Black Mamba Snake

Black Mamba Snake

The Black Mamba snake also known as Dendroaspis polylepis is one of Africa’s most dangerous and feared snakes. The black mamba is the largest venomous snake in Africa and the second largest snake in the world, after the King Cobra. Adult black mambas have an average length of 2.5 meters or 8.2 feet and a maximum length of 4.5 meters or around 14 feet. The Back Mamba is also one of the fastest land snakes in the world. It has the capability to reach speeds in excess of 12 mph or 20km/hr. It mainly uses this speed the escape danger rather than capturing prey.

If the victim does not receive medical attention, symptoms rapidly progress to severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath), and paralysis. Eventually, the victim experiences convulsions, respiratory arrest, coma, and then death. Without antivenom, the mortality rate is nearly 100%, the highest among venomous snakes.

Black Mamba Snake Behaviour and Diet

Black mambas spend their nights in holes in the ground, usually disused burrows or hiding deep among fallen rocks or timber. These hiding places are also fled to by the snake if it becomes alarmed and it will attack any creature blocking the path to its hole. Black mamba snakes are diurnal snakes that hunt prey actively day or night. When hunting small animals, the Black Mamba snake delivers a single deadly bite and then retreats, waiting for the neurotoxin in its venom to paralyze the prey. When killing a bird, however, the Black Mamba snake will cling to its prey, preventing it from flying away. Black mamba snakes travel quickly across rough ground or along low tree branches when hunting. Black mamba snakes are able to hold their heads up to one metre above the ground when striking and can hold them 50 centimetres above the ground even when moving. Black mamba snakes have very good eyesight and can strike their prey such as rodents, bats, birds and lizards like lightning, leaving their powerful venom to finish off the kill.

Black Mamba Facts - National

However, when cornered, these snakes will raise their heads, ... Before the advent of black mamba antivenin, a bite from this fearsome serpent was 100 percent fatal, usually within about 20 minutes.They get their name, not from the color of their skin, which is in fact an olive grayish color, but instead from the color inside their mouths, which is bluish black and when the mouth opens to display it is rather shocking and eerie looking.They open their mouths widely when they feel threatened, to show it to the potential victim.Black mambas are not endangered, however human encroachment on its areas and territories has had one effect, which is putting more humans and snakes in contact with each other, leading to more and more deadly encounters.

Vipera berus

Vipera berus is a venomous viper species that is extremely widespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe and all the way to Far East Asia. They are not regarded as highly dangerous; bites can be very painful, but are seldom fatal. The specific name, berus, is New Latin and was at one time used to refer to a snake, possibly the grass snake, Natrix natrix. Three subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

Agkistrodon piscivorus

Agkistrodon piscivorus is a venomous snake, a species of pit viper, found in the eastern United States. Adults are large and capable of delivering a painful and potentially fatal bite, but are not normally aggressive. This is the world’s only semi-aquatic viper, usually found in or near water, particularly in slow-moving and shallow lakes and streams. The snake is a strong swimmer and will even enter the sea, successfully colonizing islands off both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The common names for the species include variants on water moccasin, swamp moccasin or black moccasin; viper, cottonmouth and rattler. Many of the common names refer to the threat display, where this species will often stand its ground and gape at an intruder, exposing the white lining of its mouth.