http://www.news24.com/Africa/N...otswana-boy-20150107


Black mamba kills Botswana boy
2015-01-07 19:58

Gaborone - An 11-year-old boy was killed by a black mamba snake in the Selibi-Phikwe district in central Botswana on Wednesday, police said.

The boy, his grandmother, and others had been collecting edible mopane worms in trees, Superintendent Takongwa Mazwiduma told a Sapa correspondent.

The boy and his friends noticed the snake and pursued it back to its burrow. The snake turned and bit the boy. He was dead on arrival at a hospital.

Mazwiduma said people bitten by snakes or other wild animals needed to report the incident to authorities quickly.

In this case, the matter was reported late and it was impossible to find the snake. This was, however, the first incident of this kind in the area, Mazwiduma said.

The black mamba is one of the world's deadliest snakes. It is named for the colour of the inside of its mouth.

- SAPA

"Mazwiduma said people bitten by snakes or other wild animals needed to report the incident to authorities quickly.

In this case, the matter was reported late and it was impossible to find the snake."

Were they going to question the snake?

PH John Hunt told me a few years ago about a female farm worker on his Georgia farm in Zimbabwe dying from a Mamba bite while collecting mopane worms. She was dead in a manner of minutes.

Tragic results. Aggressive snakes.

Actually the BM is more of a reclusive snake, much like the Inland Taipan of Australia.

Does not sound like the snake identified the boys in the field and just simply attacked them
based on open aggression....

quote:

The boy and his friends noticed the snake and pursued it back to its burrow.
The snake turned and bit the boy.

a snake retreating to its burrow when exposed to threat, is indicative of a reclusive natured snake.
OF course IF you pose threat to him while cornered in his own home, he will naturally in protection of
his own life,.. go on the DEFENSIVE!,...and very effectively so by using the deadly tools nature gave him...

Reclusive snakes that attack, typically do so in desperation, when their avenues of escape are blocked.
Snakes prefer to preserve their venom for its primary purpose, i.e.; to kill animals they hunt for consumption,
but at times when life is seriously threatened, is serves a secondary purpose.

In the case of some Cobras when they are threatened, they will first jet-spray their venom in self-defence
before any direct effort to bite.

Thank you Trax for the edification. Not that any of it made any difference to a little boy.

I still say that mambas are aggressive.

Bite or invenomate. Not much difference to the lad though.

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
Thank you Trax for the edification. Not that any of it made any difference to a little boy.

I still say that mambas are aggressive.

Humans do really stupid things to bring out the worst in animals that were just going about their own personal business
and not orig. intent on harming or hunting humans.

if reclusive-shy natured 'retreat approach' B-Mambas didn't mind uninvited guests at their home, they'd have a bell you could ring..

Different snakes have different levels of sensitivity-irratability.
The highly toxic Eastern-Brown in OZ is an easily irritated highly aggressive natured snake.
and as such much more dangerous than the shy-reclusive Taipan, despite the taipan being by far,
the world most toxic land snake.
Unsuspecting Tourists have approached Taipans to within a meter or less thinking its a Python,
and the snake has done nothing aggressive in nature...Eastern Browns however will often pursue you on sight.

You push just about any animal or human enough to their outer limit and they can display 'aggression'.
some species & individuals on the planet reach that tipping point much sooner than others.

I would be interested to hear the accurate details of the various circumstances in which you found Black Mambas to be aggressive.

I am famous - in a small village in the heart of Bangweulu swamps.

To cut a long story short I was on a remote airstrip with a pilot named Wayne Grove and took on an oversized and very aggressive mamba that had been harassed by some villagers. My armoury consisted of a brand new super six Ruger revolver in .357 that I had not fired until this moment. I approached the giant reptile and it reared up high. I aimed for the large coils at the base of the snake and squeezed off a shot which hit it squarely between its eyes and blew off a large part of its head.

The whole village and Wayne erupted in cheers of congratulation and from now on I was revered as a sniper and this was to become my name at this place.

I subsequently sold the piece as I could not hit shit with it.

Trax,

Most snakes, poisonous or non poisonous alike, will in most cases attempt to avoid confrontation.

The Black Mamba however does not always comply to the norm nor does it take kindly to any encroachment within a patch of turf to which it claims territorial and residential rights.

