Sssnake shot & saved!

Regorogile/ Thabazimbi – Local snake catcher Charles Jansen van Vuuren rushed to the scene after receiving a call from Thabazimbi Crisis Control Centre about a snake in Regorogile, on Wednesday 23 December.

The snake was hiding in a pile of wood and it took Charles 30 minutes to catch the 2.1m black mamba. When he secured the snake, he realised that it had been shot. As a snake catcher and not a snake killer, Charles is outspoken about snake safety and the importance of snakes in the ecosystem. After rescuing the snake, Charles assessed the wounds. “The snake was active and responsive. I decided to take the snake home and tend to its wounds,” said Charles. “Fortunately, the injuries were not serious, so for the next few days, I cleaned the snake’s wounds ensuring that it doesn’t get infected.”
Once healed, the snake was returned to the wild on 5 January.

If you see a snake, remain calm and try not to provoke it as it might attack if it feels threatened. 

Your local snake catchers:

• Charles Jansen van Vuuren 074 414 6138
• Peet van Breda 083 579 3139
• Morné Carstens 083 291 4946

For more of Charles’s snake catching adventures, follow his Facebook page: Thabazimbi Snake Identification and Education.