The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is the largest venomous snake in Africa, with an average length around 8 feet (2.5 m), but may grow to over 14 feet (4.5 m). It got its name because of the black inside of its mouth; the actual color of the skin is varied: dull yellowish-green to a gun-metal grey. It is one of the fastest snakes in the world, capable of going 10 to 12 mph (16 to 20 km/h).
Yes Tom I know you can cycle faster than 12 mph but if the snake slithered up on you quickly when you were looking at the lovely Hove scenery and going up a hill …… I’ve just realised from Tom Smith’s comment that I wrote run - that’s so funny to think of a snake running.
Black Mambas hey? So what colour are Green Mambas if Black ones are yello-green? Just asking as Mum and I went for a stroll in Africa, and ended up ‘climbing’ down a steep hill/low cliff face. Then decided that we couldn’t get back and had to walk through head hight long grass. Mum was scared about snakes and I told her not to worry as they will feel us coming and scuttle (do snakes scuttle?) off. That evening we were warned not to walk in long grass ’cause of Green Mambas. If I had known their slithering speed we would still be stranding at the bottom of that hill!
January 28th, 2005 at 12:54 pm
i went to hove this morning. i was on my bike though, i could out run any snake on my bike.
January 28th, 2005 at 2:08 pm
Unless it was a Black Mamba which runs at 10-12 mph and can out-gallop a horse
January 28th, 2005 at 2:33 pm
i’ll have you know i can cycle faster than 12mph.
unless it is up a big hill, that is.
January 28th, 2005 at 3:12 pm
Is a black mamba a snake? How do you know that nugget of information?
January 28th, 2005 at 3:53 pm
i reckon wikipedia has been consulted!
January 28th, 2005 at 6:17 pm
they could out-run a milk float. or should that be out-slither?
January 29th, 2005 at 9:03 am
Yes Tom I know you can cycle faster than 12 mph but if the snake slithered up on you quickly when you were looking at the lovely Hove scenery and going up a hill …… I’ve just realised from Tom Smith’s comment that I wrote run - that’s so funny to think of a snake running.
January 29th, 2005 at 9:55 am
i wonder if the quoted speeds for a black mamba are on the level, and whether inclines are able to alter their speed.
if not, then maybe we’ve got a thing or 2 to learn from the snake world.
February 4th, 2005 at 9:53 am
Black Mambas hey? So what colour are Green Mambas if Black ones are yello-green? Just asking as Mum and I went for a stroll in Africa, and ended up ‘climbing’ down a steep hill/low cliff face. Then decided that we couldn’t get back and had to walk through head hight long grass. Mum was scared about snakes and I told her not to worry as they will feel us coming and scuttle (do snakes scuttle?) off. That evening we were warned not to walk in long grass ’cause of Green Mambas. If I had known their slithering speed we would still be stranding at the bottom of that hill!