Eastern green mamba

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The eastern green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) is a highly venomous snake found in the coastal regions of southern East Africa. It is slender, with a bright green back and a pale yellow-green belly.

Appearance and size
Adults: males about 1.8 meters long, females about 2.0 meters; rarely over 2.5 meters. Juveniles are blue-green and turn bright green around 75 cm. The head is long and coffin-shaped, and the eyes are large with a pale edge.

Habitat and habits
This species is mainly arboreal, living high in trees where it can blend with green foliage. It is shy and elusive, usually avoiding people. It is active during the day and commonly stays hidden in trees or foliage.

Range
The eastern green mamba lives along the coasts of southern and eastern Africa, from Kenya and Tanzania down to Malawi, eastern Zimbabwe and parts of Zambia, as well as Zanzibar and northern Mozambique. There is also an isolated population in northeastern South Africa.

Diet and hunting
It mostly eats birds and their eggs, bats, and arboreal rodents. It uses a sit-and-wait (ambush) hunting style, though it may occasionally stalk prey or hunt sleeping bats.

Venom
Its venom contains neurotoxins and cardiotoxins. Bites cause pain, swelling, dizziness, trouble breathing, and can lead to paralysis and death if untreated. Treatment includes rapid first aid and administration of a suitable antivenom.

Reproduction
Breeding happens in the rainy season (April–June). Females lay 4–17 eggs (about 10–15 on average) in October–November, usually in leaf litter or hollow trees. Eggs hatch after about three months; hatchlings are 30–45 cm and reach full color around 75 cm. Young snakes grow quickly in their first year.

Conservation
The species is generally common within its range, and populations are believed to be stable. However, habitat destruction can threaten local groups, and some areas have noted habitat fragmentation. It is not always clear how the IUCN classifies this snake globally, but it remains one of the more frequently encountered green mambas.