Black Mamba: 8 Fascinating Facts About the World's Deadliest Snake - Nature World News

The Dendroaspis polylepis (black mamba) is a shiny and slim poisonous snake that's widespread in sub-Saharan regions in Africa. Its name was coined from the Zulu word imbamba. The black mamba belongs to the same family as cobras and shares its title with three other species: Jameson's mamba, western mamba, green mamba.

They are cold blooded creatures, so they linger for the light and heat of the day before preparing their way into the open wild. Here are some little-known facts about this ruthless snake.

(Photo : Pixabay)

1. Black mambas are not black but brown

Contrary to the common notion, the black in the name black mamba doesn't pertain to its body color. Rather, it implies the inside color of the snake's mouth. Because the mamba doesn't possess much in terms of vibrant design or coloring on its body, this is a decent way for animals and humans alike to recognize what type of snake they've faced. 

2. They crawl fast

Black mambas are the fastest striding snakes on Earth. On a polished surface, they have been understood to crawl as fast as 10 to 12 miles per hour. For a species without legs, that's so remarkable. To put that in a point of view, a black mamba can run faster than a Komodo dragon. 

3. Their bite is dubbed as the kiss of death

However it's unusual for a black mamba to pounce on a human groundlessly, they are nevertheless known to be one of the greatly feared snakes in the world. In Africa, they are both respected and feared, Their venom is the most lethal, and baby mambas from day one, are born able to strike and spit venom from their two fangs.

The venom is known as a neurotoxic venom, as contradicted to hemotoxic, which implies it attacks the brain and nervous system.

Read Also: Beware: Top 6 Surprisingly Venomous Animals

4. Black mambas are diurnal

Black mambas does most of their sleeping at night, returning to their secret spots, shielded from humans and predators. Immediately daybreaks these snakes are awake and active. This behavior is generally the outcome of their ruthless nature, as they depend on the heat and warmth of the sun to operate their bodies. 

5. Females can lay as much as 20 eggs

The breeding season normally occurs during the spring and it's a very active time in which males display their strength and aggression towards other males in the contest. Male black mambas pursue scent tracks, frequently for miles, to find potential female mates. As soon as they've mated, the snakes return to their separate ways and proceed with their secluded lives.

6. Black mambas sleep in lairs

Different from the other mambas which are arboreal, black mambas don't normally waste much time on trees. They are terrestrial snakes that prefer covered or underground lairs to rest and sleep. 

7. Black mambas are meat-eaters

Mambas don't have a lot of predators, so they use much of their crawling for hours hunting to find food. Because of their extraordinary speed, black mambas are completely capable of lying in wait until the right second and moving fast towards their prey to strike. A regular food for black mambas includes rodents, small mammals, and birds.

(Photo : Pixabay)

8. They can develop to 14 feet in length

Black mambas are not the lengthiest reptiles on the planet though they are the longest venomous reptile in Africa.  On a regular day, they can be between 6-9 feet in length, but there have been records of 14-foot black mambas. 

Related Article: Watch: Deadly Black Mambas Rapidly Coil Each Other in A Duel Captured in Rare Video

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