Arthur Greene
A Knysna man was recently given the fright of his life after he found a venomous snake under the hood of his car bonnet.
The motorist had stopped at a filling station to check his engine, only to find a puff adder curled up in the corner!
A picture of the viper was shared by Arrive Alive on Twitter over the weekend, and it has been doing the rounds since.
The “Puffy” kills more people in South Africa than any other species.
KwaZulu-Natal Emergency Medical Services media liaison officer Robert McKenzie told the Sunday Times that South Africa has several native species of snake, and encounters with humans are becoming more frequent, especially in coastal areas with high humidity.
“While most people avoid contact with snakes at all costs, encounters with snakes are inevitable. Snakes will often try to avoid a confrontation with a human.
“Most snake venom does not have serious effects on humans. However, after being bitten by a snake medical advice must be sought. Don’t wait for symptoms to develop before seeking help,” he said.
One Twitter user noted that the viper was most likely attracted by the heat of the engine, as it hibernates this time of year.
Another joked, “He’s tired of crawling so he hitched a ride to town.”
The “Puffy” wouldn’t be the first sneaky serpent to curl up in a toasty car bonnet. Last October, a 10-foot long Burmese python was found under the hood of a Ford Mustang in Florida, USA.
Picture source: @_ArriveAlive
