Local snake catcher relocates green mamba from Bluff business premises
With the help of bystanders, the snake was safely captured.
PROFESSIONAL snake catcher, Warren Dick, recounts his most recent rescue of a green mamba.
“I was sent a video of a snake for identification from Heidi Palmboom, at Heidi’s Cafe situated at Ansteys Beach Backpackers and Apartments. As soon as I saw the video, I immediately got very excited and gave her a call. It was definitely a green mamba which was seen by one of the kitchen staff 20 minutes earlier and a short while later the snake could not be seen anymore,” he said.
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“However, with many folks living on the property, I decided it was safest for me to go have a look and see if there is any chance of finding it.”
According to Warren, the snake was last seen going towards some wooden cabins, so he went to check it out. In the meantime, some women were looking up into the palm trees that were at the top of a high retaining wall in front of the cabins.
“I couldn’t find the snake inside the cabins, but then one of the women spotted the snake curled on the other side of the palm trees where I was standing. I had a look from my side and could see it, but even with my tongs fully out stretched, I couldn’t reach it. I inadvertently chased the snake up into the palm trees.”
At this point, two men offered to assist to also try to locate the snake and fortunately the palms trees were secluded, so there was nowhere the snake could go without it being seen. However, spotting a green snake in a green tree is quite challenging.
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“I was offered a long ladder to climb onto the wooden cabin roof, or against flimsy palm trees. My tongs were still not going to be long enough to reach the snake, even from the roof. Knowing there is a swimming pool, I asked if they had a pool net on a long pole, which they did. My two brave volunteers, who were not scared of heights, but of snakes, climbed onto the roof of the cabin, next to the palm tree.”
Apparently the idea was for them to poke the snake gently with the pool net, coaxing it to come down to his level. The exercise took over an hour, of back and forth and the snake would always be just out of his reach. Eventually the snake sailed to the end of a palm leaf and slipped off, sliding through the leaves and landing on the ground by Warren’s feet.
“The snake quickly tried getting underneath the bamboo fence when I swiftly grabbed its tail with my hand and pulled it out gently. At this point I managed to get the tongs on its neck and safely pinned it down.”
“It was a decent sized snake, measuring just under two metres in length. It was immediately released in the coastal forest, away from houses.”
Did you know?
Green mambas are arboreal snakes that spend most of their lives in trees, where they are seldom seen.
Even though they are highly venomous, they will only bite if threatened.
Fun fact
Warren is afraid of heights and as a youngster he was very fearful of snakes.
For the safe relocation of snakes, call or WhatsApp Warren on 072 211 0353.
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