KZN snake catcher gets sprayed with venom
Thankfully Nick Evans was unharmed as he was able to wash the venom off.
Snake rescuer Nick Evans recently shared two intense encounters with Mozambique spitting cobras – reminding us just how risky yet vital his work is.
Following the heartbreaking news of KZN wildlife conservationist Dinko Dinkelman's passing, it’s even more evident how much these conservationists put their lives on the line for the greater good of wildlife.
Evans, known for his passion for snakes, came across the first Mozambique spitting cobra at a friend's home office in Westville.
"He noticed a dark-coloured snake, about a metre in length, which had been on a bookshelf and tumbled down. From there, it went into the bathroom, where he closed the door to trap it," Evans shared on Facebook.
Hoping it might be a harmless brown house snake, Evans approached cautiously. But as he got closer, he realised it was much larger – likely a cobra or even a mamba.
I looked in the open bathroom cabinet, and there it was, the snake I was hoping it wouldn't be a Mozambique spitting cobra.
He was in for an unpleasant surprise when the Mozambique spitting cobra sprayed venom at him – luckily, it only hit his arm.
Acting quickly, he grabbed the snake with tongs and guided it into a capture tube.
"It didn't go in immediately, but soon did, thankfully," he shared.
The second encounter happened during a rescue in central Westville, near the Palmiet Valley, where another Mozambique spitting cobra aimed at him.
After lifting the crate, Evans was met with a "spitting reception" from the cobra, which sprayed venom onto his hands. Fortunately, he managed to wash it off quickly and remained unharmed.
Despite both close encounters, Evans walked away unscathed.
On February 23, 2025, Evans came across two frog-eating snakes.
"The frogs were starting to go a bit quiet, as we approach the end of summer. Then the heavy rains came down, and they became very active again! But they'll soon start settling down for the winter. This means the frog-eating snakes will too, but not before fattening up before the frogs are harder to find and the cooler temperatures," he explained on Facebook.
He has also shed light on the infamous black mamba,
debunking common myths about its bite – which, contrary to popular
belief, is not as frequent as many assume.
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Image courtesy of Facebook