West African Green Mamba

IT’S IN THE NAME
“Green tree asp” is the rough translation of the West African green mamba’s scientific name. “Dendroaspis” translates to tree asp, referring to the highly arboreal nature of this genus of snakes. “Viridis” has a Latin origin meaning green.

An adept hunter with great vision, incredible speed, perfect camouflage, and lots of venom, you would be smart to avoid this mamba.

This is one of the most venomous snakes in the world, known to strike repeatedly in order to deliver copious amounts of venom. Often the subject of local myths in its West African home, this might be one snake to actually live up to the hype.

The green mamba uses its exceptional vision to hunt and is able to catch a bird in mid-flight from its home in the trees. It is usually not found on the ground and will take over holes in trees to make its home. Females will lay her eggs in a hole in the tree. The neurotoxic venom affects the nervous system of the heart and lungs, and, like other African elapid species, an untreated bite can prove fatal very quickly.