Black mamba

The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is avenomous snake endemic to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Specimens vary in colour from brown or grey to quite dark, but not really black. Juvenile black mambas tend to be lighter in colour than adults and to darken with age. It is the longest species of venomous snake indigenous to the African continent; mature specimens generally exceed 6.6 ft and commonly attain 9.8 ft. Specimens of even 14.1 to 14.8 ft have been reported. The black mamba is a large, round-bodied, slender, but powerful snake. It tapers smoothly towards the tail. The black mamba does not typically hold onto prey after biting, instead releasing its quarry and waiting for it to succumb to paralysis and die. This however depends on the type of prey; for example, it typically will hold onto a bird till it stops struggling to escape. If prey attempts to escape or defend itself, the black mamba often may follow up its initial bite with a rapid series of strikes to incapacitate and quickly kill its prey. Predators of the black mamba include the brown snake eagel and mongoose. The black mamba doesn't have very many predators but they do have those two and they are very dangerous to this snake. Black mambas breed annually and mating occurs in the early spring, when male mambas locate a female by following her scent trail. After finding a potential mate the male will inspect the female by flicking his tongue over her entire body. There is little information available concerning the lifespan of wild black mambas, but the longest surviving captive example had a recorded lifespan of 11 years. The venom of the black mamba is highly toxic, commonly causing collapse in humans within 45 minutes or less from a single bite.