Durban - On Saturday snake rescuer Nick Evans was called to assist with two black mambas, one in Westville while the other was in an unusual location in the Mawotana area in Phoenix, Durban.
Evans said the first rescue was in Westville where a 2.4 metre mamba was draped over a pile of garden refuse.
However, he said the snake went down in the refuse pile just as he arrived.
“It was a massive garden refuse pile, so I wasn't keen to go through it. But the mamba appeared, and I managed to grab it,” he said.
The second rescue on Saturday afternoon was at the home of a family in the Mawotana area who spotted a black mamba near the carport.
“It was an interesting area for a mamba. Right among many, many homes. The Ohlanga River wasn't far though, but I wouldn't call that section of it prime mamba habitat, as there isn't any real habitat at all. I suspect it came up there via the culvert. I suspect it got washed down the river and was displaced in the floods. There was very likely a high rat population there,” said Evans.
He said eventually he saw the mamba deep under the walkway.
“I had to stand and kneel in the culvert to look under, which I wasn't chuffed about. But this is usually dirty work! It was an awkward working space, but I eventually managed to 'irritate'/coax the mamba enough to come out a bit, by gently poking it with my hook,” he said.
Evans said three men, including the homeowner, were trying to coax it out with a sledgehammer.
“Once the tongs clamped down, it shot out! It was furious, and understandably so. But I managed to pin it down though, without much hassle,” he said.
According to Evans the crowd that had gathered were excited to see the snake and some even managed to conquer their fears by touching it.
“Such a nice community. Really. I had young kids, multiple, saying, ‘Thank you’,” he said.
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