In North America, green scales mean that a snake is harmless. That's not true in Africa. The green mamba is one of the deadliest snakes on that continent, and kills many people every year. This snake slithers mostly among leafy tree branches where its color hides its approach. Though well-adapted to tree-top living, the green mamba occasionally hits the ground and can slither at amazing speeds as it chases prey or tries to escape danger.
No Air: The green mamba's fangs are small, but they inject enough venom to kill large creatures and even humans. The snake's toxins attack a victim's nervous system, leaving it paralyzed so it can't breathe and eventually suffocates.
Human Contact: This snake loves to hide, and often lurks in fruit trees or between weaved strands of thatched roofs. The green mamba population is so large that it has many encounters with humans, which can end up turning deadly.
Terror in the Trees[]
This muscular climber can cross wide gaps between tree branches without a problem.
Unlike its cousin, the black mamba, the green mamba spends most of its life in trees. This snake is such an expert at navigating up, down and around branches, it looks like it floats through the trees as it hunts for lizards, birds and other prey. It can grip branches with just a few of the wide scales on its belly, so that much of its body may seem suspended in mid-air. The mamba's green body also helps camouflage it among dense leaves so prey and enemies can't see it slithering through the background.
Speed Snake: When prey is hard to find in the trees, the green mamba will occasionally hunt on the ground. If spotted by an enemy while exposed, it can slither at speeds up to seven miles per hour to escape.
Lover's Quarrel: During breeding season, male mambas fight furiously over the right to mate with females. Two or more males tangle their bodies together and strike at each other's heads until the losers skulk away.
A Snake in the Roof[]
- As the sun goes down, a green mamba slithers into the straw of a thatched roof to rest, leaving its head dangling out so it still can see if something approaches. As the owner of the hut comes home, he reaches up to pull what he thinks is a loose piece of straw.
- The man grabs the thatch, and suddenly realizes that it's actually a green mamba. He lets go in fear. The mamba instinctively strikes at what it sees as an "attacker" and injects the man with venom. He'll die unless he's treated soon.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The two given scientific names on the knowledge card refer to the Eastern Green Mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) and the Western Green Mamba (Dendroaspis viridis) respectively.
- A given due to their common names, the Green Mamba shares it's genus, Dendroaspis, with the Black Mamba.