Green Mamba

Afrikaans name: Groenmamba

Green Mamba

Photo © mgkuijpers - Fotolia.com

Dendroaspis angusticeps

The Green Mamba is a large snake that can deliver a potentially fatal bite to us humans. Fortunately they are shy and will normally avoid contact with us.

It is a bright green snake that blends in well with foliage. It spends most of its time up in trees lying in wait to ambush its prey.

The Green Mamba feeds on birds, eggs, chicks, bats and other small mammals living in trees.

These snakes can reach a size of 2.5 metres. Their green colouration and large coffin shaped head help in identifying them.

The female only lays a few eggs (17 is the maximum recorded) amongst fallen leaves or in a hole in a tree. The newly hatched snakes are already over 30 cm long.

Photo © nra - Fotolia.com

References and further reading

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 220

Snakes & Snakebite in Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Johan Marais - Published: 2014 - Page: 44

Snakes of Africa - Author: R.M. Isemonger - Published: 1983 - Page: 198

Reptiles of Southern Africa - Author: Rod Patterson and Anothony Bannister - Published: 1987 - Page: 92

Questions and Answers - Snakes and Reptiles of Southern Africa - Author: John Comrie-Greig - Published: 1992 - Page: 18

Reptiles & Amphibians of Southern Africa - Author: Warren Schmidt - Published: 2006 - Page: 35

Questions and Answers - Snakes and Reptiles of Southern Africa - Author: John Comrie-Greig - Published: 1992 - Page: 15

Bill Branchs Field Guide to the Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa - Author: Bill Branch - Published: 1988 - Page: 95

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 406

A Field Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa - Author: V.F.M. Fitzsimmons - Published: 1970 - Page: 169

A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa - Author: Graham Alexander and Johan Marais - Published: 2007 - Page: 164

The Reptile Database

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