Durban snake catcher Nick Evans recently rescued this massive 2.4m black mamba, which managed to lodge itself in the engine compartment of a truck in Phoenix, Durban.
Video footage of the rescue shows Evans gripping the venomous snake with his tongs, before expertly removing it from the truck.
He said employees at the truck yard chased the mamba into the truck.
“They reported it to the yard owner the next morning, after a guy changed the front wheel,” Evans said.
Evans said it was far from ideal that he was only contacted the following day.
“We’re lucky it hung around.”
He said engines were a popular spot for snakes.
“We get many snakes in engines, they get in from underneath… they tend to find a place where they can settle,” he said.
Evans told News24 that he thought he would be busier during the nationwide lockdown, but since winter was approaching, the prevalence of snakes has reduced.
“You’d think I’d be busier than normal because everyone is at home, but this time of the year snake activity dies down.”
Evans said he had, however, captured quite a few Mozambican spitting cobras of late.
He asked people to keep a safe distance if they spot a snake or to call a snake catcher for professional assistance.
“Do not try to catch or kill it, just leave it. I have had a few cases where people try and hold it, which is silly and, if it’s a venomous snake, then it’s too late.”
The mamba was rescued safely and released.
Watch the video below:
On Sunday evening, Evans was called to a property in Cotswold Downs Estate, Hillcrest, for a Puff Adder at a resident’s front door.
He said it was a recently-born “tiny” snake, though they tend to grow “pretty quickly”.
“Yes, born. Puff Adders are livebearers, they don’t lay eggs. They can give birth to 20-40 babies, although the record is 156. That was in a zoo in Europe, I believe,” said Evans in a Facebook post.
“This little one is a male. If you look at the tail, it’s rather long and slender. A females tail would be shorter, more stubby.”
The snake rescuer said he would give the snake several meals before releasing him, further warning the public against touching snakes regardless of their size.
“I thought he was so cute, and all I wanted to do was hold him in my hand. But there is no chance I was going to do that. He may be tiny and adorable, but he can still pack a painful and potentially deadly bite,” said.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
