Durban snake rescuer on the mend after black mamba bite

A recent call-out to a snake rescue in the Queensburgh area in KZN took a potentially fatal turn after rescuer Grant Cavanagh was bitten by a black mamba.

Cavanagh of the Durban South Snake Rescue group was moving boxes outside a home in Sarnia in search of a snake when he felt a sharp pain in his index finger on his right hand.

The resident from Bellair, Durban, spent just one night in the intensive care unit (ICU) under the watchful eyes of staff at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital.

He received a dosage of eight vials of polyvalent antivenom and was released a day after being bitten.

The black-mamba bite survivor recently recounted his tale to Queensburgh News.

“Initially, I wasn’t sure what type of snake I was looking for. It was the day after the storms which battered Durban, and I was moving boxes out on a patio in search of the snake when I felt a sharp burn to my index finger. I recognised the snake immediately by its black mouth which it displays when threatened. They carry a neurotoxic venom which affects the nerves of the body and your heart, so I knew time was of the essence. I managed to capture the snake and place it in a holder. I then started my stopwatch to monitor any side effects from the time of the bite and drove myself to the hospital.

“I was hoping it was a ‘dry’ bite – little or no venom injected. Most snakes have control of their venom glands. Unfortunately, I got the full dose from this young mamba. Within a half-hour of being bitten, I began to experience the side effects. My lips began tingling, and I had a metallic taste in my mouth. I was really battling with breathing and, according to my wife and Nick Evans, I was biting my tongue. My legs went numb – it felt like they were two blocks of lead,” he said.

He was then rushed through to the ICU unit at the hospital.

“The feeling after being bitten was the scariest feeling in the world and one I can’t really explain. You are sort of in-between panic and not sure if you are going to survive. When the doctor administered the antivenom, I could actually feel it going into my veins; it was sort of a cold liquid running through my body. Not every snake-bite victim is given antivenom as some people never experience symptoms severe enough to justify its administration,” he said.

Cavanagh, who is on the mend, said his biggest complaint now is a few cramps he gets from time to time.

“Thankfully, the effects I suffered weren’t that severe. In fact, the day after being released from hospital, I responded to a call-out for another black mamba. Two days after that, I rescued a black mamba in Winston Park. I think the biggest thing for me is the support I received from the people around me.

“Dr Timothy Hardcastle and the Trauma and ICU Unit staff at the hospital were incredible. Members of the Bellair CPF were so supportive, and many of them reached out to see if they could assist me or my family in any way. Evans, who I work with, was also super helpful,” he said.