Species profile
About the black mamba
The black mamba is not black: it is olive, grey or gunmetal brown, and takes its name from the ink-black lining of its mouth, displayed with the neck flattened when it is cornered. It can exceed three metres and can move at around 16 km/h in short bursts, making it the fastest snake in Africa.
Its real character is nervousness, not aggression. A mamba's first response to a person is almost always to escape to cover, and the great majority of bites follow attempts to catch or kill one. It is widespread in Tanzania's savanna and rocky country but rarely seen on a game drive.
Life in the wild
Behavior & relationships
Behavior
Diurnal and terrestrial, though it climbs well. Returns to a fixed lair each night. Rears, gapes and hisses only when escape is cut off.
Social life
Solitary. Males wrestle for access to females in the breeding season, pushing each other down without biting.
What makes it remarkable
Special features
The longest venomous snake in Africa, the fastest snake in the world over short distances, and a black mouth lining shown only in threat.
