Snakes sightings on your safaris

[BryceM]

I've heard that many mamba bites occur on the upper torso and arms, as they often move and attack with their heads raised several feet above the ground. If that's true, snake boots wouldn't help much. Might help if you accidentally stepped on one, but that's probably more common with puff adders.

 

[BJH65]

Living with rattlesnakes is a fact of life for us in our area in South Texas. I’ve had a few close calls, but only know one person actually bitten. It hit him in the lower leg. Usually, he wore snake boots, but not this one day. Murphy’s law proven true yet again.

I wear Danner snake boots. They are very comfortable and keep sand and ticks out, as well as protecting the lower leg against thorns and brush in addition to snake protection. I also wear thick heavy jeans even in 100f+ temps.

I too have lived in rattlesnake country most of my life and still have a pair of Danner tall snake boots and prior to that Rocky snake boots that I wore only a few times in high grass when weed whacking and walking through tall grass. I found those boots too hot for general hunting but if I had to walk through tall grass in rattlesnake country I’d wear the Danner’s.

I think rattlesnakes seem more of a stationary ambush predator while the mambas and cobras move around a lot. I seem to like hunting Africa when it’s hot so I’m always going to wear shorts and snake boots are too hot.

 

[Tex .416]

I too have lived in rattlesnake country most of my life and still have a pair of Danner tall snake boots and prior to that Rocky snake boots that I wore only a few times in high grass when weed whacking and walking through tall grass. I found those boots too hot for general hunting but if I had to walk through tall grass in rattlesnake country I’d wear the Danner’s.

I think rattlesnakes seem more of a stationary ambush predator while the mambas and cobras move around a lot. I seem to like hunting Africa when it’s hot so I’m always going to wear shorts and snake boots are too hot.

Yes, as I mentioned in my first post, the mamba scared me way more than any rattlesnake.

 

[BJH65]

Yes, as I mentioned in my first post, the mamba scared me way more than any rattlesnake.

I think with your snake boots and jeans, you’re as well protected as you can be unless you wore snake chaps over your jeans too. I read of a story where a hunter was sitting on the makeshift toilet in bush camp when a black mamba went under the thatching and slithered between his legs and he remained deathly still, heart almost stopped, until the snake continued on its merry way, showing no aggression.

 

[Tex .416]

I think with your snake boots and jeans, you’re as well protected as you can be unless you wore snake chaps over your jeans too. I read of a story where a hunter was sitting on the makeshift toilet in bush camp when a black mamba went under the thatching and slithered between his legs and he remained deathly still, heart almost stopped, until the snake continued on its merry way, showing no aggression.

In reality, two legged varmints, ticks, and mosquitos pose more risk than snakes.

 

[BryceM]

Don't forget cars and bush planes.

 

[Hyde Hunter]

Limpopo 3 years ago, stopped behind my PH and looked down at my boot for some reason don't know why and 2 Puff Adders 3 inches from my foot.

 

[Slickshooter]

Dear AH members;
I am not afraid of poisonous snakes. Nevertheless, I am interested in how often (poisonous) snakes have been seen during safaris in Africa. To make this thread meaningful, I would appreciate your feedback on the number of snake sightings (if possible, name the species) in relation to the duration (number of hunting days) of your hunts. However, I also find it interesting to know that, for example, no snakes were seen during yout hunts (please specify the total hunting days), and it would be helpful if this information were also posted. Thank you very much in advance for your feedback!

In 12 days in the Selous this August we spotted one Black Mamba from the truck. The trackers threw a couple sticks his way and it rose up near chest height and then buggered off.

 

[Bill Thom]

Dear AH members;
I am not afraid of poisonous snakes. Nevertheless, I am interested in how often (poisonous) snakes have been seen during safaris in Africa. To make this thread meaningful, I would appreciate your feedback on the number of snake sightings (if possible, name the species) in relation to the duration (number of hunting days) of your hunts. However, I also find it interesting to know that, for example, no snakes were seen during yout hunts (please specify the total hunting days), and it would be helpful if this information were also posted. Thank you very much in advance for your feedback!

we saw a ton of python in Angola, but always at start of rainy seasons. Locals said the rising waters flush them out of their customary lairs . several more than 10 ft and thicker than a mans forearm.None had a "food belly"

 

[BlackRhino]

Dear AH members!
Since not all of you reported the duration of your safari and the season I had to employ some very rough assumptions Thus, following conclusion certainly lacks sound stastical evidence but are rather anecdotical, sightings of Mambas are top notch, puff adder and spitting cobra are reported slightly less frequent. This finding contrasts general reports compiled from the web (see below). Very roughly every 52 days one of these species was observed. Once again, thank you for your reorts!

