Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia user Danleo

The black mamba…Even the name strikes fear into the hearts of those that have heard the legends.  The black mamba is a snake that is better known for the myths than the truth.  This is a shame considering that the truth is more than impressive enough to stand alone.  Still, the intereting myths that surround the black mamba are interesting, and are worth looking at for humor if nothing else.  This article will explain the common black mamba misconceptions that exist throughout the world, and what the real truth is about this African snake.

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia user Danleo

The black mamba…Even the name strikes fear into the hearts of those that have heard the legends.  The black mamba is a snake that is better known for the myths than the truth.  This is a shame considering that the truth is more than impressive enough to stand alone.  Still, the intereting myths that surround the black mamba are interesting, and are worth looking at for humor if nothing else.  This article will explain the common black mamba misconceptions that exist throughout the world, and what the real truth is about this African snake.

Black mambas have always been touted for their aggressive nature.  The myths have said that the black mamba will chase you down, bite you, and kill you for not other reason than malice.  This is preposterous on many levels, and should be dismissed as ignorance.  While the black mamba is quite aggressive, they still want nothing to do with us humans.  We are not food, and we are certainly not considered to be as much by the mamba.  When the black mamba hears us coming, which they often do far in advance, they get out of dodge.  We are a threat to them at best, and they will avoid us given the chance.

Where the problem comes in is when the black mamba has no route of escape.  There have been stories over the years of a black mamba wiping out an entire family within their homes.  While it is not substantiated, the story could have some truth.  If the black mamba was within a home, and had no route of escape, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that it might bite everyone in the house trying to escape.  When a black mamba is unable to escape, they are among the more aggressive and deadly creatures on the planet.

When a black mamba is backed into a corner, it will change into an offensive snake.  While some snakes will  roll over and play dead, or some will sit still and rattle, the black mamba will instead go on the offensive.  They are armed with one of the deadliest snake venoms in the world, and they can strike over and over again.  Each bite from a black mamba is absolutely deadly, and requires immediate treatment.

This leads us to another common black mamba misconception.  Many people think that a black mamba bite is fatal every single time.  The truth is, it used to be.  Before the invention of an antivenom, the black mamba bite was nearly 100 percent fatal.  Now, the antivenom is saving lives…sometimes.  If you go without medical care, you are almost certain to die unless the snake delivered a dry bite.  (did not inject venom)  This is rare in black mamba snake bites.

The black mamba is a snake that needs absolutely no embellishment.  They are magnificent creatures that are plenty deadly enough without exaggeration.