A video of two puff adders wrestling in the wild is gaining attention as mating season gets started.
What's happening?
Snake catcher Nick Evans shared footage of two puff adders fighting on a road near Newcastle.
Evans said in the caption that his friend Charl Fick filmed the encounter and steered the snakes away from danger.
"As you can see, they were on a road, so Charl ushered them off," Evans added.
But when Fick came back later, he found the pair in the same place, still locked together.
Evans said the males were probably tracking a female's scent or competing for the chance to mate.
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"You'll notice that they wrestle quite like black mambas," he observed. "They don't kill each other. One will eventually overpower the other, and the loser moves off."
Another reptile catcher, Dean Boswell, told The Witness that a female puff adder can leave behind a scent that lasts for weeks, which can pull several males into the same breeding area.
Why does it matter?
Boswell also said the breeding season does not make snakes more likely to attack people.
"Even during mating season, snakes are not more aggressive," he told the outlet. "Fighting males may be preoccupied and may not see somebody approach as quickly, but will still rather flee from human confrontation than bite somebody."
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What can I do?
If you ever encounter a wild snake, the safest response is to keep your distance, especially during mating season.
While a wrestling pair of snakes may look dramatic, trying to interfere can put both people and animals at risk.
Boswell also warned people not to underestimate baby snakes.
"People mustn't be fooled by, 'Oh, it's just a baby,'" he said to The Witness. "In snakes, that does not matter."
He added that young black mambas can be especially difficult to manage because they are highly active and able to hide in very small spaces.
Around the home, reducing places for shelter can help limit snake encounters. Boswell advised keeping gardens free of weeds, loose garbage, and building materials.
Cutting back branches that reach roofs can also help, since some species use them as access routes.
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