Perhaps you will find following information helpful:
Below is a comparative overview of three medically important African snakes — the puff adder, the black mamba, and the spitting cobra — focusing on (1) annual encounter / bite frequency and (2) the probability of injury (severity & fatality trends) based on available epidemiological and herpetological data.

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1. Puff Adder (Bitis arietans)
Encounter Frequency

• Puff adders are widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa and are among the most commonly encountered venomous snakes because they are cryptically coloured, sit still on footpaths, and are active at night when people may not see them. As a result, many bites occur when they are accidentally stepped on.
• In some southern African regions, Puff Adders and spitting cobras together account for a large proportion of snakebite incidents (over 80–90% of serious bites).

Probability of Injury and Severity

• Puff adder venom is potently cytotoxic, causing significant pain, swelling, blistering, and local tissue damage. Fatalities from puff adder bites are comparatively rare but tissue damage can be severe and may require surgery.
• Because bites are relatively frequent, puff adders contribute many non-fatal but medically important injuries.

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2. Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis)
Encounter Frequency

• Black mambas cause relatively few bites annually compared with puff adders or spitting cobras. Reports suggest fewer than a dozen bites per year in some areas like South Africa.
• These snakes are generally shy and retreat when disturbed, though they can become defensive if cornered.

Probability of Injury and Severity

• Black mamba venom is highly neurotoxic and historically had a very high case fatality rate if untreated. Modern antivenom greatly reduces deaths, but bite severity remains high because neurotoxins can rapidly impair breathing muscles.
• In documented historical data, a sizeable proportion of confirmed black mamba bites resulted in systemic envenomation and deaths before antivenom availability.
• Injury severity per encount is high (serious systemic effects likely without prompt antivenom), but the total number of encounters is low compared to less aggressive species like puff adders.

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3. Spitting Cobras (e.g., Naja mossambica — Mozambique Spitting Cobra)
Encounter Frequency

• Spitting cobras are abundant in parts of Africa, active both day and night, and often venture into human environments (e.g., houses), increasing encounter risk.
• In some regions, spitting cobras rank among the top causes of serious snakebite incidents, often together with the puff adder.

Probability of Injury and Severity

• Spitting cobras can inject venom by bite and, uniquely, can also project venom (“spit”) into the eyes, potentially causing painful injury and vision damage.
• Their venom tends to be cytotoxic, causing pain, swelling, and potential tissue necrosis. Fatalities are less common than with neurotoxic species (e.g., black mamba) but can occur without timely treatment.
• Because spitting cobras often enter dwellings and are active at times when humans are present, they cause many bites annually, though with a generally lower fatality rate than neurotoxic elapids.

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Comparative Summary

Feature	Puff Adder	Black Mamba	Spitting Cobra
Annual encounter frequency	High (common, widespread)	Low (rare bites)	Moderate to high (common in inhabited areas)
Typical bite cause	Accidental (stepped on)	Defensive when cornered	Defensive, in houses/paths
Venom type	Cytotoxic	Neurotoxic	Cytotoxic (some species also cytotoxic/ neurotoxic)
Injury severity per bite	Moderate to severe local injury	Very severe systemic effects	Moderate to severe local injury; eye injury possible
Fatality probability per encounter	Low (rare deaths)	High if untreated; much lower with antivenom	Low to moderate; fatalities uncommon but possible
Contribution to snakebite totals	Major contributor	Minor contributor	Major contributor

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Key Takeaways

• Puff adders and spitting cobras are responsible for a large proportion of snakebite incidents each year (particularly in southern Africa), mainly because they are common and frequently encountered by people.
• Black mambas bite far less often, but when bites do occur, the risk of severe systemic effects and fatality is comparatively high without rapid treatment.
• Overall injury probability per encounter is a function of snake behaviour, distribution, and venom type: vipers like puff adders tend to cause many bites with severe local injuries; elapids like black mambas cause fewer bites but carry a higher per-bite fatality risk if untreated.