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.
Black Mamba myth number five – Black mambas will pull birds clean out of the sky. Almost certainly this is an exaggeration. It does have an interesting side note, however. With most animals, the black mamba will bite once or twice and let go. When the mamba takes a bird, however, it will hold on until the bird dies. Could it be that the bird might fly away before dying?
Black mamba myth number six – Black mambas enter homes and hunt down every person. Again, mambas do not hunt humans. One place that might be the source of this myth is the fact that sometimes a mamba will enter a home after vermin, and might get cornered inadvertently by the homeowner. If a mamba is cornered, then it certainly could kill anyone who gets in its way. More than likely, it would try to escape, however.
There are a number of black mamba myths out there that many people accept as truth. Hopefully, this article will help to dispel some of them and bring about knowledge rather than hatred of these supreme reptiles.
