Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone here familiar with the big Black Mamba on display at the Atlanta Zoo? My wife and I visited Zoo Atlanta last Sunday for the first time in 30 years.

On display is hands-down the biggest Black Mamba I have ever seen. My wife is a professional photographer and very accurate in her visual estimations of lengths. I personally tend to under-estimate the lengths of snakes. The snake was stretched out fully in its huge cage, near to the glass. It was as big around as my wrist and we agreed independantly of each other that it was 11 to 12 feet long, maybe more. Very thick for a mamba and its head was about 4 inches long.

Anyone here seen this particular snake? I must say that it left an impression with me.

Cheers,

Terry Vandeventer

Yes, I've seen it and I think you and your wife are spot on with the length estimate - it is indeed a huge mamba(maybe even a tad overweight but one impressive beast!). I would hate to catch that snake on a bad day.

>>Anyone here familiar with the big Black Mamba on display at the Atlanta Zoo? My wife and I visited Zoo Atlanta last Sunday for the first time in 30 years.
>>
>>On display is hands-down the biggest Black Mamba I have ever seen. My wife is a professional photographer and very accurate in her visual estimations of lengths. I personally tend to under-estimate the lengths of snakes. The snake was stretched out fully in its huge cage, near to the glass. It was as big around as my wrist and we agreed independantly of each other that it was 11 to 12 feet long, maybe more. Very thick for a mamba and its head was about 4 inches long.
>>
>>Anyone here seen this particular snake? I must say that it left an impression with me.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>
>>Terry Vandeventer
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Several years ago, a mamba at the Atlanta Zoo bit a keeper. This would have been 15 or so years back. Could that have been this same mamba?

Howard Hunt, the Curator of Reptiles, was indeed bitten by a Black Mamba years ago. He survived the episode. Don't know if it was the same snake or not.

Cheers,

Terry Vandeventer

My wife used to work there... I thought it looked big too. It is my understanding it is the same snake that bit the keeper - but that was before my wife's time there. Their retic always blew my mind - all though when you are used to seeing a ball python at home everyday either one of those begin to look bigger and bigger. I will tell you I was always impressed with the herp keepers there. They really cared about the animals!
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

0-1-0 Rescued Ball Python - Athena (formerly Apep)
0-0-1 Rescued Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
2-3-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Vader, Bastet, Isis, Angel
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

I've seen and had to take a "dubble take" on it. Big girth like a huge E.Indigo. I ask and your right on the size. VM

Is it bigger than the black mamba that is on display at the Snake Farm in New Braunfels, Texas?