Busy weekend for snake catchers as mamba calls surge in local areas

THE weekend turned out be a busy one for Highway snake catcher Nick Evans and veterinarian Dr Carla Goede as they were called out to five areas to remove mambas.

Evans said it was incredible to be out and doing what he loves as it’s nearing the end of a quiet mamba mating season (winter) where calls for them have been almost non-existent.

The first mamba was found at a home in Westville North on Friday.

“The owner of the house was alerted to a snake at the bottom of his garden by his dog,” said Evans.

Also read: Nick Evans shares his exciting Black Mambas removal day

When they arrived, Goede spotted it up a small tree.

“I had my 1.8m African Snakebite Institute tongs in my car although, even with these, I was a few centimetres out of reach. Goede pulled the small tree back and down towards me a bit, giving me the chance to grab the snake. But using its tail, it wrapped around the tree and refused to budge!

“She held the tree down while I used two tongs to try and unravel it, which eventually worked. I hoisted the snake out of the tree and lowered it down to where Carla had moved to, holding it while she pinned it down,” said Evans.

While admiring the female mamba, the duo said they received a call for another mamba.

“This Black Mamba had been seen near a front door at a home in Escombe, Queensburgh, but at the sight of humans, moved down and out the property, hiding inside a patch of Agave – a horrible, exotic spiky plant to work with – against a wall.

“Pulling it out of there was quite easy, but restraining it was less so,” said Evans.

From Queensburgh, Evans and Goede rushed to Dawncliffe, Westville, where a mamba was relaxing on a curtain rail, digesting a meal.

“Mobi-Claw911 director Wynand Laatz rushed to the home to keep an eye on the snake until we arrived.”

Unfortunately, they were about three minutes too late.

“The mamba moved along the rail and slithered into the ceiling – an inaccessible one – through a small gap, which no one was aware of,” said Evans.

The fourth mamba was rescued on Saturday in Westville North.

“Excitingly, but not too surprisingly, there was another mamba at the Westville North property we’d been to the day before. A male mamba was now exactly where the female had been – on the ground. He’d picked up her scent, and using his forked tongue, tracked her down – or so he thought.

“Luckily, he stayed on the ground, making for a quick and easy catch.”

Evans reported that the fifth mamba was rescued in Glenmore.

“Thank you to all who called us!” he said.

For snake removals, contact Nick Evans on 072 809 5806 or Nickevanskzn@gmail.com.

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