The Black Mamba - Does This Snake Really Hunt Humans?

And Other Myths About This Supreme Snake

The black mamba is a legendary snake that is much more well known for myth than fact. There are many "facts" about the black mamba that are actually African myths that have been passed down. Ironically, the truth about the black mamba is just as amazing as some of these myths. This article is to clear up some of the unusual facts about this amazing reptile.

Black mamba myth number one - A black mamba will attack you on sight and chase you down. The truth is, the black mamba will avoid humans at any cost. If they hear you coming, they will do all they can to get as far from you as possible. The black mamba will attack if it feels cornered, however, and it will attack with gusto. This snake is armed with speed, agility, and venom that is second to no snake as a package. When it strikes, it will strike repeatedly. One bite is enough to kill you if you do not get medical attention.

Black mamba myth number two - The black mamba's bite means certain death. This myth is somewhat shrouded in truth. In the days before anti-venom the death rate was near 100 percent. This has changed now that anti-venom and proper pre-hospital care is more widely enacted. If you skip the hospital and do not treat the bite, you will die. That much is true.

Black mamba myth number three - The black mamba waits in trees to attack humans - Again, this is far from the truth. In fact, the black mamba, unlike its fellow mamba species are not particularly tree dwellers. They spend more time on the ground and some never go to the trees. Even while in the trees, they are not hanging there waiting to attack the next helpless human who happens by. It would much rather save its venom for a meal than in self defense.

Black mamba myth number four - The black mamba is named for being black - Again, this is not true. The black mamba is actually more of an olive color. The black mamba is named for the fact that the inside of its mouth is black. The black mamba will show the black in its mouth to warn off predators of danger.