Durban - A black mamba on a dassie hunting spree at a complex in the Queensburgh area of Durban last week was finally caught using a child’s toy.
Nick Evans, a local snake rescuer, said on Sunday, September 30 he went to assist with the capture of a black mamba that was chasing young dassies at a complex.
“The mamba had gone into a pipe, presumably chasing a young dassie. It had bitten two others in the frenzy, which passed away near the pipe,” he said.
Evans noted that the resident who had called for assistance was smart in that he had blocked the one end of the pipe.
According to the snake rescuer, the pipe led out the complex into the bush. However, he said everyone preferred that the mamba be relocated permanently, as it might have returned for the other dassies.
“I looked into the pipe and could hear and see the mamba moving away from me. The pipe was about 15m, maybe. Looking from both sides, I could see the mamba was in the middle,” he said.
Evans's friend Duncan Slabbert, along with his daughter Jade, had come to assist him.
“The pipe was placed in a downwards manner. We had tried flushing it out. Many litres later, we gave up on that idea. It often works, but not that day.
“I can't remember who had the idea, Duncan or the caller, but there was this Simba ball lying around, and one of them suggested using that to block the pipe, allowing the pipe to fill up and scare the mamba toward Duncan,” he said.
Evans said he shoved the Simba ball in, placed a slab against it, and then turned the hose on.
“A short while later, water started trickling out. The ball was getting pushed out. It was time to let go, and I did. Simba shot out down the hill, and a wave of water came crashing out! But no mamba? Well, only for about three seconds. Then it came sliding out with the last of the water,” he said.
He said the method used and the way the snake came out had been hilarious.
“But I needed to catch it, not laugh. Fortunately, it was in shock, probably not believing what these weird humans had done, and took a while to react. When it tried fleeing, it was too late – I had two tongs on it. I then had it in my hands pretty quick,” he said.
Evans said the mamba was 2.5m long.
