This is the Black Mamba that has made it into some local newspapers, and onto WhatsApp groups, after its clash with two dogs in Clare Estate.
Some of the comments I've read are terribly misinformed, which is as mildly as I can put it.
This 2.7m long snake was attacked by the two dogs. A Black Mamba has zero desire to fight with dogs, it knows it will likely lose. It sees dogs as a threat. These weren't small dogs either. To say it attacked them is illogical.
I am not blaming the dogs either. The dogs acted instinctively, as they almost always do, unfortunately. They want to defend their home against this 'intruder', and while they maul the snake, the snake bites back. It cannot escape, it cannot use limbs to keep the dogs away, so biting is the only way it can defend itself once escape becomes impossible.
The residents filmed the fighting animals from inside, rather than screaming at the dogs, spraying them with water/throwing a glass/jug of water, or even throwing a shoe. No attempt to stop the fight was made. That's a death sentence for all animals involved.
It is so, so important you do something to try and get your dogs away from the snake, without getting in between them.
As could be expected, both dogs died shortly after the fight was filmed. My friend, Duncan Slabbert, caught the snake to give to me (I was away at the time).
Unfortunately for the snake, its spine was severed in two places, so we opted to euthanize it.
I saw a photo of Duncan with his foot on the snake's body, and one person thought that was cruel. He is an experienced Mamba rescuer and would have applied very gentle pressure. It was so he could get photos of the wounds to me.
We can learn from this unfortunate incident. This is not meant as an attack on the owners, it is merely an attempt to educate people, and set the record straight.
KEEP YOUR DOGS AWAY FROM SNAKES!
Another sad record for my database on pet/snake conflict
🙁
If you hear of such incidents in the Greater Durban Area, please do let me know.
PLEASE, no nasty comments.