"Moerse Mamba": Snake Catcher Jonas Catches His First 3-Metre Black Mamba in Lephalale

• Reptile Rescue Lephalale shared footage of employee Jonas measuring a freshly caught black mamba on a residential street on 15 October
• The snake measured more than 2 metres, making it the biggest black mamba Jonas had ever caught
• *South Africans online could not believe the size of the snake, with many sharing their shock in the comments

A snake catcher from Lephalale made history on 15 October, at least in his own career. An employee of @reptilerescuelephalale named Jonas captured what turned out to be the biggest black mamba of his life, and his colleagues were right there to film every nerve-wracking second of it.

The video was filmed outdoors on a residential pavement, with a parked bakkie visible in the background. Jonas, dressed in high-visibility gear, held the massive snake while a colleague stretched a tape measure along its full length.

The mood in the clip by @reptilerescuelephalale was electric. As the tape was pulled taut, the team called out the numbers: 2.9 metres, then just over 3. The snake was described as unusually thick, prompting speculation that she might be carrying eggs. Wrestling the mamba into a straight enough position to get an accurate reading was no easy task, with the snake actively pulling back as the team worked to hold it steady. It was a significant milestone. Black mambas are among Africa's most feared and fastest snakes, and a specimen of this size is rarely encountered up close. Watch the catch that left everyone speechless:

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South Africans in the comments wasted no time sharing their thoughts:

Carla Glass wrote:

"Snakes are moving around now with the heat, that's a big one."

Anél Van Veijeren Engelbrecht said:

"Mark, black mamba, almost 3m 😳"

Ans Coetzee commented:

"Nature looks after its inhabitants. Massive and beautiful. Just in the wrong place. Thanks for rescuing the snake."

Abrahams Naz added:

"That's a moerse [massive] mamba... 🏃‍♀️🏃"

Other Briefly News stories about snake encounters

• A window shopper in Verulam CBD received a major fright after spotting a one-metre-long green snake coiled inside a display shoe on Todd Street.
• Wildlife handler Wild Marik posted a point-of-view video showing a large black mamba winding its way through the security burglar bars at a residential front entrance.
• A viral TikTok clip posted by user @mgazi18 stunned hundreds of thousands of viewers after showing a snake perfectly coiled and disguised inside a portable toilet bowl near the seat.

Source: Briefly News