Black Mamba victim thankful to be alive
The snake handler airlifted to hospital after being bitten by a black mamba on Friday admits he was lucky this time around.
Janslang van Rooyen was discharged from hospital on Friday night and was already back at work rescuing snakes yesterday, despite the ordeal. Van Rooyen was bitten on the thumb during a photoshoot at a reptile park near Ballito on the north coast.
He said he had been taking the snake out of its enclosure when trouble started.
"I had it by the tail and the front part of its body got stuck on a tree. As I released it there it had a coil I did not see, that is when it darted out and bit me on the finger", he said.
Advanced life support paramedics treated Van Rooyen while he was being transported to a Durban hospital. He says he’s in good health.
"I just rode it out and an anti-venom was given to me. I had no other symptoms other than slight metallic taste and light pins and needles around my mouth and eyes", van Rooyen said.