Black mamba snakes are the second largest snake in the world and one of the most venomous snakes in the world. They are found in Eastern Africa, from southern Ethiopia to southwest Africa. The Black mamba snake is the fastest moving snake in the world, capable of moving up to 20 km/h (12.5 mph). However it uses this speed to evade danger, rather than catch prey. They live primarily in scrub land and though not considered an arboreal species, can live in bushes and small trees. Black mambas spend their nights in holes in the ground, usually disused burrows or hiding deep among fallen rocks or timber. These hiding places are also fled to by the snake if it becomes alarmed and it will attack any creature blocking the path to its hole. Like all reptiles, the black mamba snake is cold blooded and relies on external heat to maintain its body temperature. Therefore, it frequently basks in the sun during the day, either on a low branch or a rock, however, during the summer, the snake may be forced to take cover in its burrow if it becomes too hot. If left undisturbed, Black Mamba snakes tends to live in their lairs for long periods of time, which are often vacated insect mounds or hollow trees. 

Black mamba snakes are diurnal snakes that hunt prey actively day or night. When hunting small animals, the Black Mamba snakes deliver a single deadly bite and then retreats, waiting for the neurotoxin in its venom to paralyze the prey. When killing a bird, however, the Black Mamba snake will cling to its prey, preventing it from flying away. They travel quickly across rough ground or along low tree branches when hunting. Black mamba snakes are able to hold their heads up to one metre above the ground when striking and can hold them 50 centimetres above the ground even when moving. They have very good eyesight and can strike their prey such as rodents, bats, birds and lizards like lightning, leaving their powerful venom to finish off the kill.

Adult Black mamba snakes have an average length of 2.5 metres (8.2 feet) and a maximum length of 4.5 metres (14 feet). The Black mamba snake receives it's name from the black colouration inside of it's mouth, rather than their skin colour which is a grey to olive tone.  

The Black mamba snake is more than five times as venomous as the King cobra. Black mambas venom contains powerful, rapid-acting neurotoxins (alters the normal activity of the nervous system) and cardiotoxins (causes heart muscle damage), including calciseptine. Its' bite delivers about 100 - 120 mg of venom on average, however it can deliver up to 400 mg of venom, 10 to 15 mg is deadly to a human adult. The venom is injected through two hollow fangs at the front of its mouth which lie flat until the snake bites, at which point small, movable mouth bones erect them. The venom causes rapid paralysis. Enzymes in the snake's saliva start to digest the prey before it even reaches the stomach and most prey is digested within a few hours. In humans, the initial symptom of a bite is local pain in the bite area, although not as severe as snakes with hemotoxins (toxins that destroy red blood cells). The victim then experiences a tingling sensation in the extremities, drooping eyelids (eyelid ptosis), tunnel vision, sweating, excessive salivation and lack of muscle control (specifically the mouth and tongue). If the victim does not receive medical attention, symptoms rapidly progress to nausea, shortness of breath, confusion and paralysis. Eventually, the victim experiences convulsions, respiratory failure and coma and dies due to suffocation resulting from paralysis of the muscles used for breathing. Without treatment the mortality rate is 100%, the highest among all venomous snakes in the world.