Venomous puff adder surprises Durban residents after hitchhiking from the Midlands

A puff adder may have taken the most unexpected road trip into Durban after apparently hitchhiking from the Midlands or Umgeni River Valley and ending up curled up on a garage windowsill in Reservoir Hills.

The highly venomous snake was discovered at a home in the north-western suburb of Durban, leaving residents stunned and snake rescuer Nick Evans equally surprised.

Evans explained on Facebook that he initially thought the family was describing a far less dramatic reptile encounter.

“I expected it to be a brown house snake with a meal, until I received the photo – it was a puff adder!” he said.

The Durban-based snake rescuer described the find as a rare occurrence for local snake catchers because puff adders are not commonly found in the city’s coastal areas.

“For Durban snake removers, puff adders are rare treats to catch, as they’re not really found here. They start occurring further west, in the Upper Highway Area. So this was awesome!” Evans explained.

According to Evans, the snake most likely climbed into the undercarriage of the family’s vehicle while they were away in the Midlands before unknowingly travelling back to Durban hidden beneath the car.

“It most likely came from the Midlands, as the family spent the past weekend there, parking the car they travelled in, in the garage. The puff adder likely crawled up into the undercarriage, and caught a lift to Durban,” he said.

He added that while the snake could possibly have come from the nearby Umgeni River Valley, the timing made the “hitchhiking” theory more believable.

The puff adder was found perched dangerously close to a steep drop outside the garage window, forcing Evans and his partner Carla to act quickly.

“Outside the window was a steep drop. I was nervous if I didn’t hook it in time, it would dash out and fall, possibly to its death,” he explained.

Evans admitted the rescue required unusual handling techniques because puff adders are notoriously defensive when restrained.

“I decided to use tongs, which I never use on puff adders. They absolutely hate being grabbed, and swing side to side, striking,” he said.

Fortunately, the rescue ended safely for both the snake and the rescuers.

“As we put it in the box it relaxed immediately. Not an ideal catch, but we opted for what we thought was the safer option. Discomfort for a few seconds, or death?” Evans added.

The rescuer also marveled at the snake’s appearance, describing it as “an absolutely beautiful specimen” with striking colours.

He noted that the snake was an adult female, identifiable by its short tail.

According to the African Snakebite Institute, puff adders are widespread across southern Africa and are regarded as one of the continent’s most venomous snakes.

The species relies heavily on camouflage and often remains motionless to avoid detection.

The institute notes that puff adders are commonly found in grasslands, savannas and rocky terrain across all nine South African provinces, but they are not usually seen in Durban’s humid coastal environment.