Mamba search goes hi-tech

300510 The gaze of a deadly black mamba could soon face the England soccer team, if UK-based paper The Sun is to be believed. Readers, however, are not so sure.

300510 The gaze of a deadly black mamba could soon face the England soccer team, if UK-based paper The Sun is to be believed. Readers, however, are not so sure.

Published Mar 21, 2013

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Johannesburg - Infrared cameras are going to be used to try and find the black mamba that escaped from its enclosure at the Pretoria Zoo, Beeld reported on Thursday.

The cameras detect infrared radiation which is emitted by warm bodies and objects. Even cold-blooded animals like reptiles leave a heat signature.

The team of experts, from Timeless Technologies, would use their cameras to search the area around the terrarium which the two-metre-long snake escaped from, as well as nearby trees and bushes.

Staff realised last week that the terrarium was empty. It was suspected that the mamba got into the building's roof and was preparing to hibernate.

The zoo's marketing manager Craig Allenby said the snake would most likely be in the service area behind the terrarium. - Sapa

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