Updated 11/25/23 at 9:42 p.m
The “extremely venomous” green mamba, which reportedly escaped from its owner in Tilburg, southern Netherlands, was finally found safe and sound in his home. The municipality of Tilburg has been on alert since Monday when the owner of the mamba, a very dangerous two-meter-long snake, reported its disappearance to the police and said that a reptile was missing.
Police released a photo of the green snake coiled around itself and urged residents to stay home and not try to catch the reptile themselves. For several days, sniffer dogs and snake specialists were mobilized in vain to find the elusive green mamba, until a dramatic twist came on Friday that put an end to the tension: the reptile had slipped behind a plaster wall. The snake was “alert and active,” said biologist Freek Vonk, who was involved in the research. “He has been able to drink enough water and is in excellent health,” he said.
“Extremely venomous” bites
The Green Mamba affair made media headlines in the Netherlands, even though Geert Wilders’ far-right party held a dominant position in the parliamentary elections. One by one, herpetologists appeared on television and were quoted extensively in articles.
Authorities deemed it unlikely that the tropical snake would venture outside due to the weather, but many residents remained confined to their homes. The municipality had asked residents to “be particularly careful and not to approach the snake.” Unless the reptile seeks confrontation itself, it remains “very dangerous” and “its bites are extremely venomous,” she said.