Weskussers vind soms allerhande diertjies in snaakse plekkies by die huis, maar motorwerktuigkundiges in Vredenburg het onlangs gewis nie \u2019n ratel agter \u2019n ratkas verwag nie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Werkers van Mortimer Toyota het verlede week \u2019n kli\u00ebnt gehelp wat gekla het hul motor gee probleme. \u201cDie motor het glo net gaan staan. Die manne het vermoed iets is fout met die bedrading nadat iets dalk daaraan geknaag het. Hulle het aanvanklik vermoed dis rotte of muise,\u201d verduidelik Ettienne Swanepoel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Swanepoel help die afgelope vier jaar inwoners in Velddrif en Dwarskersbos om slange te vang en veilig vry te laat. Danksy sy ervaring en werk saam met Cape Nature was hy byderhand om die ratel te probeer vang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDit was \u2019n ongemaklike taak. Die ratel was omtrent so groot soos \u2019n vet skoothondjie. Hulle is baie slim en slinks en daar waar hy agter die enjin gesit het, was dit \u2019n gesukkel om hom uit te kry,\u201d verduidelik Swanepoel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ratels is bekend vir hul vreesloosheid en volgens Swanepoel is dit juis wat hulle so gevaarlik maak. Dit het \u2019n hele paar hande geneem om die ratel van agter die enjin met behulp van \u2019n strik uit te kry en in \u2019n hok te plaas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDie ratel is onmiddellik weer op \u2019n geskikte plek vrygelaat. Hulle is werklik besonderse diertjies, hoewel ek weet hulle is \u2019n groot probleem vir heuningboere. Ek dink meer moet gedoen word om mense oor wilde diere op te voed,\u201d meen hy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dit is juis Swanepoel se liefde vir diere wat hom die bynaam Dr. Dolittle verower het. Hy het 43 jaar gelede sy eerste slang gered. Nadat hy na die Weskus verhuis het, het hy meer gereeld op slange afgekom en besluit om \u2019n amptelike kursus te loop oor slange vang en vrylaat. \u201cEk het baie slange begin te\u00ebkom. Ek het besef iemand gaan seerkry as ek nie die situasie reg hanteer nie \u2013 \u00f3f ek \u00f3f die slang. Indien jy vyf tre\u00eb weg van \u2019n slang bly, is jy veilig. Dit is wanneer mense slange verkeerdelik nader of hanteer dat dinge verkeerd gaan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Swanepoel meen te veel mense is bang gemaak met slange as kind, wat tot \u2019n vrees vir di\u00e9 diere gely het.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deesdae werk hy saam met Cape Nature, Sanco en ander bewaringsorganisasies om diere in nood te help, hetsy dit slange in die sitkamer of \u2019n ratel agter die ratkas is.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Weskussers vind soms allerhande diertjies in snaakse plekkies by die huis, maar motorwerktuigkundiges in Vredenburg het onlangs gewis nie \u2019n ratel agter \u2019n ratkas verwag 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