DURBAN: Snake rescuer Nick Evans got a second chance to catch a black mamba that evaded him on Sunday in Westville North after the home owners spotted it again the next day.
Evans said the mamba was spotted on the fence line of a neighbouring property while the dogs were trying to get it.
Dogs and snakes did not make a good mix, he warned.
“When mambas are involved, we often end up with a dead mamba and a dead dog or two.”
He said that while the homeowners thought the mamba was impressive and interesting, they were concerned for the safety of the dogs and the snake.
A decision was made to remove the snake. However, just before Evans arrived at the property at around 4pm, the snake slipped away again.
While the homeowners were braaing early that evening, the mamba was spotted again. This time by their cat.
“The large mamba moved across the trees, towards the deck at the neighbour’s house, where it had been seen the day before. The homeowners were sure it went under a concrete slab, to rest for the night. So, it was time for me to try for a third time.”
Evans recalled that the concrete slab was right against the fence, exactly where he had caught a mamba that had eaten a dassie, years ago.
He said the slab covered what looked like an old and unused septic tank.
What made the rescue more dangerous or, as Evans described it, “interesting”, was that the pit was on the edge of a cliff.
“I wasn't too concerned. Should I slip and fall, I'd have landed against some trees just behind me that I could grab onto. Chances of falling all the way down were minimal.”
Using his cellphone’s video recording light to see inside the pit, Evans said he was relieved to find the mamba curled inside.
After clearing away branches with the help of the homeowners, Evans waited for his friend, Duncan Slabbert, to arrive to assist him with the rescue. They started breaking the slab to better access the snake.
“As Duncan started hammering away with a pick axe, the mamba moved to my right, into the adjacent space. It crawled in between the bricks.The homeowner passed us a crowbar and, with that, we managed to move this second slab of concrete.”
The evasive snake then managed to disappear between the bricks.
“Duncan could see it was actually in the hollow bricks, and tried grabbing it. It popped it's head out of the side but, as I tried reaching for it, it ducked back in.”
To make matters worse, a strong wind picked up which made listening to the mamba and communicating with each other difficult, he said.
“Eventually, Duncan managed to get a decent grip of the mamba in the hollow brick, and pulled it up. The head end appeared, gaping at us, telling us it was not impressed, and probably that we should jump off the cliff.”
Evans managed to pin the head down and the snake was finally secured.
“Once I had the head, we easily pulled the rest of the body out. It was a beast of a mamba! 2.6m in length. It looks quite old too. I reckon over 10 years. Its head is surprisingly large for a mamba.”
While Evans said he felt bad removing the mamba from a shelter and food-rich environment, he said the snake will be released into an area just like that but without dogs and humans.
“I was shattered after this. I won't lie, it was a nervy rescue!”
THE MERCURY