Black Mamba

• It is one of the fastest land snakes in the world, capable of short bursts of up to 20 km/h.
• It eats small mammals such as rodents and hyraxes, and birds.
• It is the longest venomous snake in Africa, with a documented record of 4.5 metres.
• defensaDespite its name it is not black outside but inside the mouth, which it gapes as a visual warning before striking.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)

Habitat & environment

Savannah, open woodland and rocky hills of sub-Saharan Africa

Birth weight

40-60 cm long at birth, its venom glands already fully working

Size at birth

40 - 60 cm long at birth

Sexual maturity

2-5 years

Gestation / incubation

60-90 days

Litter / clutch size

6 to 25 eggs per clutch (usual reference 10-17)

Lifespan in captivity

Documented record of up to 26.2 years in captivity

Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animal Spot; Animal Diversity Web; Animal Kingdom; A-Z Animals; Saint Louis Zoo; PMC (envenomation case report)

Best time: All year round in savannah and rocky country of eastern and southern Africa, by day; it shelters in termite mounds, tree hollows and abandoned burrows.