Black Mamba

The snake’s toxin cocktail is up there with the worst of them. A single bite is capable of killing 10 - 25 adults; the venom is fast acting neurotoxin. In simple terms it rewires our nervous system -first a tingling of the lips and fingers, then double vision and severe confusion. Fever and excessive salivation come within 10 minutes and a lack of muscle control soon afterwards. The faster the victim runs to get help, the faster these symptoms manifest. Within another 10 minutes, paralysis sets in, then convulsions, respiratory arrest, coma and death. Without antivenom, the mortality rate is almost 100%.

When Black mambas breed they’re equally enthusiastic. In a specially created ‘mambarium’, we reveal how males compete for fertile females, sometimes forming massive “breeding balls” -chaotic snake-wrestling matches where up to ten snakes fight for the right to mate. High-speed cameras will capture all the action, providing a unique glimpse into this rarely seen behavior.