Metrolife: Don’t harass animals, says black mamba man

Spanish TV presenter, tennis coach, adventurer and wildlife expert Frank Cuesta has always loved being in the wild. He says that he learns a new lesson every time he ventures into the wild. Frank returns with his new show, ‘Wild Frank-Black Mamba’ on Discovery Channel, where he comes face-to-face with the black mamba, the most lethal snake whose bite has earned the nickname “kiss of death”. In an interview with Nina C George, Frank talks about his tryst in the wild and his new show.

What made you plan a show around the black mamba?

Every time, I visited Africa, people there would tell me about the black mamba. So, I want to see it for myself and do an episode about it. I was told that the black mamba is bad, she can kill you and that she is dangerous, but I found her to be beautiful. I was curious to know more about her and that prompted me to do the show.

What have you discovered about the black mamba?

I got to spend a good three months just studying the black mamba. I followed her to see what she ate, where she slept and how she hide and how these snakes would get upset with each other. I discovered that the black mamba was fast but she would easily tire after chasing its prey for about 10 to 20 meters. Her habits and mannerisms were similar to the king cobra found in India. The king cobra doesn’t really bother people till it is harmed or faces some threat to its life. The black mamba is very similar.

How do you overcome fear?

I don’t know what it is like to get afraid. When it comes to snakes, I don’t worry because I know about them. I always tell people that snakes are like women. They are very beautiful but very dangerous.

What was your experience of handling the king cobra in India?

India is a land of snakes and they are an integral part of the culture. I found that people in India worship snakes, understand and respect it too. I would love to return to India, and discover more of its people and snakes.

What’s your advise to young wildlife enthusiasts?

I would ask youngsters to learn about the animals and not to bother them too much. It always pays to observe, watch and see how they react and move. There’s so much that you can learn from them just by observing them. I would say give them a chance to show you who they are.

(‘Wild Frank-Black Mamba’ airs every Wednesday at 9 pm on Discovery Channel)