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Project Noah Nature School
Dendroaspis polylepis
The black mamba, one of Africa’s most feared and respected snakes, inevitably evokes reactions of fear, respect or awe - often merely by being mentioned. It has been coined super-fast, super-intelligent, and shrewd and magical abilities have even been attributed to it, which has added to the myth and mystery of the black mamba.
The black mamba is named for the colour of the inside of its mouth, which is black. This is clearly displayed when it is threatened. The snake has a matt, brownish-grey body with a light belly. Its preferred habitat includes termite mounds, hollow tree trunks, granite hillocks and moist savannah and lowland forests.It may stay within a certain area, but will not defend that area. Nor does it defend its young. The female lays between 10 to 25 eggs and never returns to the hatchlings, which are about 51cm long when born. They are independent immediately. There is no visible difference between a male and female black mamba.
What is scarier than a Black Mamba.... a pregnant black mamba
Spotted on Nov 1, 2011
Submitted on Aug 7, 2012
17 Comments
Thanks Jared, and everyone for the "favorites"!
Yay! Im honored! Thanks Karen and PN!
It's a female too! And pregnant too! Congrats!
Congratulations!
Reminds me of Beatrix Kiddo! Very pretty!
Congratulations!
Congratulations Dez, your spotting is featured in the Project Noah blog today! http://blog.projectnoah.org/post/3165648...
Hi Maria, there was about 5 Black Mamba's in this glassed of area. It was a fairly big area for them compared to other reptile parks I've seen. They were as far away from us as thick as the glass was. (still scary to see them) They were as interested in us as we were in them. You can just see them thinking as you look in their eyes.
great series - how far from the snake were you?
convenido Fabian!
Bella pero muy peligrosa
gracias harsuame!
Fantástica bella mamba
Thank you Lisa! I see you have many awesome spots of frogs. I live in the Western Cape South Africa, where we have the endangered leopard toad, it is breeding time now. As soon as it's rainy outside, Im going spotting and will be sure to put up pics!
They are a very alert snake and have very good eyesight for a snake. Interesting spotting.. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Karen, would prefer seeing any animal in the wild.... maybe not the Black Mamba... but I cant help to feel sorry for any animal in captivity...
Awesome spot!