Snakes alive! Crocworld team relocates a couple of surprise mamba guests
When the snake rescue team from Crocworld Conservation Centre headed out to Amandawe on the KZN South Coast, they thought they would be relocating a harmless Spotted Bush Snake – not Africa’s deadliest snake!
Busani Mthiyane, Animal Curator at Crocworld Conservation Centre, said they received a call from a family indicating that a ‘huge, green mamba’ had been found on the roof of their house. “On our way to the home, we agreed it was more likely to be the Spotted Bush Snake, but during our search of the roof, we found the shed [skin] of a Black Mamba!
“We noticed rat droppings and realised it had probably been up there feeding on rats. As we continued searching the roof, we saw something big move. We managed to safely remove the mamba and relocate it away from human settlements – which the family and community were very happy about!”
Mthiyane explained that snakes shed their skin when they are growing, as well as to help remove parasites that may have attached to the old skin. The process is completely painless to the snake because of a layer of lubricant that is produced between the old and new layers of skin.
Earlier this month, however, the Green Mamba did make an appearance at a Roseneath water pump station. Mthiyane said they received a call from a security guard who reported seeing a ‘huge, green snake’: “We attended the call out and, after a few moments of searching, discovered a male Green Mamba hiding behind one of the big water pipes. We also managed to safely relocate it.”
He said that, while most snakes become less active at this time of year, mambas are a bit different: “Mambas tend to remain active now as their mating season is autumn and early winter, which many people don’t realise.”
Scottburgh’s Crocworld Conservation Centre offers a free service of identifying and removing snakes for the communities of Scottburgh, Umkomaas, Pennington, and Park Rynie. Residents are urged to contact professionals if they need a snake removed.
For those keen to see and learn more about reptiles in a safe environment, Crocworld Conservation Centre has a variety of interesting snake species, as well as daily crocodile feeds and talks from Tuesdays to Sundays, 11am and 3pm. There are also more than 200 bird species in and around the park, and furry critters to be enjoyed at Crocworld’s Animal Farm.
