Food for thought

"If you abuse nature by mass- producing meat in appalling conditions, you pay the price by incubating diseases" Ben Macintyre

Sisters doing it for themselves

Congratulations Venus and Serena Williams on winning U.S. Open doubles

Venus and Serena Williams easily won their 10th grand slam doubles title defeating world No. 1 pairing Cara Black and Liezel Huber . Venus and Serena are proof that hard work pays off.

"Creature of the Month"

The Black Mamba

The most feared snake in southern Africa!! With an average length of 2-3 metres (max. 4,2) it's the second longest venomous snake in the world (the king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world).

It is highly nervous and spreads a hood, gaping to reveal the jet black interior of its mouth. The venom is a potent neurotoxin, before the advent of antivenin, during the mid sixties, the bite of the black mamba was 100% fatal. Mambas are one of the fastest moving snakes in the world can slither along at an amazing 12 mph.

The black mamba is found throughout KwaZulu Natal ( and can also be found in my back garden!).

The actual naming of the black mamba is inaccurate. Most black mambas are an olive greenish, grayish brown, or metallic gray color. The reason they are called "black" mambas is because the interior lining of their mouth is jet black in color. Younger black mambas are light gray or light green in color but they will noticeably darken as they get older.

Snake Facts

MYTH: A python "crushes" its victim to death.

TRUTH: A constrictor snake does not crush its victim. It restricts its ability to breath by tigthenibg the coils around the ribcage every time the victim exhales. The victim dies of suffocation.

MYTH: Snakes hypnotise thier prey.

TRUTH: Snakes lack eyelids and thus their unblinking stare has given rise to this particular legend. Snakes cannot hypnotise anything.

MYTH: If you kill a snakes- watch out because its mate will seek you out and wreak revenge on you.

TRUTH: Sankes are solitary animals and have no mate. It is doubtful if they have a concept of death. You can rest assured no mate will "seek you out". It has no way of knowimg you killed its "mate" in the first place.