Latest news with #BlackMambas
Time of India
11 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Black Mamba fight for a female mate: Why the snakes don't bite in the deadly battle for mating
In the wilds of Africa, witnessing two black mambas, among the world's deadliest snakes, locked in combat is both thrilling and eerie. These battles, often lasting over 30 minutes, are not about killing but about mating rights. Surprisingly, the snakes do not bite each other in these fights despite their lethal venom, which can kill a human in under 20 minutes. Instead, male black mambas wrestle in a non-lethal show of strength. They rise, twist, and press against each other, trying to push the rival's head down in a ritual known as 'plaiting combat.' The loser backs off while the winner earns the chance to mate with a nearby female. This restrained, physical contest has fascinated scientists for years and reveals a complex, strategic side of these feared reptiles. Black Mamba's combat ritual: A test of strength, not venom Male black mambas engage in what is called "plaiting combat." This is a non-lethal form of wrestling where the snakes twist, wrap, and tangle around each other in a bid to establish dominance. The snakes rise off the ground, pressing against each other in a vertical battle, trying to force their rival's head downward in a show of strength. The goal of the contest is to physically dominate the opponent rather than injure or kill. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Rather than using their venomous bite, which could end the fight swiftly but with potentially fatal consequences, the snakes follow a ritualised form of combat. The first to submit or retreat loses, and the winner gains access to the nearby female. This physical trial, based on stamina and control, allows both rivals to walk away alive, even if only one walks away victorious. What is at stake for Black Mambas in the battle of strength For male black mambas, these ritualistic wrestling matches are about more than just physical dominance. They are in a fight for the right to mate. With a receptive female nearby, only the strongest and most persistent male earns the opportunity to reproduce. The stakes are high, but so is the risk of fatal injury if venom were used. That is why these snakes engage in controlled combat, where endurance, technique and sheer strength decide the victor. The loser typically retreats without injury, preserving his life for future chances. For the winner, the reward is not just mating rights but also the passing of one of his genes, which in nature is the ultimate success. Venom is too valuable to waste Venom is not something snakes produce endlessly or effortlessly. For the black mamba, venom is a carefully conserved and biologically expensive resource. It is primarily reserved for capturing prey and for self-defence in life-threatening situations. Using venom in a mating battle would be wasteful and risky, particularly when there is no prey to consume and the goal is to impress a potential mate, not to kill a rival. This strategic conservation of venom demonstrates how evolution has shaped their behaviour. By relying on physical strength and avoiding venom use in these contests, black mambas reduce the risk of death and conserve their venom for when it is truly needed. This increases their chances of surviving future threats and securing food. Immunity within the species Another fascinating factor is that black mambas have developed a mild resistance to their own species' venom. Scientists have observed that snakes, particularly those that live in close proximity to others of their kind, often have partial immunity to each other's toxins. This is thought to be a result of evolved antibodies that can neutralise venom components to some degree. However, this immunity is not foolproof. A high enough dose of venom could still cause severe harm or death. This partial resistance likely reduces the danger of accidental bites during social interactions such as mating or feeding, but it does not offer complete protection. That is one more reason why the snakes avoid biting during combat—the risk still outweighs the reward. A bruised ego, not a broken body In contrast to many other species where mating fights can lead to serious injuries or death, black mamba confrontations tend to end with little physical damage. The loser may retreat exhausted and humbled, but he typically escapes without wounds. The winner earns the right to court the female, while the loser retains the chance to fight another day. This approach not only preserves the species' population by reducing needless fatalities but also ensures a sustainable form of sexual competition. The avoidance of fatal conflict suggests a remarkable evolutionary strategy where survival and reproduction are balanced with minimal risk.
