DURBAN:IT’S snake season in Durban and as the city swelters, international experts Simon Keys and Siouxsie Gillett have appealed to Durbanites to be cautious but more tolerant of the slithery reptiles.
The call for caution follows an incident on a farm near Ballito last Sunday, where 6-year-old Mikayla Grove was bitten by a Mozambican spitting cobra while asleep. The snake spat venom into her eyes and into the eyes of mother, Inge, when she tried to intervene.
Gillet and Keys concurred the incident was “extremely rare” and it should not be a cause for alarm or for people to harm snakes.
They are well known for their TV show, Snake City, which is aired on the National Geographic channel. They are in the city shooting season five before their return home to the UK next month.
“It’s an awful incident. Unfortunately for the snake, it doesn’t know it has entered a child’s bed; it’s a place to hide. Maybe the child made a sudden movement and as a defensive reaction, the snake retaliated. It’s awful, but we do not encourage people to panic. If you attack a snake, you could be injured,” warned Gillett.
Keys advised: “If you see a snake, call a snakecatcher. We are here to help you. Don’t risk dealing with it yourself. This was a very rare incident. We hope for her speedy recovery.
“There’s also a misconception that Jeyes Fluid would help with a snake situation. Please do not use this as it could harm you and the snake.
“Another useful tip is if you have tyres lying around, get rid of them. Snakes tend to make it their comfort spot.”