This is the moment a snake catcher with incredible kindness and care gently traps a highly-venomous young black mamba that was slithering around a man’s tool shed.
The incident was filmed at a home in Avoca Hills in the city of Durban in the eastern South African province of KwaZulu-Natal after the unnamed resident found the black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis), a species of extremely venomous snake, coiled up behind his car parts.
The snake was quickly captured by snake expert Jason Arnold who gives a careful narrative throughout in which he talks fondly about the snake which is clearly very scared and desperate to escape before he picks it up in his hands in order to take it to a nearby nature reserve.
/Jason Arnold
Jason Arnold told Central European News (CEN): “I have always been intrigued by snakes, but only at the age of 13 was I properly ‘introduced’ to them by a friend of mine at the time.
“From that point on there was no looking back. My entire working career from 1997 until now, I have worked with these fascinating animals either at snake parks, reptile parks or on my own.
“I’m currently self-employed and I run a professional snake removal / handling service.
“I’m not afraid of snakes at all, but I do have respect for them. I’ve had many close shaves with snakes, including being hospitalised three times in the last 27 years from snake bites and venom in the eyes.
“I’ve had a black mamba fall on me while trying to catch it high up in a tree. I’ve had a python bite me in the face and had thousands of bites from harmless or mildly venomous snakes.
“The biggest and most dangerous snake I’ve caught to date was a 3.1-metre black mamba.
“I carry out around 15 to 20 rescues per week.”
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Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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