The black mamba is the world’s fastest snake and the world’s second-longest venomous snake in the world, after the king cobra. Found in East Africa, it can reach speeds of up to 12 mph (19kph). It’s named not from the color of its scales, which is olive green, but from the inside of its mouth, which is inky black. Its venom is highly toxic, and without anti-venom, death in humans usually occurs within 7–15 hours.
