Black mambas seen mating by Highway snake catcher

HIGHWAY snake catcher Nick Evans said he received the most exciting call last week.

On May 4, Evans removed a female black mamba from a property in Reservoir Hills. Since then, he has removed two more males. Last week, Thursday, two more black mambas were spotted – all at the same spot.

ALSO READ: Snake-catching duo encounter intriguing world of snake mating

”It’s an office premises, and their presence didn’t make most of the staff too comfortable –  understandably so.”

“But the most uncomfortable staff member was the one who lived there, and her front door was just above where the snakes were,” said Evans.

Accompanied on the call-out by Dr Cormac Price, Evans said that while there was a nearby bush to set the mambas free in, they made a decision to relocate them.

According to Evans, every mamba they catch is very beneficial to their research.

“When Dr Price and I peered over the wall, we were amazed to see a pair of mambas cuddling. What a privilege to see something like this!” said an impressed Evans.

Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t admire them for long, as time was not on their side – they were about to slither under the building.

ALSO READ: Nick Evans shares his exciting black mambas removal day

With his very long pair of African Snakebite Institute tongs, Evans reached down, grabbed the smaller one, brought it back up and passed it to Price. He held it with his tongs, while Evans went for the other.

“I grabbed the second one, and brought up the much larger mamba. It was furious. She wouldn’t reverse into the tongs for me and tried thrashing around.”

“I managed to get her in the bucket with the tongs on the front quarter, and my left hand on the tail. Not a method I usually use, but I had space, for a change. Once I had that one in, I went to help Price,“ said Evans.

He added that capturing snakes in such situations helps them learn more about their behaviour.

For Evans, it was quite interesting to find one female exactly where another was, in mating season.

Evans said this was a really special call.

“Thanks to the staff at the premises for calling, and for wanting these snakes to be safe. Always an attitude I appreciate,“ he said.

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At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.

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