Watch: Boomslang goes for a swim in the Western Cape
A snake expert says snakes sometimes swim to reach bushy areas faster.
In a video shared on Facebook by Boland Snake Removals 24/7 & Pest Control, a recently released snake can be seen swimming across water at lightning speed.
Eduanne Niemand, also known as ‘die Slang Ou’ from Boland Snake Removals, says the video was taken while he was releasing a couple of snakes.
“The snake is a male boomslang that is about eight years old. The boomslang is the most venomous rear-fanged snake in Africa,” says Niemand.
He adds that snakes often swim to take shortcuts to better or bushier areas.
“Any snake can swim, and most snakes are faster in water than on land.”
How can they do this, you might ask? One reason is that a snake’s lungs make up about a third of its body length, giving it proper buoyancy, explains Niemand. That’s why they can swim so well.
