If snakes had a dating site, the Joburg Zoo’s West African Forest cobras and Jameson’s mambas would be at the top of that list.
West Africa Forest Cobra and Jameson Mamba males at the Zoo were introduced to their potential mating females in their display enclosures.
Mlando Dlomo, the Joburg Zoo reptile curator said the process is called pairing, where female snakes are moved to the male enclosure to mate.
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“We put suitable males and females together for the purpose of breeding, and both males and females should be of the right age to reproduce.”
Dlomo states that they moved a nine-year-old female West Africa Forest Cobra to an eighteen-year-old male enclosure and a seven-year-old female Jamesons mamba to a six-year-old male.
“The pairing was successful as both the West Africa Forest Cobra and Jameson Mamba welcomed the females calmly and peacefully; there were no fights.”
He concluded that, as the pairing was a success, he hopes to have little snakes before the year ends.
Snakes, like all other wildlife species, play a certain part in the ecosystem, and even though they instil a deep-rooted fear in many people, we need to protect them.
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The Joburg Zoo reptile curator admitted that in the past he used to kill a snake when he saw one but after studying and understanding them, he no longer did.
“I wish people could learn more about snakes and how important they are to the ecosystem.”
Dlomo said people should not kill snakes because they were cool and beautiful creatures that sensed prey with infrared vision and they kept down rodent populations.
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Here is advice about snakes Dlomo shared:
- If you see a snake, stay away from it. Try not to pick it up or move it. If you leave it alone, it will usually go away.
- When working in the garden, use tools, and heavy-gauge gloves to avoid being surprised by a snake you did not see.
- Keep the areas around your house clear of debris, such as wood piles, which are a favourite hiding place for snakes, and keep grass and shrubbery trimmed.
- If you are bitten, remain calm and immobilise the area immediately to prevent the spread of venom and get to the hospital fast.
