khamai – Christian Sperka Photography

I had a very exciting day and I am very happy that I got my snake handling competency certificate. This morning started with working on various staged situations where I had to remove snakes from various places (Gardens, rooms and trees).

The first snake was a Puff Adder, followed by two Snouted Cobras and two very fast Mozambique Spitting Cobras (I had to catch these on the run!). In the afternoon I learned how to catch African Rock Pythons and how to get a Boomslang and a Black Mamba out of a tree.

One of the Khamai staff members took a few pictures of me working with the Python, the Boomslang and the Mamba (see below). In an assessment at the end of the course I had to capture two snakes (a Puff Adder and a Snouted Cobra) from a garden shed. I passed the assessment! I learned a lot and I hope that I will be able to help with needed snake captures once I am back in Kwazulu Natal. It was an excellent course.

Pictures (2): African Rock Python Capture

Picture: Boomslang Handling

Picture: Black Mamba Capture from a Tree

For more information on about reptile and snake handling courses go to www.khamai.co.za.

Puff Adder, Snouted Cobra, Boomslang and Black Mamba!

From my days at the Nashville Zoo I was used to see venomous snakes only from behind glass or from a great distance. During my first open-air session at Khamai Reptile Centre (www.khamai.co.za) I had some great encounters with a few venomous snakes. The snake handlers at Khamai were very competent and I learned a lot about the animals.

And I got some great photo opportunities. All pictures were taken from eye level (= me lying in the grass on my belly :-)). The only exception was the Black Mamba pictures which I took standing up during a feeding session. In the picture you only see the tail of the mouse, but you can see the black color of the mouth lining which gives the Black Mamba its name.

Today I already got to handle a Puff Adder. Tomorrow follows a full day of snake handling – I am looking forward to it.

PS: Rick, Heather, Dale and Steve from the Nashville Zoo: You would love it out here 🙂

Tag: khamai

Cobras, Pythons, Boomslangs and Mambas

No Glass!