Black Mamba

The Black Mamba
DJ did not write this, and it is for Earth Kids Club tomorrow.  I had to figure out a way to print it, so I posted it here.  DJ will be doing his next writing assignment soon.


Type – reptile
Diet – Carnivore
Average life span in the wild – 11 years or more
Did you know? Black Mambas use their incredible speed to escape threats, not to hunt prey.

Black mambas are fast, nervous, lethally venomous, and when threatened, highly aggressive.

Black mambas live in the savannas and rocky hills of southern and eastern Africa. They are Africa’s longest venomous snake, reaching up to 14 feet in length, although 8.2 feet is more the average. They are also among the fastest snakes in the world, slithering at speeds of up to 12.5 miles per hour.

They get their name not from their skin color, which tends to be olive to gray, but rather from the blue-black color of the inside of their mouth, which they display when threatened.

Black mambas are shy and will almost always seek to escape when confronted. However, when cornered, these snakes will raise their heads, sometimes with a third of their body off the ground, spread their cobra-like neck-flap, open their black mouths and hiss. If an attacker persists, the mamba will strike not once, but repeatedly, injecting large amounts of potent neuro- and cardiotoxin with each strike.