Vet student learns a trick or two from snake catcher
Snake catcher Sarel shows second year vet student how it is done.
A veterinary science student, Kayla Lotter (21) spent a rather interesting time out and about with snake catcher Sarel van der Merwe.
Kayla, who is completing her second year at the University of Pretoria at Onderstepoort, was visiting her parents in Munster during her semester break.
Her dream is to work with exotic animals once she has completed her six year degree.
She has done a beginner’s snake handling course, and was excited to get the “cool opportunity” to go out into the field with Sarel, to get some experience.
Kayla started her day in Gamalakhe, inland of Port Shepstone, camping out with Sarel.
For the last few weeks, Sarel has been on the hunt for a giant-sized female black mamba living in the bush near a resident’s home. He did catch her partner a few weeks ago.
He has so far spent a fortune on petrol in search of the mamba.
What has made his job even more difficult is that some residents set her hideout on fire
However, Sarel said the mamba is still there, but now it is not easy to remove her because she spots you immediately coming towards her, and moves away fast.
While camping out waiting for the mamba to appear, Sarel received a phone call from technical staff from Eskom, regarding a black mamba hiding in a switch room in Ifafa.
Sarel said once he had spotted the mamba behind electric cables, it was an easy catch.
Kayla said Sarel has a trained eye!
“I was surprisingly calm for my first black mamba. The mamba is much stronger than I imagined.”
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