…Researched and contributed by Enitan Thompson.
Snake expert Nick Evans recently shared a story on Facebook about a wild half-paralysed snake that was found in someone’s garage.
The South Africa-based specialist arrived at the Reservoir Hills area of Durban after being called out to the location.
The snake turned out to be a black mamba, a species known for its lethal venom. However, this mamba was in a bad way, having suffered from a severe spinal injury.
Nick explained that black mambas are usually shy creatures, but the pain from the injury had made the snake “furious” and quite a different animal.
According to Nick, the snake had likely been hit by a car before making its way into the garage.
It couldn’t move away because of its injury but had full mobility of its front half.
Once Nick grabbed it with tongs, it repeatedly struck at him, and he had a close call.
He added that injured black mambas are different animals and strike wildly at anything that moves near them.
Nick said he has had to deal with other dangerous mambas, including one that had been stabbed with a steel rod and another that had been sprayed with doom while on a kitchen counter.
Nick’s main message was to raise awareness that black mambas are usually shy and would rather move away than bite.
However, an injured black mamba is quite a different animal and much more dangerous. He added that if you try to kill one, you put yourself at high risk of being bitten.
Unfortunately, the black mamba in the garage did not survive its injuries.
Nevertheless, the animal unwittingly donated its body to science.