Sarel the snake catcher bitten by green mamba

IT was a close brush with death for snake catcher, Sarel van der Merwe, who spent Wednesday evening at Port Shepstone Regional Hospital.

In what was described as a ‘freak accident’ by Dr Giles Hartman, who treated him, Sarel was bitten by a 1.8 metre green mamba.

Sarel was attending to a call from Oslo Beach resident, Neville Dreyer, who had found a snake under a pool pump cover.

Sarel caught the snake but when he got to the boot of his car he realised he had left the string with which to tie his ‘snake bag’ closed on the passenger seat.

Instead of opening the passenger door – and Sarel admitted this was his big mistake – he lent over the driver’s seat to grab the string. However, the seat was not clipped in properly and shifted, causing Sarel to lose his balance.

That’s when the highly venomous serpent took its opportunity and sank its fangs deeply into Sarel’s bicep, pumping its venom deep into the main vein.

He quickly put the snake in the bag, and told Neville that he had to get to hospital immediately.

I couldn’t breathe and see, and I was losing focus.

Neville drove Sarel to hospital. Interestingly, on the South Coast, only Port Shepstone Regional Hospital and Murchison District Hospital keep the life-saving anti-venom in stock.

Neville said  rushing this man, who had been bitten by a GREEN MAMBA (a snake you don’t play around with) to hospital, was extremely stressful.

I had my vehicle’s emergency lights flashing and headlights on bright, but motorists wouldn’t let me pass.

“The public needs to be made aware that there are emergency situations, and a motorist with his/her emergency lights on could be transporting someone facing a life or death situation… it could be your family member in the future.”

Once in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Dr Hartman knew Sarel was in trouble and immediately gave him adrenaline, promethazine, and hydrocortisone and  polyvaent anti venom to ‘bring him back’.

Dr Hartman, who has treated many snake bite victims, explained that it takes some 30 seconds for the venom to respond. “This was a nasty bite, and he was starting to see that white light at the end of the tunnel.”

Not many people survive the bite of a black mamba, but those bitten by a green mamba have a better chance.

Sarel thanked the staff at  Port Shepstone Hospital and Neville for saving his life.

But not even this ordeal will stop Sarel from rescuing snakes. “I’m very lucky, but this is not going to stop me.

It’s like any dangerous job, you have to make sacrifices to help people, and the reptile.

But following doctor’s orders… he is going to put his feet up and relax for the next few days.

Anyone who has a problem with a snake can contact Sarel at 082 6831604.

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