Monster 2.7m-long Black MAMBA captured in KZN [SEE]

A beast of a black MAMBA, 2.7m long and weighing nearly 3kg, was recently captured in KwaZulu-Natal.

By: Corné van Zyl

THE BEAST OF A Black MAMBA HAD AN APPETITE FOR KITTENS

Snake rescuer Nick Evans said the beast of a black MAMBA who had a healthy appetite for kittens was caught in the Nazareth area.

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He said a woman from the area informed him about the ‘big black snake’ that comes to eat kittens.

“I knew it would be a Black Mamba. I told her to call when she sees it again. Minutes later, I got a voice note from her with a lot of screaming, shouting that the snake was back. I thought this was odd. Too coincidental.

“How had it come so quickly? I wondered if it was a prank. Then, she sent a video. It was most definitely a Black Mamba, with an adult cat watching it. I couldn’t believe it!”

Nick Evans

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THE MAMBA PANICKED AND WENT OUTSIDE

Nick said his friend Duncan Slabbert went over as he was close by.

“But with all the people panicking (understandably so), the snake did the same and went outside, and that was that, much to everyone’s disappointment. With the smell of kittens still there, we were sure it would come back.”

Nick said the snake was back the next day.

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THE SNAKE WAS BACK THE NEXT DAY

“Unfortunately for me, it was in a massive wood pile with a few bushes around it.

“The biggest challenge was all the fencing on top of the wood and a sheet. Shrubs were growing out of it, so we couldn’t pull it off.”

“Eventually, in a gap in the middle of the woodpile, I saw the mamba. It was massive! Its body was so thick it barely fitted in there. It was impossible to get tongs on it. I needed to widen that gap.”

Nick Evans

‘THE MAMBA WAS MASSIVE – ITS BODY WAS SO THICK IT COULD BARELY FIT IN THERE’

He furthermore said the mamba soon knew it was in big trouble and tried to get out.

“I got the tongs on its neck, although it managed to wrap its tail around pieces of wood, pulling itself hard. I let go to avoid it injuring itself, and it zipped across under more wood.

“I grabbed the tail and waited for the head to appear. When it did, I grabbed it and managed to restrain it successfully.”

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THE BLACK MAMBA WAS 2.7M IN LENGTH AND WEIGHED CLOSE TO 3KG

According to Nick, the mamba was 2.7m in length and close to 3kg.

“A beast of a mamba. While we might find kittens cute & cuddly, mambas do not. Wild animals don’t see other animals that way, they only care about survival. That’s just how they work in nature.”