Boomslang rescued from Durban sea

As temperatures soared in Durban over the weekend, a boomslang (tree snake) took his chances on a beach in Winklespruit. Beachgoers were shocked to find the venomous reptile swimming in the waves on Saturday, 8 February.

Nick Evans, a local snake catcher, received a call from a policeman and thereafter a photograph of the snake, according to IOL. ‘I immediately knew it was a boomslang and headed down there,’ he said.

 

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A Boomslang on the beach! A really bizarre sighting, of a supposed ‘Tree Snake’ on the beach on Saturday! A policeman was alerted to its presence, and upon investigation, found the snake moving along the beach, and occasionally swimming in the waves. For the safety of the snake, beach-goers and dogs, he chose to call me to rescue it. It was a beautiful specimen, around 1.5m long. You’ll see the neck is inflated, a sign it was a little irritated. It was absolutely shattered, with little energy after its adventure. It seemed very disorientated. It was released back into much more normal Boomslang habitat. #snakes #snakesofig #snakeofinstagram #winkelspruit #durban #kzn #southafrica #africa #animals #animalsofinstagram #reptiles #reptilesofinstagram #boomslang #dispholidustypus #beach #summer #beachlife #beachvibes #summervibes #funinthesun #herpetology #herpsdaily #herpsofig #conservation #wildlife #wildlifeconservation #photography #phonephotography

A post shared by Nick Evans (@nickevanskzn) on Feb 10, 2020 at 10:39am PST

The snake was approximately 1,5 metres long, and was swimming on the edge of the waves. ‘At some point it even went into the sea to swim in the waves. The snake was very disorientated and confused and absolutely exhausted,’ he added.

It is uncertain as to how the snake got on the beach.

‘If left alone they won’t harm anyone, but if someone tries to catch it or kill it then that’s another story,’ Evans said. ‘For the safety of people and the snake it’s best to remove them from the beach.’

Image: Instagram