It will not hesitate to show its displeasure and make no mistake as it could be your last.

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:
Trax,

Most snakes, poisonous or non poisonous alike, will in most cases attempt to avoid confrontation.

The Black Mamba however does not always comply to the norm nor does it take kindly to any encroachment within a patch of turf to which it claims territorial and residential rights.

It will not hesitate to show its displeasure and make no mistake as it could be your last.

Likewise the Cape cobra which is known to strike multiple times.

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
PH John Hunt told me a few years ago about a female farm worker on his Georgia farm in Zimbabwe dying from a Mamba bite while collecting mopane worms. She was dead in a manner of minutes.

Does anyone know if there has been a recent case (past few years) where a PH or hunter was bitten by a black mamba?

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:
Trax,

Most snakes, poisonous or non poisonous alike, will in most cases attempt to avoid confrontation.

The Black Mamba however does not always comply to the norm nor does it take kindly to any encroachment within a patch of turf to which it claims territorial and residential rights.

It will not hesitate to show its displeasure and make no mistake as it could be your last.

Exactly! They can be, and sometimes are very aggressive. I definitely wouldn't classify the Mamba as a reclusive snake.

I've seen them do things that I have never seen any other snakes do. I avoid them at all costs.

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:
Trax,

Most snakes, poisonous or non poisonous alike, will in most cases attempt to avoid confrontation.

The Black Mamba however does not always comply to the norm nor does it take kindly to any encroachment within a patch of turf to which it claims territorial and residential rights.

It will not hesitate to show its displeasure ,..

I am well aware that many snakes species prefer to flee rather than confront.

And the point you make about the BM being so aggressive, still revolves around when it is around its own home!
Should that really come as any surprise?

Such behaviour in such very particular circumstance, is not enough to conclude that the BM is then likely
to regularly display such aggressiveness when encountered while it ranges freely away from his home...
lest you block its passages of escape on an encounter...which in effect is a form of threat/harassment.

Most BM would detect humans before humans detect them, so are usually off & gone before ones knows it was about.
IF BMs had the propensity to be openly aggressive as often as some like to imagine,... folks would see A-lot more
of them close-Up, than they do!

There is relatively large population of black mambas around the area of Hoedspruit,
but reports of seeing them are rather low , the truth is that they are not often encountered by humans.
Primarily because they are an arboreal and reclusive natured snake.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
I am famous - in a small village in the heart of Bangweulu swamps.

To cut a long story short I was on a remote airstrip with a pilot named Wayne Grove and took on an oversized and very aggressive mamba
that had been harassed by some villagers. My armoury consisted of a brand new super six Ruger revolver in .357 that I had not fired until
this moment. I approached the giant reptile and it reared up high. I aimed for the large coils at the base of the snake and squeezed off
a shot which hit it squarely between its eyes and blew off a large part of its head.

FG, thanks for sharing.

that BM and the one is this thread that killed the boy, as we know, were both HARASSED by stupid humans.

and I highly suspect, that like hunting stories, some people like to hype-up snake encounters
without giving full details as to why the snake behaved in the manner it did.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:

Exactly! They can be, and sometimes are very aggressive. I definitely wouldn't classify the Mamba as a reclusive snake.

I've seen them do things that I have never seen any other snakes do. I avoid them at all costs.

The ability of the BM to be aggressive in pressing situations, does not exclude it from still being properly classified overall
as a reclusive snake....its not the type of creature to go around relishing encounters/conflicts with humans.,...quite the opposite.

- is it a very nervous type of snake thats easily agitated?... YES!
so if it becomes trapped & threatened, its defensive based aggression will surface very easily.


please tell -what did you see BMs do??
... and what are the details surrounding the circumstances of when you saw BM do such things?

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
I am famous - in a small village in the heart of Bangweulu swamps.

To cut a long story short I was on a remote airstrip with a pilot named Wayne Grove and took on an oversized and very aggressive mamba that had been harassed by some villagers. My armoury consisted of a brand new super six Ruger revolver in .357 that I had not fired until this moment. I approached the giant reptile and it reared up high. I aimed for the large coils at the base of the snake and squeezed off a shot which hit it squarely between its eyes and blew off a large part of its head.

