Four species of fast, highly venomous African snakes in the cobra family. Three are green and live in trees; the black mamba is brown or grey and lives mostly on the ground. All hunt by day, and the World Health Organization classes all four as snakes of medical importance.
Quick answers
What is it?Reptile
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?Yes
Highly venomous, but a black mamba attacks people only when it is threatened or cornered.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAfrica
HabitatGrassland, Forest
ColoursGrey, Brown, Green
SizeLarge
LengthBlack mamba: usually 2–3 m; up to 4.5 m reported
WeightBlack mamba: about 1–1.6 kg
LegsNone
Covered inScales
Lives alone
Lives for11–20 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Sub-Saharan Africa.
- What it eats
- Birds, lizards and small mammals.
Did you know
Named for the black inside of its mouth, not its skin, and its top speed is about 12 mph.
The black mamba is the second-longest venomous snake, after the king cobra.
Stories of black mambas chasing people are common, but they usually avoid humans and flee to their lair.
Often confused with
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