Black Mamba

Description:

The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis), also called the common black mamba or black-mouthed mamba, is a highly venomous snake of the genus Dendroaspis (Mambas), and is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. It was first described in 1864 by Albert Günther, a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist. It is the longest species of venomous snake in Africa and the second-longest venomous snake in the world, averaging around 2.2 to 2.7 m (7.2 to 8.9 ft) in length, and sometimes growing close to lengths of 4 m (13 ft). The longest recorded black mamba was 4.3 m (14.1 ft).

Habitat:

Saw it at Tala Private Game Reserve, a small park about 80km from Durban, no cats but have quite a few White Rhinos, Giraffes and lots of birds and Hippos too.There's a bit of grassland between the trails and the small lake, that's where we saw this beauty. The black mamba has adapted to a variety of climates, ranging from savanna, woodlands, farmlands, rocky slopes, dense forests and humid swamps. The grassland and savanna woodland/shrubs that extend all the way from southern and eastern Africa to central and western Africa are the black mamba's typical habitat. The snake prefers more arid environments, such as semiarid, dry bush country, light woodland, and rocky outcrops. This species likes areas with numerous hills, as well as riverine forests. Black mambas often make use of abandoned termite mounds and hollow trees for shelter, which it goes back to everynight. The abandoned termite mounds are especially used when the snake is looking for somewhere to cool off, as the mounds are sort of a "natural air-conditioning" system. The structure of these mounds is very complex and elaborate. They have a network of holes, ducts, and chimneys that allow air to circulate freely, drawing heat away from the nest during the day – though without taking too much valuable moisture – while preventing the nest cooling too much at night. As a species which maintains a permanent home range throughout its entire life, the black mamba will always return to its lair at night within this home range if left undisturbed