Durban snake rescuer Nick Evans is finally getting some mamba excitement after rescuing two black mambas in two days.
On Thursday, Evans said that snake activity is starting to pick up.
“After an exceptionally quiet winter for me, life is starting to get interesting again,” Evans said.
“Today (Thursday), I was on my way to Westville North for a mamba that sounded like it may have been hit on a road, but it had vanished. I made a detour to Moseley, as another mamba had been spotted. This one was in a tree.”
Evans said that a few minutes later the caller phoned him back telling him that they had lost sight of the snake. He said he was close, so he decided to go have a look.
“I was hoping the birds would find it for me,” Evans said.
He said that when he arrived and saw a thick patch of bush the snake had gone into, in the garden, he was not hopeful. That was until he heard an unhappy bulbul chirping.
“Sure enough, there was the mamba, up in a bougainvillea. Fortunately, it was just within reach, and a fairly straightforward catch,” Evans said.
“A young mamba, no more than 2m at most.
“Birds are the best snake finders!” Evans exclaimed.
Evans said that on Wednesday, he went to catch a black mamba that was seen basking in the same place for a few weeks. It would bask below some boulders next to the driveway. The homeowners grew a bit concerned it may decide to venture up into the property one day, so they asked him to take it away.
He said he was lucky to have his friend with him, Dr Rowan Leeming, who was available to help.
“When the two of us peered over the boulder and saw the mamba looking back at us, I was sure it would dash off. I decided to try my luck anyway, with no other option,” Evans said.
“I climbed down slowly, and fortunately, the mamba barely moved. It was still early, and it hadn’t been out long.
“I managed to grab it with two sets of tongs, pass the tongs and mamba up to Rowan, who held onto it for me while I climbed back up to pin it down.”
Evans said that the snake was a gravid (pregnant) female, a little over 2m in length.
“I’ve never seen one gravid earlier than November,” Evans said.
He added that Leeming is a wildlife vet and does extremely important work in northern KwaZulu-Natal. Assisting in the translocation of various species, assisting with research, and saving animals in distress, including endangered species, he is an invaluable member of the conservation community. He also happens to have a keen interest in snakes and has been in ceilings to help Evans with mambas before.
“Glad to finally have some mamba excitement again,” Evans said.
He thanked those who called and said that both captures would not have been possible without his 1.8m tongs from the African Snakebite Institute – the nifty invention that’s come in handy a few times now.
WhatsApp your views on this story at 071 485 7995.
Daily News