- With the arrival of warm weather, herpetologist Tyrone Ping warns that snake season has begun, and Puff Adders have already been spotted in Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard.
- Snakes like Puff Adders, Mole Snakes, and soon Cape Cobras are becoming more active in search of food and warmth.
- Ping advises residents to stay alert, keep local snake catchers’ numbers handy, and avoid panicking if they encounter a snake.
The warm and dry weather is officially here and while the norm is to spend more time outside, local herpetologist Tyrone Ping cautions that snake season is here too.
Several Puff Adders have been spotted in the Atlantic Seaboard area recently.
The latest incident was reported in Freshnaye on Tuesday 8 October.
“In the Atlantic Seaboard, there’s been quite a few. I caught two Puff Adders in Fresnaye in two days,” he says.
He explains that in one incident, a Puff Adder was located in a garage after it “hitched a ride” from the West Coast.
“This Puff Adder was seen in someone’s garage and had actually hitched a ride back with them (unknown to them) in their car. Fortunately, I have the location and the snake will be returned to its “home” on the West Coast.”
Ping says as temperatures increase snakes come out of their holes to enjoy sun-tanning, looking for food. “With the turn in weather in the last couple of weeks, we have noticed a big uplift in the snake activity. We are mainly seeing Puff Adders, Mole snakes, and several other of the smaller harmless species,” he explains.
Cape Cobra
Ping says in a few weeks the Cape Cobra, often referred to as the most venomous snake in Africa, will also be visible.
He says it is often found within town and city limits, especially around Cape Town.
“The Cape Cobra starts being active a bit later in the year and will be visible until the end of summer.”
He explains that while panic is the immediate reaction, keeping an eye on the whereabouts of the snake is crucial.
“Keep an eye on the snake, you don’t necessarily need to take a picture but get in touch with your local snake catcher. You never want to take your eyes off the snake, especially if it’s in your garden or home because the moment you do that the snake could be over the wall or in a tree and then you’ll never find it.”
He advises people to keep a list of local snake catchers on their cellphone. “Familiarise yourself with the contact details of your local snake catcher and save it on your phone. Snakes usually catch you off guard and most people go into a flat panic. They call the fire department or first response, they call everyone except a snake catcher.”
Ping says alerting a snake catcher timeously is important. “It is best not to call several snake catchers because sometimes two or three people arrive at the scene to catch one snake.”
- When you spot a snake contact Tyrone on 084 492 2542.