IOL News
08-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
Durban snake catcher retrieves sixth Black Mamba from Westville home
Nick Evans poses with the fifth/sixth Black Mamba. Image: Supplied A Durban snake-catcher got more than he bargained for when he went to a Westville home this week. Nick Evans is a well-known snake rescuer in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and has seen so much, but was not prepared for what he would see. Evans said he previously caught a Black Mamba under the solar panel from a house in Westville, and since then, he caught two more. Another colleague of his in this industry also caught one. That is four Black Mambas from one roof. On Wednesday, Evans was called back to the same house. 'I couldn't believe it when the homeowner's number popped up twice on my phone. Both Mambas were found by the guys replacing the ceiling boards. They heard the Mambas moving on top of the plastic, beneath the tiles- a Mamba's favourite spot in a roof,' Evans said. This brings the total Black Mambas caught at this house to six. 'I managed to pull the two impressive specimens out through holes in the plastic. The second one was a beast. Both were males, but he (number six) was the biggest,' Evans said. Nick Evans snake rescuer poses with one of the two snakes retrieved in Westville. Image: Supplied Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ He told IOL that Black Mambas are common in the Westville area and as well as many parts of Durban that has valleys and bushes. 'You would ask why so many in one roof? The house borders a nature reserve and the house had many trees growing over and against the roof, providing easy access for the mambas. So keep branches of trees cut away from roofs, but there's no need to chop down the oxygen-supplying plant; it won't deter snakes if you do,' Evans said. He went further, stating there was a healthy dassie/hyrax population living inside the ceiling for many years, as there were mini mountains of their faeces throughout the roof. 'So the strong smell of them would have attracted mambas, which feed on the young ones. It would not surprise me if rats tried living in there, but I saw no signs of them. With mambas around, they wouldn't last long,' Evans said. He said another reason for the large number of Black Mambas in the roof could be mating season, as these particular snakes do not live in groups. He said his colleague caught a 2.6-metre female, and she could have attracted males to the area. 'The recent chill in the air has sparked off mating season for mambas, which breed through the winter months. With the pheromones she'd give off, she may have attracted one or two males, but one of the other six was a young female, who may have left her scent trail.
The Citizen
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Snakes in the Hoed educates, thrills online
LIMPOPO – A new YouTube channel, Snakes in the Hoed, is turning the often fear-filled world of snake encounters into a thrilling and educational experience for viewers worldwide. The channel is a dynamic collaboration between local wildlife expert Tim Baynham and Taaibos Bush Lodge owner Pepijn Werkman, aimed at promoting snake conservation while keeping both people and reptiles safe. 'I have been doing snake rescues since I was a young boy. I have had my favourite pair of snake tongs for over thirty years,' said Baynham, who runs Wildlife Safety Solutions in Hoedspruit. Baynham is no stranger to the adrenaline of snake callouts. He mentioned that during peak snake season, he receives up to six calls daily to remove anything from venomous Black Mambas to harmless house snakes. Each callout is a potential adventure and a learning opportunity. 'Every snake removal is unique. Sometimes I am up in a tree, other times I'm crawling into a roof or digging through storerooms,' he said. 'Filming these rescues lets us promote snake conservation in a fun and engaging way,' Baynham added. He stated that the idea for Snakes in the Hoed was sparked when Pepijn Werkman called him to relocate a Black Mamba from his lodge property. That encounter led to a shared interest and eventually a new digital venture. 'Werkman asked if he could join me on a few callouts to film a video for his YouTube channel titled Pep in the Bush. The video was a great success, so we decided to start a completely new channel. The channel is titled 'Snakes in the Hoed' and will feature weekly episodes showcasing my snake rescue and relocation efforts in and around the Hoedspruit area,' Baynham explained. Werkman now films and edits the content, using four cameras to capture every angle of the daring rescues. Together, the duo releases weekly episodes that give viewers an up-close look at both the beauty and the danger of snakes in the Lowveld. Baynham stated that the most frequently featured snakes include Boomslangs, Puff Adders, Snouted Cobras, Mozambique Spitting Cobras, Southern Vine Snakes, and the infamous Black Mamba. He also rescues mildly venomous and non-venomous species when necessary, especially if they pose a risk to pets or enter human dwellings. However, it is not just about the thrill. Education is at the heart of the channel's mission. 'Snakes are shy and retiring animals. They do not want to bite people. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. Every callout is a chance to educate. I show the client the snake, talk about its behaviour, and give tips on how to live safely with them,' said Baynham. Contact Baynham at Wildlife Safety Solutions: 073 934 6156, or email info@ At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
