When we consider the most dangerous snakes in the world, the black mamba stands alone at the top of the list. Now, some people are going to disagree. After all, the black mamba isn’t the most venomous snake, and it doesn’t kill as many people as other snakes such as the Indian cobra or Russell’s viper.
Those statistics aren’t what we’re looking at in this case. Instead, we’re going to focus on the rare combination of physical characteristics, venom, and hunting prowess of this incredible snake, if it were to bite a human being.
Black Mamba’s Venom Makes It the World’s Most Dangerous Snake
Black mambas are rarely black, and they’re actually named for the inside of their mouth.
©reptiles4all/Shutterstock.com
The header says it all: Black mamba venom is a potent cocktail that includes powerful neurotoxins. The venom starts affecting an individual within 10 minutes, causing a wide variety of effects such as dizziness, blurred vision, and ataxia.
After 45 minutes, a human adult can collapse from these effects. Within 7-15 hours, he or she can suffer respiratory and cardiovascular failures leading to death. However, some individuals can die much faster.
Many snakes have venom that can kill humans, but the speed with which the black mamba venom impacts humans is faster than average.
Envenomation Rate
Black mamba bites do not cause necrosis or swelling, but a lot of venom is injected with each bite. On average, they inject 100-120 grams of venom with a single bite, and the maximum envenomation ever recorded for a bite was 400 grams. That is somewhere between 10 and 40 times the amount of venom needed to kill a single adult.
The overkill on their envenomation is just one factor, though. Many snakes around the world do not want to discharge their venom on a meal or threat they cannot eat. Venomous snakes will sometimes use a “dry bite,” a bite without venom, to dissuade predators and threats.
This does not happen with black mambas. In fact, it is believed that 100% of all black mamba bites, or slightly under that rate, use venom. They also have long teeth that can and do penetrate through clothes and flesh. If a person receives a bite from a black mamba, his or her life is likely in serious danger.
Mortality Rate
The black mamba’s venom is so potent and takes effect so quickly, it has a 100% mortality rate if a person is not treated with a full course of antivenin. Nevertheless, even with a full course of antivenin, a person still has a 14% chance of passing away as a result of the bite.
Other Factors That Make Black Mamba the World’s Most Dangerous Snake
A black mamba can raise up to 40% of its body off the ground, explaining why most bites are on a person’s upper body.
©Cormac Price/Shutterstock.com
Venom alone isn’t enough to make a snake dangerous; otherwise, this article would be about one of the taipans or sea snakes. Instead, we are going to delve deeper into factors that make the black mamba so very hazardous. You’ll see how a combination of factors leads to black mambas being deadly.
Aggression When Cornered
The black mamba may react more aggressively than other snakes when it is threatened or cornered. More specifically, they may be more willing to bluff charge or bite than other species which bite as more of a last resort.
Their apparent willingness to engage threats makes black mambas appear to be more aggressive. Like other snakes, though, they would prefer to leave an encounter and escape. They do not want to waste their venom on something they cannot eat.
People that try to handle the snake or get in their way of escaping from an encounter may be met with its deadly bites.
Speed
Most snakes are relatively slow-moving except when striking. Some sources say that the black mamba can move at about 7 to 12 mph. The latter speed is even faster than the average human.
A black mamba will not chase down a person to attack them. Typically, they will use their speed to escape from a threat. Myths of them chasing people on horseback are simply false. However, their speed does make getting away from a close encounter with a black mamba that feels threatened a bit more difficult.
Ability to Land Bites on the Upper Body
Black mambas are long snakes. In fact, they are the second-longest venomous snake in the world, behind the king cobra. Growing up to 14 feet long makes the black mamba a very formidable snake. The more worrisome element is that it can lift up to 40% of its body off the ground. The venom will have a much shorter distance to reach vital organs. As a result, people can suffer from increased health complications from these bites.
The World’s Most Dangerous Snake Is Not the Deadliest
When threatened, a black mamba will often spread a narrow cobra-like hood or flee.
©131346563/Shutterstock.com
The black mamba is the world’s most dangerous snake due to its massive potential to inflict harm upon people. However, it’s not the deadliest snake in the world by any measure. The black mamba doesn’t bite as many people as the Big Four, which are composed of the Russell’s viper, the common krait, the Indian cobra, and the Indian saw-scaled viper.
While the chances of a person surviving a bite are rather low, relatively few people are bitten by the black mamba. Fortunately, this snake lives far away from highly populated places. The same cannot be said about the snakes that live on the Indian subcontinent. In that area, over a billion people share land that is rife with venomous snakes.
While the black mamba is not even in the top 10 snakes in terms of being the deadliest, it has far more potential to kill people than other snakes.
