DURBAN North resident and snake man, Jason Arnold, rescued a green mamba from a home in eMdloti last week. The 37-year-old said rescuing green mambas was the equivalent to seeing a leopard in a nature reserve.
“The snake was noticed on the lawn of a home, which is pretty unusual for green mambas. They are highly arboreal (living up in trees). It wasn’t long, however, before the snake felt vulnerable and made its way into some nearby trees and foliage and disappeared from sight. The resident was concerned that her dogs may interfere with the snake if they saw it, so she posted a message on one of the area’s security groups for help, and was directed to me by various other residents on the group,” he explained.
“It’s an awesome start to a snake handler’s day when you get the privilege of catching a green mamba. It’s their vibrant green colour, their elegance as they glide gracefully through the trees, there’s just something very mesmerizing about them and their beauty is totally undeniable.”
The mamba, which was also heavily pregnant, recently laid eggs, which Arnold says should hatch next year. “She will be relocated, most likely to the Hawaan Forest. Later, once her eggs hatch (around the end of February), her offspring will be released into the same area.”
Arnold added there had been an increase in snake activity recently. “Snake activity patterns change dramatically over the course of a year. November is always the busiest month for me as a snake catcher, particularly as the weather heats up. Throughout the cool months, snakes are relatively inactive,” he said.
Contact Jason Arnold on 082 745 6375
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