African Snakes: Black Mamba

The Black Mamba is a common snake found in numerous parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, normally residing on the ground as opposed to in the trees like other species of mambas. One of the longest snakes known to the African continent, Black Mambas are known to exceed 6.5 feet in length, some even coming in close to 15 feet. Mambas start out a lighter colour when young and darken as they age. They are known for their trademark black mouth and throat, giving them the name Black Mamba. The Black Mamba tends to live in savannah grassland, woodlands, rocky terrains and also have been known to reside in dense forested areas. The primary diet of the Black Mamba mainly consists of small mammals and birds, including bushbabies and hyraxes. The top speed of a Black Mamba can be as much as nearly 7 mph, making the Black Mamba one of the fastest snakes in Africa. Adult mamba tend to have few natural predators, and will typically even shy away from humans, preferring to avoid confrontations. Black Mambas are known to live for around 11 years, but it’s possible for them to live longer than this as there is little evidence on the subject. Black Mamba venom, while highly poisonous to humans is comprised of a series of potent neurotoxins which have been developed into a powerful pain reliever, being as strong as morphine with few of the side effects. If a Black Mamba bite is left untreated, death can result in as little as an hour, however antivenom is now widely available. Previous to antivenom being made available in known Mamba locales, the mortality rate from bites was nearly 100%.