Watch: The Bluff snake catcher captures black mamba in Cato Manor
The black mamba was situated high above in a tree, and The Bluff snake catcher Warren Dick had to go to new heights to catch it.
A WINDY Durban day became a tense snake rescue operation for The Bluff snake catcher, Warren Dick, when he was called to catch a black mamba in the Cato Manor area on October 2.
Also read: Black Mamba strikes at seasoned snake catcher, leaving him fighting for his life [Video]
Dick said a resident from Cato Manor informed him that workers on a half-razed double-storey building had noticed a large black mamba stretched out along the bush below, soaking up the sun. The resident also expressed concern about the children who play in the neighbourhood.
Dick said he was hesitant as trying to capture a mamba in open land is a tough task.
@sun.newspapers Black mamba capture The Bluff-based professional snake catcher, Warren Dick skillfully captures a large Black Mamba from a steep sandy slope in the Cato Manor area. #snake#blackmamba southlandssun #caxtonlocalmedia
“They are so watchful, they see you approaching long before you even come near. But something inside of me compelled me to go and do what I could,” he said.
Upon arrival, Dick was asked to climb up onto the rooftop so he could more easily observe where the snake was. “With my fear of heights and wobbly ladders, I gave that a definite no,” he joked. As an alternative, he made his way along the side of the building where there was a steep sandy slope up to where the snake was.
Dick said neither end of the snake was within sight at first, but it wasn’t moving, so it hadn’t heard or seen him either.
“I reached in with the snake tong and grabbed what I could see; as I grabbed it the snake burst into life. I then saw I had the snake near the tail end. It tried to wriggle free but fortunately for me it did not have a very good grip of the branches and soon I could see the head and grab it with my second set of tongs, then safely with my hand,” said Dick.
With the snake firmly in his grasp, Dick still had one final hurdle to overcome – returning down the sandbank. “I just planted my butt firmly on the sand and slid down like a little child would do, very graceful,” he said.
The successful capture drew many spectators from the surrounding neighbourhood, who were grateful as well as amazed that Dick handled the snake so well. Dick said the mamba was relocated to a safe and natural area far from humans.
If you have any snakes or interesting creatures, contact The Bluff snake catcher Warren Dick on 072 211 0353.
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