The whole village and Wayne erupted in cheers of congratulation and from now on I was revered as a sniper and this was to become my name at this place.

I subsequently sold the piece as I could not hit shit with it.

Nice job. Proving once again that it's smarter to be lucky than it's lucky to be smart!

I have owned a Ruger .357. Traded it for an Ithaca 12 gauge pump gun. Traded the Ithaca, plus some boot, for a five inch Smith & Wesson Model 27 .357.

There is no beating Smith & Wessons and Colts for fine work with a magnum wheelgun.

Mambas are bad news. Fast and deadly. Best advice is back away, as quickly as can be done.

And never pick a fight with one. Three fifty seven in hand or not.

But if there's a fight to be fought, much better than not to have the .357 in hand!

quote:

But if there's a fight to be fought, much better than not to have the .357 in hand!

Seeing I ain't no Jesse James with a handgun, I think I'll stick to my 12 gauge O/U - #5 shot works absolute wonders, especially when it rears itself 3 ft. off the ground!

Having personally experienced a Black Mamba encounter armed only with a Glock I would never again attempt to confront one unless I had a shotgun in hand. Hitting and immobilising a moving mamba with a handgun is not any easy shot and wounding them only increases the aggression!

quote:

Does anyone know if there has been a recent case (past few years) where a PH or hunter was bitten by a black mamba?

Nope, I never hang around long enough to find out if a mamba is agitated, reclusive or full of crap. I only kill snakes when there is no other option but to kill it.

The few mambas I have encountered over the years all tried to get away from us and I never tried to follow them but have no qualms in catching puff adders.

quote:

Does anyone know if there has been a recent case (past few years) where a PH or hunter was bitten by a black mamba?

Yes, PH Paul Stones ( Owner Paul Stones Safaris)was bitten in Pongola in the late 1990's. He was sitting in a blind when the Mamba bit him, luckily he made it to the Pongola hospital in time

How do the PHs wearing shorts and gaiters avoid death from snakebite?

quote:

Originally posted by RYBACK770:
How do the PHs wearing shorts and gaiters avoid death from snakebite?

get your tracker to walk in front of you.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
I am famous - in a small village in the heart of Bangweulu swamps.

To cut a long story short I was on a remote airstrip with a pilot named Wayne Grove and took on an oversized and very aggressive mamba that had been harassed by some villagers. My armoury consisted of a brand new super six Ruger revolver in .357 that I had not fired until this moment. I approached the giant reptile and it reared up high. I aimed for the large coils at the base of the snake and squeezed off a shot which hit it squarely between its eyes and blew off a large part of its head.

The whole village and Wayne erupted in cheers of congratulation and from now on I was revered as a sniper and this was to become my name at this place.

Great story...Didn't W.D.M. Bell make a name for himself with a similar shot on a zebra with a Mauser pistol? You are keeping the tradition alive!

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by RYBACK770:
How do the PHs wearing shorts and gaiters avoid death from snakebite?

get your tracker to walk in front of you.

I have a friend in Namibia that found a nine footer in his bathroom commode. Good thing he looked first.

quote:

Originally posted by Pieter Kriel:

quote:

Does anyone know if there has been a recent case (past few years) where a PH or hunter was bitten by a black mamba?

Nope, I never hang around long enough to find out if a mamba is agitated, reclusive or full of crap. I only kill snakes when there is no other option but to kill it.

The few mambas I have encountered over the years all tried to get away from us and I never tried to follow them but have no qualms in catching puff adders.

Absolutely agree and can never understand why people feel the need to kill every snake they come across!

Accipiter1. Not a PH but a trainee ranger was bitten a couple of years ago and died. I know Jack Seales who owns the snake park at Hartebeestport Dam outside Pretoria because we sent him mambas and other snakes and a crocodile from our backyard. He was bitten by one, was intubated, and survived. Told me if he had a tendency to drugs he would get addicted to mamba venom because he had a painless serene high from it. Others have also said it is painless and this is of interest because a new class of painkillers is being developed from the venom. Google the guy on you tube who injects himself with a live mamba bite on the arm.... Crazy. I always thought they were evil and mostly they ran / slithered away like a leopard but if cornered or mating they would be very aggressive. Don't mess with them and they are very fast!!!