Black Mamba essays

Black Mamba essays When choosing an exotic animal, my first thought was to choose something dangerous. After thinking, I remembered dendroaspis polyepsis. The black mamba is not only a beautiful creature, it is dangerous, exciting, and utterly fascinating. The black mamba, as a predator, is the unchallenged leader. The black mambas prey is almost solely warm-blooded animals, such as birds and small mammals, including dassies or rock hyraxes and rodents (Robert Burton). Mambas main enemies are mongooses, but only when they are young. Eagles and secretary birds may eat them and young ones may be eaten by snake-eating snakes (Robert Burton). A full-grown black mamba has little to fear except those age-old destroyers of serpents-people (Douglas Lee). I was not able to find information about a symbiotic relationship, nor was I able to find any information about competition. I think this is because the black mamba is the most feared predator in its habitat. The black mamba ranges from the east of Zaire and southern Ethiopia southwards to Natal and South West Africa (Robert Burton). My research has revealed that the black mamba is a very adaptable denizen, living anywhere from tree branches to holes in the ground. The favored place of residence is in areas of sparse brush, where it inhabits a variety of different shelters, including rocky areas, abandoned termite mounds, and animal holes (Chad H. Mummert). The black mamba will not build its own shelter, but will live in the same place for years if not disturbed. Black mambas will climb into low trees but are more given to climbing rocks, where they lie sunning themselves Robert Burton). The black mamba tends to live alone, only seeking other snakes when it is time to breed. The role the black mamba plays in its environment is mainly as a rodent control. Mating occurs in spring after the male finds a female from her scent trail. Copulation can be drawn out to hours or ...