The black mamba is not named for his colour, He is named for the colour of his open mouth. Factually if you see the open mouth up close you are in deep trouble. These snakes live in holes in the ground but don’t be surprised to find him up a tree.
Black mamba standing
Identifying the black mamba
The black mamba is a grey charcoal coloured snake with a coffin shaped head. Many rumours abound of Mambas being aggressive and actually chasing humans. The truth is that mambas move very quickly. Most snakes move lethargically but the mamba moves in short sharp bursts. It is the fastest moving snake in Africa.
black mamba evading predator
How dangerous is the Black Mamba?
The first reaction of these snakes like most others is to depart the scene when danger threatens. These snakes consider humans as predators rather than prey and will attempt to flee. However if trapped will defend themselves aggressively. They will strike repeatedly and tales of Mambas killing lion and giraffe are known to exist.
black mamba on the ground
When struck by a Black mamba you will have been injected with a potent neurotoxic venom. The venom attacks the central nervous system shutting down the heart and lungs. The bite is fatal to humans if not treated with anti-venom. Attacks that occured before the advent of anti-venom carried an almost 100% fatality rate. Fatalities have become far more rare with the medical treatment available today.
black mamba coffin shaped head
Where will you find the Black Mamba?
They definitely occur in the Mpumalanga region and most parts of Sub Saharan Africa. They hunt by day and will retreat to their burrows, rock crevices and insect mounts by night. They are territorial and will return to the same lair every night.
What does the Black Mamba eat?
During the day they actively hunt their prey of small mammals, birds and lizards.
Other information.
Mambas are related to the cobras (Elapids), as can be seen during their threat display, when they stretch a slightly smaller hood while gaping their mouth.
Black mambas are fast, nervous, lethally venomous, and when threatened, highly aggressive.
African myths exaggerate the capabilities of the Black Mamba to legendary proportions. For these reasons, the black mamba is widely considered the world’s deadliest snake.
Black mambas are Africa’s longest venomous snake, reaching up to 4.5 meters but 2.5 meters is the average length.
Black mambas are among the fastest snakes in the world, slithering at speeds of up to 20 kilometers per hour.
Black mamba up a tree
