Nick Evans, a snake catcher in South Africa, was inches from grabbing a black mamba when weakened ceiling boards broke above him and sent the snake dropping toward his legs.
The dramatic rescue was a stark reminder of what can happen when people and wildlife are forced into the same spaces.
What happened?
The callout came from a house in Durban, South Africa, where a black mamba had first been seen on a verandah and then vanished into the roof, The Witness reported.
Knowing the property, Evans worried the snake might disappear somewhere around the house before he could get to it. A member of the Clare Estate Community Policing Forum watched it until he arrived.
As Evans explained, "He watched the snake climb up a beam with ease, and into the dilapidated ceiling. He followed the sound of it sliding on the ceiling board, before it stopped."
For a moment, Evans believed he had no safe way to continue. "My heart sank, and I thought it was all over. It's an ancient ceiling that is far too dangerous to climb in," he said.
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Then he used gaps in the damaged ceiling to shine a light into the roof space, where he spotted the snake above a cluttered storage room. "I was just about in reach of it when, due to its size, the ceiling board collapsed, and funneled the mamba down towards my legs, and it couldn't stop itself!" Evans said.
After getting control of the snake, Evans and a friend, who helped by holding the tail, made their way back out with the roughly 8.5-foot male black mamba.
Why does it matter?
Black mambas are among Africa's most venomous snakes, so an unexpected encounter indoors can quickly become dangerous for both residents and rescuers. In this case, the danger was heightened by the unstable ceiling, the cramped storage space, and the size of the snake.
Human expansion and deteriorating buildings can increase the overlap between people and wild animals. The house was surrounded by an informal settlement, and the snake moved from an outdoor verandah into the roof space of a home.
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As BBC Future has reported, wildlife attacks are often linked to mounting pressure from human activity, including land-use change and the growing proximity between animals and people.
What's being done?
Luckily, the capture ended safely, and as Evans and his helper brought the black mamba out, the people waiting outside were relieved that no one had been hurt, The Witness reported.
The rescue may not be the last at that property. The Witness also noted that another snake catcher, Duncan Slabbert, recently removed a female black mamba from the same home.
The safest response is to keep a clear distance, avoid trying to trap or kill the animal, and call a trained snake catcher if one is available. Keeping yards and storage areas less cluttered and sealing obvious entry points can also reduce the chances of a snake settling inside a structure, though those measures cannot eliminate the risk entirely.
"Are there more? Maybe, or maybe in the near future. I've caught a few here before," Evans said. He described the people involved as "a wonderful family" and said he is always happy to help.
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