A viral video showing a young Libyan boy fearlessly playing with a deadly cobra near his family home has ignited widespread outrage on social media.
The footage captures the child, believed to be around eight years old, gripping the live cobra, dragging it across the ground, and repeatedly picking it up—all while seemingly unaware of the life-threatening danger he is in.
Throughout the video, the cobra can be seen trying to coil around the boy and lashing out, yet the child shows no fear, continuing to treat the snake as a plaything. In a dramatic turn, the cobra eventually lunges at the boy and bites him, leaving viewers shocked.
The video has generated intense debate across social media platforms. While some praised the boy’s perceived bravery, many condemned the lack of adult supervision, especially the actions of the person filming the encounter without intervening.
Salwa Ghazil, a social media user, speculated, “This child’s mother must be absent or deceased; no mother would allow her child to face such danger.” Another user, Basma, questioned, “Where was the person filming this? They clearly understood how dangerous the situation was—why didn’t they step in?”
In contrast, some users admired the boy’s apparent courage. Abdulrahman Al-Owali commented, “The boy is incredibly brave with a heart of steel.” However, Miyar, another user, disagreed, writing, “It’s not bravery. The boy doesn’t understand the risk he’s in. It’s clear he stumbled upon the cobra by accident, and the person filming just watched without doing anything. The snake clearly bit him in the end.”
Some speculated that safety precautions might have been in place. Suad, another commenter, suggested, “It’s possible the family removed the cobra’s fangs or venom to teach the child bravery. Otherwise, it’s hard to believe anyone would film this without stepping in to prevent harm.”
The incident has sparked a wider conversation about child safety, supervision, and responsibility. Many questioned how a child could be left unsupervised in an area known for wild snakes, raising concerns about the role of adults in protecting children from dangerous situations.
