RAUK - Archived Forum - Posts by Snake Inc.:

I am a volunteer snake catcher in Cape Town, South Africa. In spring early summer I can get about six to eight call outs in one day.

For the record I do not ware protective clothing. My usual gear is a pair of shorts, sandals, T-shirt and snake hook.

Hi Tony

I am not sure of the weather along the East Coast but it is raining in Cape Town with the general temperature at about 22 degrees Celsius. I suspect that this will affect the E-coast but cannot confirm.

About the snake handling course. With all due respect in the world to you personally I see no point in paying to refresh or ôteachö me about something I have been doing for about 20 odd years.

If you recall I am the chap that put a stop to CapeNature trying to introduce snake handling courses as mandatory.

I have stated to you in person that I will happily assist you regards herpetology matters but will not get involved with those cleverly disguised adults running the CRC. 

Will chat later. Have a good trip and be careful on the roads as this is not the best time to be on the road mate.

If you are talking old hands from the Cape Reptile Club you have been somewhat misled as the most experienced has maybe four or five years experience if that. I know because I trained Mr. want-to-be myself and even then he could not tell the difference between a Grey Rat and Skaapsteeker.

I believe with out a doubt that anyone going out and wanting to do catch and release must have field or hands on experience as the book is merely a guide and experience is the teacher. Not knocking anyone but to learn to use a tube and tongs is great for a laboratory environment but tailing and necking is basics. To teach a novice everything but the basics is asking for trouble, as there will be circumstances were no regular tools are available and then what??

I agree with you Tony that a puff needs to be double hooked as this is without doubt the best method but if not available can also be gently pinned so to be tailed and then using the hook picked up.

A puff can also be handle similar to Cobra except the handgrip of thumb and index finger must be both sides behind the head and out of range of the hinged fangs. I seldom use this method but can if I have no other choice.

I have never had need to take any DNA samples before so sorry I donÆt but let me know what you are looking for and lets see what we can do. I am the co-ordinator of a snake catching ôteamö on the Peninsular who are not registered via the CN or anyone elseÆs due to politics but are known to relocate many Bitis arietans arietans.

 I myself occasionally go to the Cederberg and do catch and release counts on farms in the area for the fun of it. Bitis rubida is not uncommon but a rarity unlike Bitis atropos  

[QUOTE=armata]Do you keep records of all your releases, GPS etc? [/QUOTE]

Sorry Mr. T, I do not have the finance to purchase a GPS and doubt there are very many individual catches with one of these items.

The species (Bitis) you are looking for will only be found in very specific areas on the peninsular and certainly not on the Cape Flats were all the members of the CRC reside. Even if this was not the case I personally doubt that many if any could tell the difference between a Bitis atropos (Berg adder) and a Dasypeltis scabra (Common Eggeater) any way.

I personally do keep records but as my `team` do catch and release for the animals sake have not reason to do any think of the sort. If I were to request this from them I am sure it could be arranged in future.

A Puff Adder in the grass

Two week later she dropped some young

[QUOTE=armata]Hi Shaun,

Are these Cape Town area puffies - need DNA, remember??

Cheers[/QUOTE]

Yes these are as I get a good number of these critters every year but according to sources close to you I am told, you would prefer having nothing to do with me.

Not sure how true that is but as you are good friends with Marcel and company you do the maths.  

Thanks for the well-meant advice but I was not trying to start any unpleasantness. I merely stated what I have heard to see your response.

If you are saying this is hearsay and untrue I have no problem. What you need?

An amazing elephant story...
Sometimes I like these heartwarming stories, but this one is truly interesting.

In 1986, Dan Harrison (see picture above) was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University.

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Dan approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it.

As carefully and as gently as he could, Dan worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.

The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments.

Dan stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.

Dan never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Dan was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son.

As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Dan and his son Dan Jr. were standing.

The large bull elephant stared at Dan, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Dan couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant. Dan summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of DanÆs legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly. 

Probably wasn't the same elephant !!

I was called out twice today to remove animals and have just spoken to a family with a snake in their kitchen. I explained to them on the phone how to retrieve the animal themselves. All done

[QUOTE=Alan Hyde]That be a lovely Puffy in the pic up there, here's my male [/QUOTE]

Very nice. I see you are from Kimberley. Did you go to CBC or KHS?

Oops sorry loosing my eye sight

My choice of venomous is the Cape Cobra and have been punished for getting too confident once to many times.

 People who ask me if I am afraid get told that my wife is more of a danger to me, as I very seldom know what to expect were as a Cobra is no mystery.

Adders in Decline

In recent years, concern has been expressed that the Adder (Vipera berus) may have experienced serious decline in Kent. Several factors are believed to be responsible for apparent declines in this species. These include: habitat loss, fragmentation of remaining populations, unsympathetic management, direct persecution and public pressure.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), gives Adders protection against deliberate killing and injury. Unfortunately, their habitat is not protected and it is perfectly legal to destroy hibernacula and foraging areas, providing that individual animals are not killed in the process. This results in often poorly conceived attempts to translocate whole Adder populations from proposed development sites.

Although only briefly mentioned in KentÆs Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) 1998, concerns over the AdderÆs status have convinced the Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group, that the snake should be highlighted in KentÆs Red Data Book. The Adder is referenced in the Kent BAP as a æStandard Bearer/Quality Indicator SpeciesÆ for heathland & mire and lowland acid grassland. Adder however are not mentioned in BAP habitats from which the animal is most commonly recorded in Kent.

KRAG believes that although the animal is under-recorded, population declines are real. In order to address these concerns, KRAG launched the 'Adders in Decline' initiative in 2004. Now in its second year the project aims to promote pro-active conservation of Adder by:

Recording the distribution of Adder in Kent - In particular, through identifying Key Sites and important habitat components within each site (e.g. hibernacula).

• Monitoring important populations.

Raising awareness and publicising apparent declines - By running reptile survey training events, publishing habitat management leaflets etc.

http://www.kentarg.org/adders_in_decline.htm