A homeowner in South Africa's Lion Park area believed one large snake was hiding beneath a stack of old roofing sheets. When Pietermaritzburg snake catcher Akil Ramsurran arrived, he found two black mambas—a memorable sight that made this call more than a routine removal.
Here's what to know
The property report described one large gray snake disappearing beneath old, inverted box rib roofing sheets. But once Ramsurran started moving the metal stack, he uncovered two black mambas measuring about 6.9 feet (2.1 meters) and 7.2 feet (2.2 meters).
Speaking to The Witness, Ramsurran said he was unsure the snake would still be there because it was "in an uncontrolled environment, so I thought the snake could easily have moved off."
He said the area seemed like a place a snake might stay, explaining that "if a snake is comfortable somewhere, where it has warmth and food without being disturbed, it usually won't move far."
He estimated the snakes may have been around the property for about a week, and said the rustling beneath the sheets told him right away that he was dealing with a black mamba.
"After I caught the first one, I heard another loud shuffle. That's when I realised there were actually two mambas. That was definitely exciting and something I'll never forget. And I absolutely love mambas," Ramsurran said.
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More background
On this property, the snakes used a pile of corrugated iron sheets for cover, taking advantage of a residential spot that provided warmth and shelter with little interruption.
Yards, sheds, roofing piles, and other built environments can unintentionally create ideal hiding places that bring animals into much closer contact with people. The BBC has explored the broader issue of how human activity can increase wildlife encounters in its reporting on why wild animals attack humans.
Ramsurran thinks the pair was likely a male and a female, and he said the timing matched black mamba mating season. In his view, that could explain both snakes sharing the same hiding place.
Although a snake settling near a house can pose a real safety risk, Ramsurran said the animals usually try to avoid people rather than confront them.
What can be done?
His advice was simple: keep your distance and call a trained professional.
"If you come across any snake, keep a safe distance and call a professional snake rescuer if the snake needs to be removed," he said. "Never try to handle it yourself."
No one was hurt during the rescue, but Ramsurran said the hardest part was lifting each sheet without knowing exactly where a snake was or which direction it might dart once uncovered.
The stakes rose when Ramsurran realized he had forgotten his large snake bucket and only had a small bucket and a pillowcase for transport. But with his friend's help, he was still able to bag both snakes and move them to habitat away from homes despite his limited supplies.
He also thanked mentor Dean Boswell for putting his name forward for the call-out.
Ramsurran emphasized how this find was a highlight of his career: "It has to be in my top three favourite call-outs. It's not every day you get the chance to safely capture and relocate two mambas from the same property."
Where can I learn more?
Cases like this show how easily snakes can end up in homes, yards, and other human-made hiding spots. Here are a few more reports on black mamba rescues, rising household snake calls, and tense encounters from Arkansas to Bangladesh.
• In Westville, KwaZulu-Natal, a rescuer found an 8-foot black mamba wedged inside a leaf blower.
• Across the Mid-South, snake calls surged 50 percent as tiny gaps let them indoors.
• In Arkansas, snakes took over a vacant home for a surprisingly harmless reason.
• In Florida, firefighters rushed in after alarming discoveries in homes pointed to invasive pythons nearby.
• Near Dhaka, venomous snakes sneak into human settlements as urban growth squeezes habitat.
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