Great Black Mamba Facts for Kids
The black mamba snake is the world’s fastest land snake. It is also one of the world’s most deadliest snakes. It is the longest venomous snake found in Africa. It is also quite an aggressive snake. They have a reputation for being vicious attackers that has been well earned.
They live in Africa and can live in any area. They can live in trees, under rocks or logs and in abandoned hutches of other animals. They can travel up to 12 miles per hour over short distances on longer journeys their travel speed is about 7 miles per hour.
Their Reputation
The Black Mamba has a terrible reputation and rightfully so. While most snakes really just want to be left alone and will not bite unless provoked the Black Mamba is an unforgiving snake that will strike before putting on a show meant to scare its threat away.
They have been well known to strike out at people that have simply walked by. They will strike several times very quickly and deposit quite a bit of toxin when they do.
They are attributed with many deaths every year. They can stand up with their first third of the body off the ground up to 3 feet tall which is their striking position so the bites are usually closer to the upper art of the body.
Just two drops of their fast acting venom starts to take effect on the nervous system.
They Are Not Black
You would think that you should be on the lookout for a black snake but they are not black they are dark brown in color. They get their name from the dark black interior of their mouths. When they open their mouths all you see is black.
They Lay Eggs and Can Live Together.
Like other snakes the Black Mamba lays eggs. She usually anywhere between 3 and 25 eggs and never sees them again. The babies hatch at about 3 months later and emerge about 16-24 inches long and able to get along on their own.
They sometimes travel in groups of two to three snakes and will return to their sleeping or nesting place together every night.
What Do They Eat?
Black Mambas eat rodents, birds and other small mammals although there have been stories of Black Mambas being cut open and finding full size Cobras in their belly undigested.
