A TENSE situation turned to a sigh of relief for The Bluff-based snake catcher Warren Dick, after he captured and released a black mamba on April 1. Far from an April Fools’ joke, the incident unfolded when a resident, whom Dick had helped before, reached out in distress.

Also read: Snake catcher shrugs off second black mamba bite with third snake capture

The homeowner had been walking through her kitchen when she noticed a large, long grey snake entering through her open back door. She described the creature as “thicker than her wrist.” Reacting quickly, she left the house and shut the front door behind her, then circled back to close the stable door, effectively trapping the snake inside the home.

When Dick arrived, he entered through that same back door and started methodically searching each room. He rummaged through cupboards and repositioned furniture, but the snake was not immediately visible. After an hour and no sign of the reptile, he concluded it might have escaped and began to leave the scene.

However, about 45 minutes later, he received another call to say the snake was still inside the house.

“When I arrived, I was told the snake was behind the cupboards in the kitchen, she had seen its head sticking out. I moved everything in the kitchen again and nothing. This crafty snake was missing in action again. I started checking behind all the furniture again, till I got to the dining room table, and there I spotted the snake’s tail on a chair, it was moving down into some stuff in the corner,” said Dick.

Using specialised snake tongs, Dick carefully secured the mamba. Although the snake tried to wriggle free, he maintained a firm grip and placed it safely into a bucket. The black mamba measured at 2.5m, appeared healthy and likely thrived on rodents.

In a touching gesture of thanks, members of the community gathered outside the home and sent him off with applause, singing and dancing, moments that Dick describe as making the effort worthwhile.

Contact information:

To have your insects or snakes identified or captured, contact Warren Dick on 072 211 0353.

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