Available as FineArt print. Contact me at guenter@leitenbauer.net
Yawning Black Mamba, taken with a DSLR and overworked to Black & White.
Patergassen/Carinthia, Austria in summer 2006.
Black Mambas have one of the most toxic venoms (among King Cobras, Taipans and some Seasnakes) and can inject huge amounts of venom with a single, fast bite. An adult mamba could kill about 20 people in a row - but never does. Mambas always try to avoid a encounter with people, if they are able to. Therefor fatal bites are very seldom.
If biten, it depends on the amount of the neurotoxic venom injected, how much time You have. Some people recovered when they got into the hospital about 30min later, others died. If they recover, they recover completely usually.
The venom teeth are rather short and in the front of the mouth and cannot be turned down as vipers (adders) can do.
Anyway: the Black Mamba is one of the deadliest snakes in the world. A single bite may inject enough venom to kill from 20-40 grown men, easily killing one unless the appropriate anti-venom is administered in time. When in the striking position, the mamba flattens its neck, hisses very loudly and displays its inky black mouth and deadly fangs. It can rear up around one-third of its body from the ground which allows it to reach heights of approximately 1.5 meters. When warding off a threat, the black mamba usually delivers multiple strikes, injecting its potent neuro- and cardiotoxin with each strike, often attacking the body or head, unlike most other snakes.
Canon 5D with Sigma 105/2,8 Makro f=3,2 1/250s ISO 1000
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