Owen and Nadi Kuyper‚ who were going for an evening swim north of Scottburgh's main beach on Thursday‚ said the teenager was jogging on the shore when he spotted the 2.8m reptile‚ one of Africa's most feared snakes.
The Kuypers called renowned snake catcher Martin Rodrigues‚ who manages Crocworld Conservation Centre in Scottburgh‚ who responded immediately and caught the mamba.
Rodrigues said it was possible that‚ because of the extremely hot weather‚ the snake was cooling down on the shore.
"It may have been tired or caught up in the waves. When I tried to catch the snake‚ I noticed a lot of water coming out of its mouth‚ so it may have swallowed quite a bit of sea water‚” adding that it was the first time he had seen a mamba captured on a beach.
The Kuypers captured footage of the rare incident on their cell phone.
The snake was taken to Crocworld‚ where it was measured and examined. It was released into a safe habitat the following day.
“Snakes are in our vicinity most of the time but human encounters with snakes are few and far between‚” said Rodrigues. “It is important not to panic if you encounter a snake. Be vigilant and observant of your surroundings‚” he advised.
Rodrigues added that people usually are bitten when they try to catch or kill snakes. “Don’t approach snakes. Keep a safe distance of approximately five metres and call your local snake park or a professional snake catcher for assistance‚” he said.
Crocworld is home to about 170 crocodiles as well as various species of snakes and birds.
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