Mambas entwined in battle at Northdene home
The snakes' bodies were reportedly entwined as they wrestled each other to the ground until they were interrupted by a bystander and a car that drove past.
A NORTHDENE resident was working on her computer when she heard commotion outside.
She walked out onto her balcony and saw these two beautiful, big Black Mambas, in a raging battle.
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Their bodies were entwined as they wrestled each other to the ground until they were interrupted by a bystander and a car that drove past.
“This disturbed the mambas, despite them being focused on the fight, and they retreated under the car, still entwined. They separated and exited to the opposite side of the car and slowly slithered into the bush and have yet to be seen again,” said Nick Evans of KZN Amphibian and Reptile Conservation.
Nick tells more about the mamba and what you should expect this mamba mating season.
Is this normal behaviour?
Yes, especially at this time of year. We are now entering the mamba mating season. So while most other snakes become a lot less active in winter, Black Mambas are an exception. Most snakes breed in spring, but mambas (also Green Mambas) are different.
Male mambas actively track down females who will leave a scent trail behind for the males to follow. Should two males ‘bump’ into each other while on the female’s trail, they will fight for mating rights.
So it is likely that a female was nearby when these two fought. Although it is well-known behaviour, it is rarely seen. You would have to be in the right place at the right time. Should you be so lucky to see this spectacle, consider yourself privileged, not cursed!
Should I be worried now that it’s mamba mating season? Are they more aggressive now?
No, you do not need to live in fear of mambas. Males may be more aggressive towards each other now, at this time of year, but not towards people. Their reaction and attitude to people stays the same: flee! fear!
A Black Mamba will always rather flee than fight. They’re a lot more scared of you than you are of them. However, if you harass a Black Mamba, or try to kill it, you are putting yourself at an extremely high risk of being bitten. And yes, a bite could well be fatal if one does not get to a hospital fast.
Remember, they come to suburban homes because their natural habitat is shrinking, and we tend to have rodents around. They play a very important role in the environment, largely as controllers of rodent numbers.
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What about my dogs?
Dogs and snakes do not mix well. Mambas do not seek dogs out, or attack them. But if a dog sees a mamba in the garden, it will generally go for it. If the mamba cannot escape, it will bite back in defence. This happens occasionally in our area.
But it’s not either of the animals fault, both just act out of instinct. It’s an almost unavoidable accident. If you hear your dogs barking in a different tone (like an alarm call), please pay attention. If you do see the dogs attacking a mamba, try and call them back in any loud manner (shout, clap etc).
It’s not advisable to get yourself anywhere near a mamba in defence. If your dog is bitten by a mamba, I’m afraid to say dogs usually don’t survive. However, there’s always a possibility, so rush it to your nearest vet ASAP. Whether dogs can be trained to leave snakes alone or not, I do not know.
I am recording all venomous snake vs dog incidents (mostly with spitting cobras and mambas), to build up a database of such events, so that we have statistics for the Greater Durban Area. If this unfortunate accident were to happen to you, a friend or a neighbour, please report it to me by emailing me at nickevanskzn@gmail.com. Hopefully these statistics could help us in future, in some way.
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