Durban – A 2-metre male black mamba that has been living in the ceiling of a tea room on the KZN North Coast has finally been caught.
Durban snake catcher Jason Arnold said he received a report from the owner about two weeks ago that he’d been seeing the snake regularly and decided it was time to do something about it.
The shop is in an area called Cornerstone, next to Verulam.
“Due to the fact that he'd always seen it on the roof beams and coming out of or into the roof, I had little doubt that it was living up there,” said Arnold.
“It happened to be a cool, rainy day when he called me to report it, so what better time to go search the ceiling, as I knew it would be in there for the warmth and shelter.
“I went out to go have a look, but there was no access into the ceiling. There were no trapdoors and the ceilings were lined with rows of barbed wire, due to recent break-ins. So although I made a few holes in the ceiling board to stick my head up into the ceiling and shine a torch around, I couldn't see all parts of the roof, as the wooden beams and trusses obscured my vision.
“I did what I could but I couldn't spot the snake. I left and told them to call me immediately when it appeared again.”
Arnold said about 4 days later he received a call from the owner to say that the snake was visible in an open section of the ceiling, above the front verandah of the shop.
“I had left them with strict instructions on what they must and must not do if they saw it, when I was last there.
“They had done as I said and as such, the snake was still out and clearly visible upon my arrival.”
Arnold said this made capturing the snake safely fairly straightforward.
The 2.1-metre male python was released in an uninhabited area.
Arnold said the shop owner was relieved.
“The staff and regular customers were very much aware of the snake and were nervous and cautious.
“People had attempted to kill the snake when it was out and visible, but had failed.”
IOL