SANParks.org Forums

Let's get our friend Pilane to comment.

Yoo hoo, Pilane
Can you give us some info on whether or not the Rinkhals is found in Kruger????????

Sorry its not Pilane BUT

According to U. De V. Pienaar in "The reptile fauna of the KNP", there are only two cobras found in the Park:

The Moz Spitting Cobra and the Egyptian Cobra, (nowadays this species in sub-saharan Africa is recognised as as a separate genus and is called a Snouted Cobra).

Ciao

Found this interesting.

Sorry, sleeping a bit....

No the Rhinkhals is not found in KNP. Why not? That is a good question... The Rhinkhals does not occur in a lot of areas where it "should":roll: There was some research done on this at one stage, but I did not keep track thereof. Must see if I can get an update on it... Personally I feel that this could be due to limiting factors... but which- diffucult one..?

Remember the Rhinkhals is not a cobra.

Thanks Pilane for clearing that up for us. We are going to lean on you for lots more info in the future.

Hi all,

I am also a big fan of snakes...such amazing creatures!!

I sure hope GJ comes up with the photo and tells the story.

Since we are all telling our snake stories... he he....
While on a wilderness trail (trying to remember which one) we had a black mamba in one of the tiny little A-frame huts. It was coiled up on one of the beams. The funny thing is that the night before I had been kept awake by bats flying in my hut. The people in this hut said "no we didnt have any bats". Then when we discovered the snake we realised why!!!

The sad part of the story is that the ranger didnt have a snake hook or anything and didnt want to take a chance on the snake disappearing into the hut and then the people couldnt stay in the hut. So he ended up shooting it.
Very sad.

I now have a snake hook that I take with me everywhere in the bush. If I can save a snakes life by having it then I will be happy.

After that incident, and helping the ranger with his solution, I went for a nice cool shower. Off with the clothes, water on, head under the water looking up...hey there's another snake curled up on the beam...in the shower hut!!! I contemplated my choices and running naked or calling for help just didnt seem like my style. so I slowly got dressed with my eye on the snake.

Luckily it was a female boomslang this time and we managed to get her out without too much trouble.

I loved the experience of seeing these snakes. I always hope to see snakes. Although like any sane person, I wouldnt want to be surprised by one!!

I'm off to bushmans trail tomorrow, sabi sands then skukuza.
Hope its not too hot but maybe I'll see some slangetjies!

will check in when I get back.

cheers.
Free Spirit

We saw 7 snakes in July,either crossing the road, lying in the road and chilling out on a rock a few metres in. But my best siting regarding snakes was when i saw a big pile of elephant dung and just as i got close to it we saw that it actually is an python which just caught something and is still "struggling" to get it down.

So ya they are there summer, winter you name it just watch out where you step on your late night trip to the bathroom!!!

Me think you should first go for a few lessons at an expert before attempting to catch a snake like a black mamba with your hook.…especially when it is cornered in a building



Hope you have a great time and I’m sure you will see a snake or two now….as my gardener in Marloth told me last week…”Hulle loop nou” {They are walking now}

@Leopard Analyst, the python must have been a great sighting
Pix?

GJ, how did you manage a pic of the snake?! We have seen many snakes in our travels, including black mamba, but those snakes are so fast - no time to get camera switched on and its gone. Please post the pic - am curious although am not a snake (or spider) person.

hi everybody the pic is very big to put on here
if you look on muy space you will find it under Zuid afrika 2006
http://spaces.msn.com/members/gbmpols

The snakes was 1,5 meter

hi twala the mamba had a rat in his belly and it was quit cold in the morning
the personel of lower sabie cought the mamba
pieter and somebody of the shop

Wow GJ,

Very nice picture you got there... Must be awesome to look the king of snakes in the eye like that...

I would have broken the world 100m record!!!