# Where Do Black Mambas Live?

> Where black mambas live: Savannas, rocky hills, and woodland in sub-Saharan Africa, native range cues, and human overlap. Status Least Concern.

- **Species:** Black Mamba (*Dendroaspis polylepis*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore — small mammals, birds, and occasionally bats
- **Habitat:** Savannas, rocky hills, and woodland in sub-Saharan Africa
- **Lifespan:** 11–12 years in the wild (longer in captivity)
- **Top speed:** Up to 16 km/h (10 mph) on open ground
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/black-mamba/where-do-black-mamba-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/black-mamba/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The black mamba is a long, slender African snake named for the dark interior of its mouth, not its grey-brown skin. It can reach 4.3 m (14 ft), move at speeds around 16 km/h (10 mph), and delivers potent neurotoxic venom. Despite its fearsome reputation, it usually flees from humans.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## Speed and venom

Black mambas are among the fastest snakes in Africa, capable of raising a third of the body off the ground while moving. Their venom is primarily neurotoxic, affecting breathing and nervous function. Without antivenom, bites can be fatal, which contributes to their deadly reputation.

## Help protect the Black Mamba

Snakes like the black mamba are killed out of fear even though habitat loss drives more encounters with people.

[Donate to habitat protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/habitat-loss-wildlife-extinction/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/black-mamba/where-do-black-mamba-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.