Cockroach saves the day in Bushbuckridge
Five dangerous snakes were rescued from being killed and released back into the wild where they belong.
The new year has already seen the illustrious snake catcher, Cockroach Mdluli, saving not only the lives of those in the Bushbuckridge community, but also five highly dangerous snakes.
Four black mambas and a Mozambican spitting cobra were removed to safety before they could be killed by community members or kill someone themselves.
Mdluli was once again called a hero when he single-handedly captured these dangerous snakes in residential areas and released them into the wild on January 4.
ALSO READ: Mpumalanga achieves a matric pass rate of 84.99%
He caught the first snake in Mkhuhlu after receiving a call from concerned residents about people trying to kill it. “I found the people still looking for the snake, and I assisted. When I finally spotted it, I realised it was a black mamba. I managed to catch it unharmed, but it was agitated and ready to kill. I was relieved to have saved it from the people who wanted to kill it,” he said.
Another black mamba was later caught in the same area, while another one was caught in someone’s yard near Mapulaneng Hospital and the fourth one in Rolle near Thulamahashe.
The spitting cobra was caught in Mantangaleni Village and rescued from the villagers trying to kill it with hot water. “I arrived just in time. The snake was not even attacking them; instead, it was trying to hide from them,” Mdluli lamented.
All the snakes were taken to the Kruger National Park. Mdluli said they were probably hunting for food or looking for shelter in the hot weather. Snakes are cold-blooded reptiles and are prevalent during high temperatures such as are currently experienced in Mpumalanga.
ALSO READ: Flood-affected families in Mpumalanga receive social relief
“I would like to advise community members not to try to kill or catch any snake, because they are endangering themselves, as one bite from a black mamba can kill a human. Snakes do not just attack people, they only strike when feeling threatened,” Mdluli said.
He also advised those residing next to the Kruger or near any bushes to always have the phone number of a snake catcher on speed dial. Instead of agitating it and getting bitten in the process, he advised people to wait until the snake catcher arrives.
