Another battle in the heart of the African wilderness…
Watch what happens when mongoose meets mamba!In Africa, the black mamba is one of the most feared snakes, and it is generally considered the most aggressive and dangerous snake in the world. The black mamba’s venom can kill an adult human in 7-15 hours, and the mortality rate is nearly 100%.
However, despite the black mamba’s aggression and deadly venom, it is not without enemies.
Several species of mongoose can also be found across Africa, and mongooses are renowned for their ability to dispatch highly venomous snakes using lethal force. Not even the mighty black mamba can withstand their attacks.
When striking venomous snakes, mongooses are quick and powerful, but most importantly many species have specialized acetylcholine receptors that render them immune to snake venom.
This results in rather uneven battles, where the mongoose is practically guaranteed to win against black mambas and other elapids (such as cobras).
However, mongooses are less likely to win against constrictors and vipers, which attack faster and with more power.
Watch the video below to see the exciting face-off between these two predators. The footage is incredibly dramatic and unique and gives us a rare glimpse of the black mamba in a losing scenario.
A similar fight was filmed more recently – this time a tiny dwarf mongoose faced off against the deadly snake:
If you’d like to see another dramatic battle between snake and mongoose, check out this amazing video of an Indian grey mongoose fighting a cobra.
