Look out! Here is a black mamba about to strike.

Today I want to write about a very dangerous snake, the black mamba.

Here are five interesting facts about them:

1.  These guys are Africa’s longest venomous snakes, growing up to 4.3 metres long, although they more often grow to about 2.5 metres.
2. Strangely, the black mamba gets its name from the colour of the inside of their mouths.  Their skin is more of an olive-brown or grey colour.
3. They are one of the fastest snakes in the world and are able to travel at up to 11 km per hour.
4. They have a reputation as a very aggressive snake, but they will generally only attack if provoked or threatened.  Their venom is very toxic and can kill a grown man in less than 45 minutes if untreated.  When they attack, they bite on multiple occasions.  They hunt during the day and ambush a wide range of warm-blooded prey, including bushbabies, hyraxes, bats and other small mammals and birds.
5. The black mamba is very common and is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa in a wide variety of habitats.

I hope that you found these facts interesting and learned something new.

Are there any other interesting facts that you would like to share about black mambas?