Durban: Not many people can attest to staring a black mamba straight in the eye and coming out unharmed.
But a Pietermaritzburg woman said the experience left her having a newfound respect for the feared creature.
The woman, who lives in Bishopstowe, said she arrived home and was told by her helper that there was a sound coming from the bar area in her.
“I didn’t think too much of it, but I was also cautious that there are snakes in the area.
“I began moving around a few boxes and 500 metres away, curled on a shelf was a black mamba staring at me.
“I was in shock. However, it was not aggressive. It did not try to strike me.
“I quietly turned around the ran and closed the door, and called the local snake catcher.”
Dean Boswell said he arrived with minutes and found the black mamba in the same spot.
“There was no space for it to move around. The mamba was quite relaxed until I grabbed it with the tongs. It thrashed around a bit, but I got it under control and into a container.”
Boswell said it was between 2.3 to 2.4m long.
“He said there was an open window near the bar counter. I suspect that's where it came in.”
Boswell said the snake was released far from human habitation.
Last week, Durban snake catcher Nick Evans caught a black mamba at an informal settlement in Chatsworth.
IOL