A group of tourists on safari in South Africa had a strange sighting yesterday (February 9) when a venomous snake fell from a tree into a mud wallow, right next to two African buffalo.

According to the filmer, Tim Brown, the 1.3-metre twig snake, which carries a powerful haemotoxic venom, fell from the tree into the mud as the huge bovines were taking a mud bath.

"We for a moment were holding our breath thinking maybe the buffalo might bolt," said Brown, a safari guide.

"But he did not and the muddy snake made his way out of the mud wallow and back into the tree," Brown added.

"Amazing sighting for us to view from the safety of the vehicle," he concluded.

During our Safari from Durban yesterday 9th February 2019, we got an amazing sighting of a very long Twig aka Vine Snake.

This amazing snake which is back fanged and carries a Hemotoxic venom fell out of the tree into a mud wallow. In the mud wallow was two male Buffalo and the one stared at the Twig Snake. We for a moment were holding our breath thinking maybe the Buffalo might bold but he did not and the muddy snake made his way out of the mud wallow and back into the tree.

The Twig or Vine Snakes are arboreal and tend to hunt small birds chicks and feed of eggs. Being back fanged, it make it a bit difficult to administer its venom to a prey item, so it has to maneuver its mouth while biting.
The Hemotoxic venom is slow acting but will cause the animals blood to thin like taking an overdose or Wafarine. This causes bleeding out of even your pores and you need to get to hospital to have a full body blood transfusion. There is no anti-venom for this snake.

Amazing sighting for us to view from the safety of the vehicle...

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