The black mamba is one of the most feared snakes in all the world and it is no small wonder why. With all the stories that fly around about it, one would think that the mamba could fly through the air and walk on water. The truth is that this powerful reptile is scary enough without all the insane myths. It is a legitimately spooky snake with just the real facts on the table. Here are some famous black mamba myths that are simply not true:
The Black Mamba can not move at twenty miles per hour. The black mamba can move at about twelve miles per hour. This, however, is a top speed and it is used to run from threats, not chase them. People telling stories of being chased by the black mamba are simply not true on the whole. They are highly aggressive if cornered, but otherwise they do all they can to escape any threat.
The Black Mamba does not deliver a bite that kills within a couple of steps. The black mamba has a deadly venom, and they are known to bite more than once. The black mamba’s venom can kill very quickly, but not in a step or two unless the victim has a cardiac arrest on the spot. The mamba used to have a kill rate of 100 percent when their was no antivenin. Now there is, and the recovery rate is rather high if you get help right away. Because the mamba is found in the African bush, that is often a problem for mamba bite victims.
Black Mambas do not drop down out of trees on top of unsuspecting humans. This is yet another myth that is wrong on several levels. One, black mambas are not hunting humans because they can not eat us. Two, the black mamba is a ground dweller rather than a tree dweller like its cousin the green mamba. Three, the black mamba is not going to actively fling itself from a tree.
The black mamba is not named for its skin color either. The black mamba is named after the black lining within it’s mouth. A black mamba rears up when irritated, bares it’s mouth, and hisses loudly. The mouth is black on the inside, and that is a clear warning to get away. If you do not do so, then the mamba will bite readily.
The truth is fearsome enough where the black mamba is concerned. This snake is up to fourteen feet in length, and can move quicker than most any snake in Africa. It has one of the quickest strikes among venomous reptiles, and also is aggressive to the point that it will bite over and over if you do not get out of it’s range. The venom is strong enough to kill a healthy adult male in less than twenty minutes without antivenin, and they are found throughout a heavily populated area in parts of Africa.
The truth is just as scary as the stories, so the black mamba myths are not even necessary. Still, they are fun to hear sometimes.
