The snakes of the rocky ridges of Northcliff

Summer months result in increased sighting of snakes in residential properties.

SCP Security is pleading with the residents along the rocky ridges of Northcliff, Fairland, Berario and those around Alberts Farm to not opt for killing snakes they come across in their yards.

Director of SCP Security Clive Maher, who attends to calls made to SCP Security for snakes in the area, has called for more awareness and respect around the slithering neighbours residents share the space with.

Throughout the summer months residents have been contacting him to help deal with and remove snakes. These snakes come out at this time looking for warmth, a place to occupy and somewhere to breed.

According to Maher, an overwhelming majority of the snakes he has been called out to have been non-lethal. “Ninety per cent of the time we are called out for brown house snakes which are very common in the area. They are totally harmless as they are constrictors and they don’t have any venom.”

The other 10 per cent of the time Maher is attending to other snakes popular in the area such as the non-venomous aurora house snake and rhombic egg eater. Of the more dangerous snakes Maher has helped with are the rinkhals (also known as the ring-necked spitting cobra) and snouted cobra. Maher stated that it is rare to come across the rinkhals and snouted cobra but they are known to live in the area.

“The most dangerous one I have come across is the rinkhals. This one is quite populated in the Alberts Farm and Northcliff Eco Ridge Area and it’s definitely the type of snake to stay away from. Regardless of their lethalness to humans, all these snakes are beneficial to the area as they feed and help control the population of rodents, small reptiles and other small creatures.”

Ninety five per cent of the time Maher is able to find and save the snake, releasing it into the wild yet again but on some occasions he arrives at the homes to find the snake dead already. “Some calls that we go to the snake has already been killed, either it was squashed between the door and door frame or the gardener has chopped its head off.”

Maher advised the community to rather call for help than opt to kill the snake. “The snakes are also scared, they are not going out there to go after humans but rather just making their way through the area, looking for a partner or food.”

Maher himself will do all he can to remove the snakes carefully and will request assistance from experts in the case that the snake is extremely lethal. As a snake lover himself, he is pleading with the community to rather call their security company to help assist with the matter. Those without such a service are welcome to call him and he will come and remove the snake, as long as it is in the Alberts Farm/ Northcliff region.

SCP Security Clive Maher 073 195 5818.