'You can sleep lekker now': Nick to the rescue in Bellair
Snake Rescue's Nick Evans received a call from the Bellair area of Durban, and he could hear some panic in the background. There was apparently a really big Black Mamba in a shrub between two properties.
"Luckily, the residents were very helpful, and we also had many eyes scanning to see if the mamba came out. Still, as you will hear, that didn't make it any easier! My heart was thumping during this!"
Listen to Nick's Bellair adventure below.
More about Black Mambas:
"Unfortunately, Black Mambas do enjoy occupying ceilings. No, that doesn't mean you have to go check your ceiling right now. Unless your property borders or is very close to a nature reserve or valley or the like, you likely won't encounter a mamba on your property," says Nick.
Black Mambas also do not occur in every reserve/green belt in Durban, and certainly not KZN.
"But yes, in some areas where homes are in or border the bush, mambas are encountered, and yes, occasionally in roofs. A ceiling is a dark, warm and safe hideout. There's also rats in most ceilings. I reckon all ceilings, judging from the roofs I go in. At least at some point. Food+shelter+warmth= a happy mamba!"
Rest assured though, Nick says they do not fall through the ceiling and bite you in your sleep.
"On some of my calls, I go up into ceilings and can see evidence that the mamba has been living there for months at least without the residents ever knowing. They try to keep to themselves."
Meanwhile, in a previous episode, Nick Evans had a challenging and stressful time trying to retrieve a Black Mambas from a Durban family’s parakeet cage. The snake had hoped for a snack but got stuck in the cage.
"Black Mambas do enjoy a bird or two for lunch. When this mamba sniffed out caged parakeets, it couldn't resist popping in for a meal. However, it all went wrong for the snake. Not only did it not catch a meal, but it managed to get itself stuck!" says Nick.
This was quite a challenging and stressful rescue for Nick Evans. Listen to the podcast below.
Nick's reassurance to bird owners: "Multiple birds were kept in
multiple properties bordering a valley (mamba habitat). A mamba visitor
was inevitable. Please don't panic if you have a pet bird, especially if
you do not live on a property bordering a reserve or valley, as the
chance of a mamba coming for it is slim."
LISTEN | READ: Green mamba at Sibaya construction site
Catch Nick in his TV series, Snake Season. Season 2 will be airing from the 17th of May, on the People's Weather Channel on DSTV (180 and 115 on Open View) at 6pm with a repeat at 9pm.
Listen to past Snake Rescue episodes via our channel below:
Nick's organisation, KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, is a chapter of The Lawrence Anthony Earth Organisation.
Contact Nick on 072 809 5806 for information about snake removals in the Greater Durban area. Email him if you'd like to find out about his educational talks.
Main image courtesy of Nick Evans