This is the intense moment three mongooses tag-teamed a cobra in India.

Footage captures the rare interaction between the trio and the snake on the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport runway in Patna, Bihar.

The mongooses engaged with the snake, hopping around and seemingly playing together.

Initially, it was a one-on-one interaction between the snake and a single mongoose. Later, the mongoose gathers its companions to join in.

One mongoose is seen sitting close to the snake, playfully interacting as it uncoils and raises its head. Despite the serpent's attempts to approach, the interaction seems more playful than aggressive.

While fatal encounters between mongooses and snakes are common, this video presents a different, more playful view.

Mongooses and snakes have long been natural enemies due to their evolutionary history. Snakes prey on mongooses and their young, while mongooses hunt and consume snakes. This predator-prey relationship has led to a cycle of attack and defence, with each species adapting strategies to counter the other's tactics.