning to coexist with animals that touched many hearts.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News