MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A Cape cobra was safely rescued from a swimming pool of an elderly couple living in Island View by the Slangboere team earlier today, 6 April.

Slangboere's Devon de Villiers, who catches snakes across the greater Mossel Bay area, said he had received a call from the couple at 12:30 today. 

He said they only said there was a snake in their swimming pool, but they did not know what sort exactly.

"They sent me photos of it and I immediately recognised it as a Cape cobra. They asked me if it was dangerous, and I told them it was," said De Villiers.

He said he and a team member of Slangboere had raced out to the property and found the cobra was still in the pool.

"The cobra even displayed its hood while it was in the water. We managed to safely remove it. We then spent some time educating the couple on Cape cobras."

The Cape cobra in the swimming pool in Island View. Photo: Devon de Villiers

De Villiers said during his many years of experience in handling and catching snakes, he has noticed that Cape cobras do sometimes find themselves in strange places just before the winter starts.

He said he thinks the cobra was perhaps searching for a place to start the brumation state and unfortunately ended up in the pool.

Brumation, which is what reptiles do during cold periods, is when snakes become less active, but their metabolic system does not shut down in order to conserve energy, which occurs when a mammal hibernates.

"I have never seen a Cape cobra in a pool before. It is not a common sighting at all," he said.

Devon de Villiers of Slangboere. 

He said the snake will be safely released in the greater Mossel Bay area once a suitable location has been identified.

If you do spot any snakes, or to find out more about Slangboere, contact De Villiers (076 781 0528) or visit their Facebook page: Slangboere

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