No. 0037 of 1,402
Black mamba
Dendroaspis polylepis
Cobras, mambas & kraits🦷 Bites
Danger to people: DeadlyOne of the most dangerous animals in the world.Black mamba belongs to the group: Cobras, mambas & kraits. It lives in: Africa.2
Lives in
Africa2
Length
2.5 m (8.2 ft)2
typical adult sizeTop speed
about 16 km/h (9.9 mph)
On land: often reported as the fastest snake, in short bursts
Venom power
Bites
Venom comes out through its fangs or teeth when it bites.
How dangerous is it to people?
Danger to people: DeadlyOne of the most dangerous animals in the world.🚑 If it bites or stings
- Keep the person still and calm, remove rings and tight things, and get to a hospital fast: antivenom is the treatment.
- If venom was spat into the eyes, rinse them with lots of clean water straight away.
Always call your emergency number first (112, 000, 911). This is general first aid guidance, not medical advice. First aid basics
⛑️ Stay safe
- Never touch, catch or tease a wild animal, even a small one, and even if it looks asleep or dead.
- Give it space. If you meet one, stay calm, step back slowly and let it go its own way.
- If one bites or stings you: stay calm, keep still, call your emergency number (112, 000, 911) or get to a hospital fast. Remember what it looked like, a photo helps.
It is not out to get you. It uses its venom to catch food or to protect itself, and it would much rather hide. More about staying safe
Where in the world?
How big is it?
How long is it?
as long as 2.5 dogs nose to tail🍌as long as 14 bananas end to end🏃could cover 100 metres in 22 seconds (the fastest human needs 9.6)How big is Black mamba compared to YOU?
Just maths in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
How fast is it?
A person walking about 5 km/h (3.1 mph)
A kid on a bike about 12 km/h (7.5 mph)
Black mamba about 16 km/h (9.9 mph)
A galloping horse about 65 km/h (40 mph)
Where the facts come from
- Dendroaspis polylepis (iNaturalist): names and classification.
- Venom Wiki: the danger level, the typical size and the speed guess are our own. See how we work them out: How we rate danger.
Every fact on this page has a number that points to its source. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are animal fans, not a science journal. Tell us at hello@venomwiki.app and we will fix it.
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