Snake Sightings

After browsing, and reading the thread on the Ian Miller Incident revisited, I thought it might be interesting to have a record of snake sightings and pics here? I don't think there's a specific thread for this on the forum?

Strictly for interest and not paranoia!!

So I'll start off:

Lethargic small Berg Adder, Sphinx path, May 2015.



Aggressive Berg Adder, Between Breakfast Stream and BMC, November 2015.






Apologies for the poor pic quality, cellphone and poor light.

I also saw a small light brown snake, about 150mm long and 5mm thick, it was much too quick for a pic though. This was on our December 2015 Gray's hike, can't remember exactly where, maybe one of the others do?

Anyway, please post more snake pics or sightings here.

Smurfatefrog wrote: A lot of info here about the snakes that are found in the berg
www.berg.co.za/snakes.htm

Thanks Smurf, some useful info there. I suppose we should all learn when to apply a pressure bandage, and when not. Anyone have, or used, the Aspivenin kit mentioned?

A Ringhals on the Giant's Cup Trail. first time I have seen this snake in the Berg

Banded Rinkhals on the Sphinx path just after Sphinx and just before Breakfast Stream.

The snake was a meter away from my leg when I heard it hiss between the rocks just next to the path and I was leading at that stage. Immediately I stopped and took a step back, he remained low and but hood spread (warning stance), I took my hiking stick and held it in front of him to be able to take the photo, and then we stepped back, waited 2 minutes and he crossed the path and off we went. Good experience in my book.

Why did he cross the path?? To get to the other side of course

This was one of four berg adders we saw on the slopes of Pyramid in early January this year



This Red Lipped Herald (I think) was from Cathedral Peak, September 2014

Nice sightings, that second one is a crossmarked sand snake.

Red Lipped Heralds usually have black colouring on their temples, but it certainly does look like one. Perhaps it's a juvenile? The adults can also have no red lips but only the black temples. Adults are usually 40 - 45 cm in length if I can recall correctly. Feisty ones, but not harmful to humans.

Ah thanks, firephish. I thought the lack of black colouring was strange for a Herald.

firephish wrote: Nice sightings, that second one is a crossmarked sand snake.

I'm glad I added the 'I think'