A MASSIVE 2.5-metre black mamba as thick as a person’s wrist was rescued by Durban North snake catcher, Jason Arnold at an estate in Mt Edgecombe today. Arnold said he was called out by landscapers working at the property who spotted the male mamba cruising into the bushes around the house.

The mamba’s capture has left the local resident and snake handler questioning if the species had begun travelling.

“It is very unusual to find mambas in Mt Edgecombe. This guy was spotted by a landscaping company working on the house. He had slithered into the shrubbery around the house.

“When I got there the mamba was hiding in the bushes and was about to bolt. Luckily I managed to grab him before he got away. He is certainly one of the biggest black mambas I’ve rescued in my time. I’m just glad I managed to rescue him before the homeowner or the gardener accidentally discovered him,” he said.

Arnold added black mambas are extremely toxic and very fast snakes but choose flight most of the time unless threatened.

“They are shy and secretive snakes that prefer to escape confrontation. Nevertheless, they can be highly aggressive if threatened which one of their most distinctive behavioral characteristics.”

Contact Jason Arnold on 082 745 6375.