[Video] Black mamba caught in Clairwood
The black mamba played a long game of hide and seek with The Bluff snake catcher, Warren Dick, as it ducked in and out of the drain pipes.
EARLY spring has already welcomed our slithery friends back after The Bluff snake catcher Warren Dick captured a black mamba at the Transnet Wentworth Diesel Depot in Clairwood on September 1.
Also read: Rhombic Egg-Eater snake rescued in Prospecton [Video]
Dick responded to the call of a confirmed black mamba early on Monday morning. The snake was spotted on Saturday (August 30) but escaped down the storm water drain. It re-emerged on the Monday morning. “I was excited and slightly nervous as I had not seen a black mamba since June 2024,” said Dick.
When he arrived, the staff revealed the snake had retreated back into the drain and that they attempted to lure it out by pouring litres of Jeyes fluid down the drain, which caused no reaction from the snake. Dick tried to flush the snake out by pushing a hose pipe down the drain.
Also read: Facts about snakes
@sun.newspapers Professional snake catcher, Warren Dick captured a large Black mamba at a diesel depot in Clairwood. #blackmamba #snake #snakecatcher #southlandssun
“There was still no sign of it even after about five minutes of constant water flowing down the pipe where the snake was last seen. I started following the storm water drains, from one drain cover to the next, I could see water flowing but no snake. My heart sank at the thought of another MIA snake. Then suddenly the small crowd of staff that had gathered to watch screamed. I ran towards the commotion, but with all the noise the snake was gone again,” said Dick.
The snake was later spotted in a drainage grid in the car park. The grid was tarred in position and Dick did not have much time to think before the mamba decided to start moving again. Acting quickly, Dick slid his snake tongs through a hole in the grid and was able to grasp the reptile around 80cm below its head.
“At that point I couldn’t pull it out, but after a minute the snake pushed its head through the grid. I could now grab it behind the head with my other snake tong, then grab it safely with my hand. I was worried that the snake would be too thick to fit all its body through the grid, but fortunately that was not a problem,” said Dick.
The mamba, measuring around 2.4m, was safely stowed away until its release as far away from humans as possible. Dick believes that the snake might have hitched a ride with a diesel truck before seeking shelter at the depot.
Contact:
Contact Warren Dick for snake removal, call or WhatsApp him on 072 211 0353.
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