6 of the world's most venomous snakes that could easily kill you
Venomous or not, snakes are one of the most feared creatures on Earth. These cold-blooded, limbless reptiles slither, hiss and even bite their prey. Venomous snakes possess venom that contains toxic substances. They inject venom into prey by using their fangs which can cause paralysis, internal bleeding, organ failure, cardiac arrest and even death. Approximately 5.4 million individuals are bitten by venomous snakes annually, leading to an estimated 81,000 to 138,000 fatalities, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, snakes only bite in self-defense-they are more scared of us than we are of them. Dion Wedd, curator of the Territory Wildlife Park, NT, said to Australia Geographic that snakes do not view humans as potential meals, nor do they bite aggressively out of spite. They use their venom to immobilise prey that would be too difficult for them to consume otherwise. Yet, they have the second-largest number of human fatalities attributed to any animal. Only few venomous snakes can kill a human if left untreated. Since the development of anti-venom, the fatalities due to snake bites have reduced. But the problem of snake bites still persists, especially in developing countries where anti-venom is less easily available. Here are 6 venomous snakes in the world that are deadly enough to kill a human: Inland taipan According to the International Journal of Neuropharmacology, Inland Taipan is the most venomous snake in the world, as noted by Live Science. This means that only a tiny bit of this snake's venom is fatal enough to kill humans. As per BBC Wildlife, one bite contains enough lethality to kill atleast 100 adult humans. They are mostly found in Queensland, Centre East and South Australia in pre dug borrows of other animals. Due to its hiding nature, they barely come in contact with humans, thankfully. As per Live Science, the main ingredient of Inland Taipan's venom is hyaluronidase enzyme. This enzyme increases the speed at which toxins are absorbed in the victim's body. Coastal taipan Found mostly in the wet forests of temperate and tropical coastal regions, coastal taipan is a highly venomous snake. Parts Australia like Queensland, New South Wales is home to this subspecies. According to the Australian Museum, its incredible speed makes it difficult to be spared of its bites. As per Australian Geographic, before an effective anti venom was produced, its bite was always fatal. Black mamba Known for its black mouth, Black Mambas are highly aggressive species of snake. Found in sub Saharan Africa, they are the most feared of all. Like most snakes, even Mambas do not seek out humans but if they are threatened, they will attack. According to the BBC, if you are bitten by a black mamba, symptoms such as slurred speech and muscle twitches will follow in 10 minutes and likely death in half an hour. Russel's viper Russel Vipers' bite is the most painful of all. They are quite aggressive and one of the 'the Big Four' along with Indian Cobra, common krait and saw-scaled viper. As per the BBC, these snakes account for 43% of all snakebites in India. However, an anti venom has been developed against its venom saving many lives. Indian cobra Cobras are the world's longest venomous snake. (Source-Freepik) According to the Natural History Museum, King Cobra is the world's longest venomous snake in the world. Did you know if a cobra is threatened they can lift themselves off the ground about a third of their body length. They are one of the deadliest snakes and found in India. Their encounters with Humans are quite frequent in India especially in rural areas during monsoon season. Sean Carroll, a molecular biologist wrote in the New York Times that a single bite can kill a human in 15 minutes and an adult elephant in just a few hours. Saw-scaled viper Part of the Big Four, saw scaled vipers are found in the Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia. They are typically aggressive and can be identified by the 'sizzling' sound they make when threatened. As per BBC Wildlife, they are responsible for an estimated 5,000 human fatalities per year in India alone.
