“It Was Quite a Process”: Snake Found Hiding Under a Bakkie at a Garage in Windhoek

• A man brought his bakkie to Zimmerman's Garage in Windhoek, Namibia, after suspecting something was wrong
• The video showed two men with snake-catching tools trying multiple times to remove a reptile, which had found a good nesting spot under the van
• After several attempts, the men managed to grab hold of the snake's head and gently pulled it down

The old gentleman stood on the sidelines watching nervously as two men with snake-catching tools tried to reach underneath his bakkie. What should have been a routine garage visit turned into a wildlife rescue mission at Zimmerman's Garage in Windhoek. The video was shared on 11 November 2025 by @_ArriveAlive with the caption:

"Pedestrians and safety from snakes and snake bites" along with a link and the note that the video came from Zimmerman's Garage in Windhoek, Namibia.

The video showed just how dangerous it can be if you don't check your vehicle often enough, especially underneath it, if you live in or travel to an area with lots of nature. The bakkie was up on a lift that raises vehicles, and the owner was trying to peep underneath to see what was happening.

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One man had a snake-catching tool in his hand, and another came to lift the vehicle higher. It was quite a tricky situation. They had to manoeuvre the tools underneath the vehicle several times, moving their hands in different directions to try and get hold of the snake.

The snake looked like it had been there for a while and had found a good spot to nest. It was quite a process to get it out as the men tried several times, failing many times, but with consistent effort they eventually managed to grab hold of the snake and slowly pull it down.

The man with the snake-catching tool got hold of the snake's head first and gently manoeuvred it, pulling it away from the vehicle. Then he grabbed the tail and showed off the snake to the camera. There was a bucket on the floor, probably where they were going to put the snake before releasing it in a safer area.

Why snakes love hiding in vehicles

According to experts at Toyota of Clermont, snakes in your car are a real possibility. Snakes prefer to hide in dark, warm places, and they're cold-blooded, so they have to seek warmth from external sources like a nice, warm engine. As seen in X user @_ArriveAlive's clip, your engine compartment is a safe place to hide out from predators, and, it also gives the snake a great advantage in that they can strike before a predator can reach them.

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On top of that, your car's engine area is easy to reach. It's open to the ground and easy access for a snake who happens to be underneath. However, it's rare for them to get inside the cabin if you keep the doors and windows closed. Snakes are great climbers and can scale the side of your car to get in through an open window faster than you'd think.

According to the experts, if you do find a snake in your vehicle, don't try to grab it with your hands. The snake has an advantage and can likely strike and bite you before you can get it. Instead, call animal control services to help you. Don't just leave it in the engine compartment and hope it finds its way out. Snakes can get wrapped up in moving belts and also cause electrical fires.

View the X post below:

More encounters with animals in the news

• Briefly News recently reported that a Durban-based snake expert raised alarms after sharing an important safety warning about a small yet dangerous snake species.
• A woman living in Zimbabwe's south-east lowveld shared a video of herself feeding wild animals.
• A Cape Town man renovating a bush villa near Kruger dug a pond to attract wildlife to his home.

Source: Briefly News