Black Mamba

The black mamba is a large, highly venomous snake native to savanna and rocky habitats across sub-Saharan Africa, widely regarded as the fastest land snake in the world, capable of moving at speeds of up to twenty kilometres an hour over short distances. Despite its name, its body is usually olive, grey or brown rather than black, with the name instead referring to the inky black interior of its mouth, which it displays in a threat posture when cornered. Black mambas hunt small mammals and birds, delivering a highly potent neurotoxic venom through a rapid series of bites rather than a prolonged hold, and before antivenom became available a bite was considered almost universally fatal without prompt treatment. Though feared, the species is generally shy and prefers to flee from humans when possible, and it remains widespread and common across much of its range.