JAMESON’S MAMBA SNAKE
Dendroaspis jamesoni
©pdphoto
Mambas, of the genus Dendroaspis (literally “tree snake”), are fast-moving land-dwelling snakes of Africa. They belong to the family of Elapidae which includes cobras, coral snakes, death adders, kraits and, debatably, sea snakes (although sea snakes are now classed as Hydrophiidae). Mambas are feared among their habitats. In Africa, there are many legends and stories describing these snakes.
Mambas have highly toxic venom which consists mostly of neurotoxins (known as dendrotoxins). The bite can be fatal to humans without access to proper first aid and subsequent antivenom treatment, as it shuts down the lungs and heart. Prior to the availability of antivenom, envenomations by members of this genus carried a high fatality rate. An untreated black mamba bite has a mortality rate of a 100%., but presently, fatalities have become much rarer due to wide availability of antivenom.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamba
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