Bluff green mambas rescued and released
The babies are doing well and have been released into the wild.
FIVE baby snakes, born to a snake with a severed spine, were released into the wild after their mother was found on the Bluff.
Bluffite, Warren Dick was called to a home in December where a green mamba had been seen.
Because he had difficulty getting the mamba out of its hiding spot, he called for assistance from Nick Evans of KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation.
The mamba was hiding under a jacuzzi in a Colwyn Road home.
“The mamba had curled up on a pipe, which was blocked off by panels. So Warren had to poke it with a stick, to coax it out. As it came out, I grabbed hold of it.
Normally, mambas are feisty, and don’t go down without a struggle. This one did. It was surprisingly weak, and I was immediately worried,” said Nick.
He secured the mamba’s head to inspect it and found it was bleeding from the mouth, it’s back seemed to be broken and she was gravid (pregnant).
“It looked like somebody had tried to kill the snake by hitting it with a spade.”
The pregnant mamba was taken to the Dangerous Creatures Centre at Ushaka Marine World where she was X-rayed.
“The x-ray results were not encouraging – its spine was completely severed. But we weren’t ready to give up on it. Our main concern was her being able to lay her eggs.”
Because he would be away on a work trip for some time, Nick handed the snake over to a friend, Carl Schloms for safekeeping.
About two weeks later, she laid her eggs without any medical assistance.
“She laid six eggs in total, one of which was infertile. All while she had a severed spine – incredible! This was fantastic news for us.
The mother mamba was still alive, and surprisingly, doing really well. She was eating and defecating, which was a very good sign.
We had been anxiously waiting for the eggs to hatch. They were taking longer than we expected, although the eggs still looked healthy. But almost three months after she laid her eggs, they eventually hatched. There were five healthy little mambas, already very active. There was a lot of excitement – I think all involved in the rescue felt like proud parents.”
According to Nick, most snakes lack maternal instincts and once she lays her eggs, a mother snake will leave them.
“There is no-one to protect them when they hatch, so juvenile snakes are highly vulnerable to predation.
In venomous species, such as the green mamba, the juvenile snakes have their venom from day one. They’re ‘born’ with it. That venom is required to kill their prey. An adult snake has a larger venom yield than juveniles, contrary to popular belief. They have larger venom glands. So no matter the size of a venomous species, it commands respect.”
Once the hatchlings were deemed strong enough to survive on their own, Nick and Warren released them into the wild.
“We drove to a beautiful and long stretch of coastal forest, prime green mamba habitat. After taking a few photos, we set them free. What a special sight it was. Hopefully they are able to survive to adulthood and produce a future generation of mambas.”
The mother snake is still being cared for and they are not yet sure if she will survive. The spine is still severed, although Nick said she has fattened up a bit, gained a bit of strength, and it still eating and defecating.
“At this stage, she can’t be released into the wild, but we’re hoping she makes a full recovery. At least her offspring are there to carry on her rat, bird and lizard-eating legacy.”
Nick offered his gratitude to Bluff-based snake-catcher Warren Dick, Carl Schloms and the Dangerous Creatures team for their parts in this tale.
Click to learn about green mambas and their importance in the ecosystem and what to do when you come across a snake.
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