Black mamba caught in Centurion woman’s yard

A resident of Mnandi in Centurion got a nasty surprise when she discovered a 2.78m long black mamba snake in her yard on Tuesday, reports Centurion Rekord.

The snake, which was entangled on an electric fence, was discovered by a gardener.

The black mamba is a highly venomous snake endemic to parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

They are also quite rare in Gauteng, according to Dawie Van Eeden, a snake handler who works for African Reptiles and Venom.

Van Eeden was dispatched to remove the snake from the woman’s property.

“The venomous snakes usually found in Gauteng will be the rinkhals, snouted cobras, Mozambique spitting cobras and puff adders,” he told the Rekord.

He suspects the snake might have come from Limpopo, as the woman had visitors from the province over the weekend.

The captured snake was taken to African Reptiles and Venom. The company is owned by Mike Perry, and is home to about 500 snakes.

The snakes are used to supply venom to South African Vaccine Producers for the manufacturing of anti-venom.

The company also presents courses on how to identify and handle venomous snakes such as the black mamba.

Van Eeden said it felt like an accomplishment each time he captured a snake.

“They play a very important role in nature,” he said.

“They are misunderstood animals and very important for the survival of our planet.”

Dawie Van Eeden with the black mamba. Photo: Supplied