Hi,
I just thought I'd share some photos of my photos one of my favourite species around, the awe-inspiring Black Mamba!
I'm lucky enough to work with these majestic creatures on a regular basis, as they're often venturing into suburban properties here in Durban.
I've come to learn that their fearsome and vicious reputation is very over-exaggerated, and they're not quite the monsters they're made out to be. They're shy, nervous, and are always looking to retreat. That doesn't mean that they're a snake to mess with!
I've also learnt that they're incredibly intelligent and powerful beasts, which are excellent climbers and are very fast-moving on the ground.
Most of these shots were taken when releasing the snakes (some of which I may have posted before). Most of the time, they don't give me an opportunity to photograph them, they just bolt off into the bush! So these are some lucky shots.
I have only had the privilege of seeing a handful of specimens while out walking in the bush.
P.S, on my screen, it appears most of the pics don't fit properly, with the right side being cut out! Apologies...
A 1.7m long individual from Inanda. A very feisty mamba, which shot straight to the top of an Acacia tree upon release.
A hatchling which a friend caught in Westville North. Don't usually see many mambas under a meter long...
Still, an intimidating site even at that size. I find the juveniles are a bit more cheeky than the big ones!
The only juvenile I managed to catch last season. Well, actually an elderly lady had managed to trap it under a bucket for me (no, I didn't ask her too!)
Mamba in the sky...
One of the biggest mambas I've ever seen. Only 2.55m long, but 4kg heavy!
And then, my best ever call-out, two males in combat! Below is a link to the video on YouTube, and then a link to the full-story:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/gH_SgZNJ3HY
Blog post:http://www.kznamphibianreptileconservation.com/uncategorized/the-dream-call-out/
Thanks for looking!
Cheers,
Nick Evans
http://www.kznamphibianreptileconservation.com
https://www.facebook.com/KZNHerpConservation/?ref=bookmarks#