14/07/2025
Catching some snakes in some weird locations. A Green Mamba in Cowies Hill, now this Southern African Python alongside the M19😕
A beautiful big python...next to the M19 in New Germany 😳
Last week, I was contacted by the municipality about a large python hanging around a patch of bush next to the M19.
"There's no pythons there, it will be a Black Mamba", I said.
There probably was a python population in the vicinity many, many decades ago, but they've since been wiped out.
Although, it would be a little unusual to be a mamba too, just more likely. It was in the island between the off-ramp to Otto Volek Rd and the M19. It's built-up all around there, except for the small New Germany Nature Reserve. And the reserve isn't known for its mambas.
I'll post a screenshot of the area in the comments.
Anyway, on Thursday, I followed them to the spot where they had been seeing the big snake.
When we arrived, I got out my car, armed with my tongs, ready to catch the mamba.
Then they pointed out the snake. "Bloody Hell!"- I was shocked, it was a python 😱
I put my tongs back, and walked into the bush, approaching the basking beast of a snake. I walked right up to it. "Easy catch", I thought, as I was about to grab it's head.
Of course, catches are rarely easy.
It exploded into action- no, not attacking me like in the movie Anaconda. It was going in the opposite direction, into thicker bush. I had to catch this snake, it had no future here.
I grabbed the tail, but as it pee'd in my hands (as always), it was starting to slip out of my grip.
Up stepped Joseph (pictured below, on the left). He came into help me, and grabbed the tail end, just as I was losing it.
Together, we pulled, and pulled, and I could feel us 'winning' the tug of war. I let go, and moved forward to go for the head, which i quickly got. The wrestling match was over.
I'd not have caught it if it wasn't for Joseph's help. Thanks Joseph!
The pic doesn't do it justice. It's a big snake. I'll share a video of it tomorrow, of when I released it (undisclosed location), and let you know the measurements and weight, but it's around 3.3-3.5m.
Where did it come from?
Your guess is as good as mine.
- I don't believe it's an escaped pet. Southern African Pythons are a protected species, illegal to keep, and make terrible pets as they don't calm down.
Sometimes they're kept illegally in cruel conditions, not as pets, but for scamming reasons, but such snakes usually have injuries on their snouts from attempting to escape.
- I don't believe it came from New Germany NR, as there's no population there.
- It wouldn't have caught a lift in a light motor vehicle, like other snakes do. Too big!
- There's an industrial area nearby. Maybe, just maybe it got into a truck somewhere, and got brought to the New Germany area.
Thanks to the municipality for caring and calling!
~Nick Evans
072 809 5806
[email protected]
