Durban — A black mamba was rescued after it was caught in chicken wire fencing while another was rescued with ease outside Durban.
Snake catcher Nick Evans said that he was in Westville North last week when he was called to a home nearby to rescue two black mambas.
He said he presumed it would be two male black mambas.
When he arrived at the property, a gardener told him that he could see “two heads” in bush.
The neighbour’s yard was bushy, and these snakes were at the fence boundary.
“The homeowners who called me, after already having a mamba not long ago, didn't want more coming onto their property,” Evans said.
He said that despite the gardener’s best efforts, it took him a while to see one of the mamba’s heads.
He said that when black mamba males wrestle, their heads will be raised up, and their bodies intertwined. Yet that was not the case then.
“Then, one of the mambas came slithering out into the open, on our side of the fence. I quickly grabbed it without much hassle, although I kept an eye out for the other while doing so,” Evans said.
“After putting the first one in a bucket, I came back to see where the other snake was. It hadn't moved. I thought it was a bit odd that it hadn't fled once it saw the commotion.”
Evans said the snake was out of reach but he had his long African Snakebite Institute tongs in the car.
“I reached in and grabbed the mamba. I tried to gently pull it closer to me, but that wasn't working. I then noticed some chicken wire fencing. It was stuck,” he said.
Evans said he had to get over the fence.
He said the homeowner's son, Aalok, was standing close by. He asked his mother if he could ask for his assistance, and with her blessing, he asked him, and he did not hesitate. He just needed someone to hold the mamba's body, with the long tongs, just in case it did move, while he climbed over the fence. He did so calmly.
Evans said Aalok was in no danger. The tongs are 1.5m long, and the snake's head-end was stuck. Still, not many would be happy to help.
He said the gardener had fetched a ladder for him and he used it to go over the fence.
“The mamba hadn't moved at all, and I soon saw why. It was properly stuck,” Evans said.
He told Aalok he can release the tongs, but he needed to “please get some pliers out of my car”. He did that quickly.
“I pinned the snake down, and with the pliers, gently and very carefully, cut the wire, and the mamba came free,” Evans said.
He said the neighbour had no idea of all the drama going on.
“I assumed the combat had been interrupted by the one getting stuck in the fence. Well, it turns out it was a pair, male and female. Upon closer inspection, the male (first snake) had some damaged scales. It may also have gotten stuck in the chicken wire,” Evans said.
“Both are fine, thankfully. Both 2.5m.”
Evans thanked Aalok for his help and the gardener for his help too.
Daily News