With the arrival of hotter weather, more snakes are being encountered in our communities.
Knowledge is key when it comes to snake encounters. Snakes bite when provoked as they may be trying to defend themselves. Remember that most snakes are shy and will rather try to move away and hide from people. So, if you are trying to capture, hurt or kill a snake, be aware that you may be the one who comes off second best!
It’s important to know what to do and not to do if you should encounter a snake.
Shaun MacLeod co-ordinates snake rescues in Cape Town and runs a reptile sanctuary. He emphasises that it is vital to know exactly where the snake is and to contain it as far as possible. In order to establish all facts, Shaun would like to get immediate information first hand from the person who saw the snake. If a snake has gone under a wendy house or similar, or down a drain, the snake catcher cannot be expected to lift the wendy house or to go into the drain. This is important information for residents to be aware of when calling a snake catcher.
Shaun can be contacted on 0825325033. Should he have assisted you, a contribution to his Reptile Sanctuary will be greatly appreciated.
Willem van Zyl from Blouberg Snake Rescue advises the following:
- Stay 5 meters away from the snake; at that distance even a spitting snake can’t reach you in any way. It’s very important that you keep your eyes on the snake until the snake catcher arrives, because once they’ve hidden somewhere they’re often impossible to find again.
- If a person or pet has been bitten by a snake, don’t try any home remedies. The only thing that will help with a bite from a venomous snake, is medical assistance at a hospital or vet.
- If a snakebite has occurred, you don’t need to identify the snake or take the snake with you to hospital or the vet. Take a photo of the snake if you can, but otherwise just try and get the patient to medical assistance as quickly as possible.
Yusuf Samaai is stationed at SAPS in Buitenkant Street. He has heroically rescued many snakes. He cautions that should a snake be on your premises, you should also keep all pets and children away from the scene.
Yusuf says that most snakes go unseen, but that they frequent properties on green belts because they are looking for water and shade. Snakes will make themselves at home where there is ample cover and hiding places. So, to diminish the likelihood of a snake making itself at home on your property
Remove or cover all water surfaces;
Remove debris such as building materials or garden refuse.
Yusuf can be contacted at 0738990780. If he is unable to assist, he will call on another snake catcher to help. While Yusuf is a SAPS member, snake removal is not a SAPS function, and if he is on duty while called to do a snake-removal, he will not accept any reward as it is unethical to do so.
Please be aware that most snake catchers have a call out fee and depend on this income. If there is no specified fee, please ensure that snake catchers are remunerated for at least their fuel and time.
There is a list of snake catchers on the DPVwatch website and the City of Cape Town also has a list of catchers and the areas in which they operate.
