Black Mamba

1 Overview

The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is large and intimidating – one of the fastest snakes alive (up to 19.5 km/h) and able to rear half its body, usually to climb, not to attack. Widely regarded as one of Africa’s most dangerous venomous snakes.

CONSERVATION / SAFETY NOTE: highly venomous (neurotoxic). This is an education-only profile – it must never be kept as a pet. Found across Africa.

2 Appearance

A large snake; adults about 2.5 m (longest 4.45 m), ideal weight about 1.6 kg, average lifespan about 11 years. The body is rarely black – colours are grey, dark green, brown, tan; juveniles are bright grey or dark green. Belly white or cream; some have pale stripes. The dead-giveaway is the inky-black mouth, flashed as a warning; eyes brown or black.

3 Habitat & Environment

Its main predators are mongooses and secretary birds; some colubrids kill juveniles. Habitat is broad: tropical savanna, woodland, rocky outcrops, dense forest. Shrubland is the main haunt. In midday it climbs high (tree tops) to bask or ambush – which is why orchard workers gathering crops by hand get bitten.

4 Care & Feeding

Like many snakes it waits patiently, then strikes at the right moment and uses different tactics by prey size. For large prey it bites and lets the animal flee, then tracks by scent to the corpse; for small prey (birds, mice) it holds on until movement stops, then swallows. It also takes bats.