A juvenile black mamba that bit a KwaZulu-Natal woman inside her home on an eco-estate will be transported to a remote area in Zululand to be released “far away from humans”.
On Wednesday the woman, a resident at an estate close to Tinley Manor, on the north coast, was airlifted to a Durban hospital where she received emergency treatment after the bite.
IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Samantha Meyrick said: “We flew her to a hospital in Durban because they had antivenom on hand.
“One of our paramedics activated a helicopter as soon as he realised she was showing symptoms of a venomous snake bite.
“She is still critical but stable.”
Meyrick said the snake has been identified as a juvenile black mamba.
Snake expert Neville Wolmarans told TimesLIVE a resident had caught the snake.
“We took charge of the situation because the standard policy on the estate is that snakes don't get removed but released off-site.
“But a black mamba, in a situation like that, will probably end up among residents again.
“The snake will be released in Zululand, far away from humans.
“The last update we got on the lady who was bitten is that she is still on a ventilator but in a stable condition.”
Wolmarans said with a black mamba bite a person will experience immediate pain at the site and then numbness.
“It was a very hot day here yesterday. The snake probably went into the house to be cool.
“It appears the woman may have accidentally stepped on it. That's the only way one will get a bite from a juvenile black mamba, it doesn't just strike at something,” said Wolmarans.
TimesLIVE
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Mamba that bit KZN woman in her home to be released 'far away from humans'
Image: IPSS Medical Rescue
A juvenile black mamba that bit a KwaZulu-Natal woman inside her home on an eco-estate will be transported to a remote area in Zululand to be released “far away from humans”.
On Wednesday the woman, a resident at an estate close to Tinley Manor, on the north coast, was airlifted to a Durban hospital where she received emergency treatment after the bite.
IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Samantha Meyrick said: “We flew her to a hospital in Durban because they had antivenom on hand.
“One of our paramedics activated a helicopter as soon as he realised she was showing symptoms of a venomous snake bite.
“She is still critical but stable.”
Meyrick said the snake has been identified as a juvenile black mamba.
Snake expert Neville Wolmarans told TimesLIVE a resident had caught the snake.
“We took charge of the situation because the standard policy on the estate is that snakes don't get removed but released off-site.
“But a black mamba, in a situation like that, will probably end up among residents again.
“The snake will be released in Zululand, far away from humans.
“The last update we got on the lady who was bitten is that she is still on a ventilator but in a stable condition.”
Wolmarans said with a black mamba bite a person will experience immediate pain at the site and then numbness.
“It was a very hot day here yesterday. The snake probably went into the house to be cool.
“It appears the woman may have accidentally stepped on it. That's the only way one will get a bite from a juvenile black mamba, it doesn't just strike at something,” said Wolmarans.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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