Big Black Mamba Found Stuck in Toilet Wall

2022-09-10 00:08:29 By : Ms. Andy Gu

A huge black mamba snake measuring more than eight feet in length was found stuck in a toilet wall in South Africa.

Snake rescuer Nick Evans received a call form an electrician who had spotted a mamba in the basement area of a block of flats in Pinetown—an urban area located around 10 miles west of Durban, according to a Facebook post.

The black mamba is a large snake native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa know for its size, speed and extremely potent venom. It is considered to be one of the most dangerous snakes in the world.

The black mamba is the second-longest venomous snake after the king cobra, growing to around 6-8 feet on average, although the largest specimens may reach lengths of 14 feet, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

A MAMBA IN THE WALLS😳🐍While looking for a Black Mamba in Queensburgh earlier this afternoon, I received a call from a block of flats near Pinetown. An electrician was in a basement area and saw a...

Despite the name, these snakes range in color from gray to dark brown, with black coloration found on the inside of the mouth. They are among the fastest snakes in the world, capable of traveling at speeds of more than 12 miles an hour.

The snakes have a reputation for being aggressive, but they tend to be shy, usually preferring to flee if they feel threatened. But the black mamba may bite if it is disturbed or feels like it is cornered.

In cases where it does attack, the snake will usually strike several times, delivering venom that is extremely toxic to humans, affecting the nervous system and heart.

Most black mamba bites are often fatal, with just two drops of venom powerful enough to cause death in most people. Despite this, the number of deaths caused by the snakes every year is small.

When Evans arrived at the block of flats in Pinetown, he saw the mamba in question in a hole in the wall on some pipes.

"I grabbed the tail, and when the head appeared, I grabbed that," he said in the Facebook post. "But I had to release it—its body was wedged in, and it was either going to pull out of my hand, or hurt itself trying. As I did that, it dashed behind the pipes and headed up, and I couldn't grab it."

"I went into the toilet, and lifted up a small cupboard, which apparently covered a cavity where the pipes were," he said. "There was the mamba. Can you imagine it popped out somehow (physically impossible though), and said hi while someone was on the loo? Eish."

Evans managed to grab the snake with his tongs but it became clear that the serpent was stuck and he couldn't pull it out.

"The mamba was stuck, about midway down the body. Its body was stuck between the bricks and the pipe, and it wouldn't budge," he said.

After more than an hour of trying, Evans managed to free the mamba with the help of a security guard and removed it from the property.

"The mamba was exhausted, cold, and covered in dust," Evans said. "A nice big one. So glad we saved the snake. A challenging, interesting but rewarding rescue."

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