Summer wouldn’t be summer without snakes

Sarel van der Merwe (54) has been catching snakes for some 14 years.

Anyone who knows Sarel knows that his favourite snake is the world’s most feared – the deadly black mamba.

“The black mamba is the most beautiful snake with it’s small black mouth, and not everyone can catch it,” he says.

Clearly, Sarel likes a challenge, and the adrenaline rush of bagging a black mamba.

He admits it might just have something to do with him not being the tallest man in town!

His crusade of catching and releasing serpents has not lacked excitement and Sarel’s love and passion for reptiles has only grown over the years.

Winter (aka hibernation season for snakes) is the most boring time for Sarel.

“Compared to last year it’s been a slow start to ‘snake season‘ and so far I have only caught several mambas and a python,” he says.

He chalks this up to the fact that we have yet to experience a really hot spell of weather.

As quick with his wit as he is with his grab stick, the bumper sticker on Sarel’s car reads, “Rugby is for men too scared to catch black mambas.’

He has a big heart and tries to help all sectors of the community, whenever and wherever he can.

“Some people play golf, I catch snakes,” he adds, laughing.

Over the years, Sarel has lost count of the number of different snakes he has caught.

Asked about the highlights of his snake-catching career, he mentions snagging a 4.1 metre black mamba in the Murchison area in 2018 and bagging his biggest python ever on a farm in Louisiana the following year.

His love affair with snakes began, says Sarel, when he owned a guest house in Umzumbe.

“There were black and green mambas on the property.

“Worried about the snakes chasing away my guests, I downloaded a video on how to catch venomous snakes, and bought a secondhand grab stick and a bag. “

When he caught his very first green mamba, he kept it for two weeks, practising how to catch it in a store room or up a tree.

Of course, the snake was not harmed and was later released.

Before the start of that winter, Sarel caught the black mamba he had seen hanging around his property – on just his second attempt!

He kept this snake warm and safe in his store-room for three months while it hibernated and when it woke up, Sarel used it to train with before safely releasing it.

Confidence bolstered, he joined Pure Venom Reptile Park as a volunteer where he gained experience on how to handle all kinds of snakes.

After selling his guest house, Sarel started working at Pure Venom full time, later leaving to strike out on his own as The Independent Snake Catcher.

As another hot summer approaches Sarel encourages people not to kill snakes, but to rather stay out of their way and call a snake catcher.

“Don’t kill snakes as they play a big role in the eco-system.

“Interestingly, birds eat snakes, snakes eat other snakes and snakes also eat rodents and geckos.

“If you don’t know what kind of snake is on your property, take a photograph and send it to a snake catcher,” he says.

If you need a snake removed call Sarel at 082 683 1604.

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