Save a snake!

This project evolved from an owl rescue project to incorporate additional species such as small to medium wildlife such as porcupine, jackal, caracal, civet, genet and polecat that have become injured in vehicle collisions. 

Owls are most frequently injured and or maimed through motor vehicle collisions on open roads and in other instances also fly into unseen barbed wire fences at night that will in most instances cause severe muscle and tissue damage in so much that the owl may have to be euthanized. 

Eagles, hawks, buzzards and falcons have most fortunately not been rescued too often, but when we do, these have generally been poisoned and we have only had to deal with a Brown Snake Eagle that unfortunately died and a young Secretarybird that was mildly poisoned, but made a full recovery and was released on a farm in Mpumalanga.  

Many owls have been rescued over the years and it is unfortunate that it occurs all too often, but most fortunately and in most instances the majority owls heal and they are released back into the area from where they were taken from. 

As a gesture of goodwill to the Clarens community, we receive regular call outs for the removal of venomous snakes and as a rule we act immediately as we are only too aware of the risks involved by never knowing how dangerous and unpredictable snakes can be. Most common species caught thus far this season (2021) are Puff Adder 80% and Rinkhals, Herald and Common Brown Water Snake currently make up the smaller percentages.

Residing in Clarens has its benefits in that with all the vast and wide open spaces, we need not travel too far to release and reintroduce the snakes in a safer environment not too close to residential areas where they have become quite relaxed.