{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "black-mamba",
  "name": "Black Mamba",
  "scientificName": "Dendroaspis polylepis",
  "category": "Reptile",
  "summary": "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.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Reptilia",
    "order": "Squamata",
    "family": "Elapidae",
    "genus": "Dendroaspis"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1.6,
    "lengthM": 3,
    "topSpeedKmh": 16,
    "lifespanYears": 12
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Dendroaspis polylepis"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore — small mammals, birds, and occasionally bats"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Savannas, rocky hills, and woodland in sub-Saharan Africa"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "11–12 years in the wild (longer in captivity)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "Up to 1.6 kg (3.5 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 16 km/h (10 mph) on open ground"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Savannas, rocky hills, and open woodland from Eritrea and Somalia south through East and southern Africa to Namibia and South Africa.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Dendroaspis polylepis.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Dendroaspis%20polylepis&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Dendroaspis polylepis. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dendroaspis_polylepis/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Black Mamba.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_mamba"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/black-mamba/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/black-mamba/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}