After a devastating injury, a puff adder’s survival depended on one determined rescuer and a vet willing to help after hours.
South Africa (09 June 2026) – Most wildlife rescue stories tend to feature the animals we instinctively love. The fluffy, feathered or wide-eyed creatures that tug at our heartstrings the moment we see them. But compassion is perhaps most powerful when it extends to the animals we fear.
That’s what makes a recent rescue in Cape Town so remarkable.
Tyrone Ping spends much of his time responding to calls about snakes. His work takes him across Cape Town and beyond, safely capturing and relocating reptiles that have found themselves in conflict with people. Most rescues end with a straightforward relocation. This one did not.
When Tyrone arrived at a recent call-out, he found a large adult female puff adder in serious trouble.
The snake had squeezed beneath an aluminium fence through a gap far too small for her body. In the process, her skin had been torn back in a severe injury known as degloving. While the underlying muscle tissue had thankfully escaped damage, the wound itself was extensive and, left untreated, would likely have proven fatal.
For many people, the sight of a puff adder might trigger fear rather than sympathy. Yet these snakes play an important role in South Africa’s ecosystems, helping to control rodent populations and maintain ecological balance. Despite being one of the country’s most recognisable venomous snakes, puff adders are generally reluctant to engage with humans and would much rather avoid confrontation altogether.
Knowing the snake needed urgent medical attention, Tyrone began making calls.
One after another, veterinary practices and organisations explained they were either unable or unwilling to assist. Treating wildlife is specialised enough. Treating a highly venomous snake presents an entirely different challenge. After contacting no fewer than ten practices, Tyrone finally found someone willing to help.
Dr Karli and her team at Exotic Vet Century City immediately agreed to see the injured patient, despite it being after hours. More than that, they offered to provide treatment completely free of charge. What followed was a remarkable display of skill, compassion and teamwork.
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Working together, Tyrone and Dr Karli successfully medicated the snake, stitched the severe wound and monitored her recovery over the following days. Slowly but surely, the puff adder healed.
The outcome could not have been more different from the one Tyrone first feared.
After recovering under expert care, the snake was eventually released back into a suitable natural environment where she could continue playing her role in the ecosystem.
For Tyrone, the rescue was a reminder of why this work matters. For Dr Karli and her team, it was another example of the often unseen efforts wildlife veterinarians make every day. And for the rest of us, it offers an opportunity to reconsider the animals we so often misunderstand.
“The layers in this are great, saving an animal which most people are far too quick to just kill, snakes receive little compassion and help from the public generally, so I’m just so impressed with the help and level of empathy from Exotic Wildlife Vet to help save this snake’s life and doing so completely free of charge.
We need to make sure all wild animals get the help and support they deserve, not just the cute and cuddly ones.” – Tyrone Ping
Not every creature is cute. Not every animal inspires instant affection. Yet every species has value, and every life plays a part in the delicate balance of nature.
Thanks to one determined rescuer and a veterinary team willing to go above and beyond, this puff adder was given something precious: a second chance.
Watch the rescue efforts below.
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