What's the most Mambas you have seen on a safari?

[BJH65]

First afternoon in camp mid September in Limpopo adjacent to the Greater Kruger area, Smiley killing Mozambique spitting cobra in storage shed. I was advised to keep door closed to villa room so Black Mamba’s and cobras don’t slither inside.

 

[eyedok]

This is really interesting to me. seems like 0 or 1 is most common answer. Lots of puff adder sightings too. Generally sightings are in the hottest months and/or near or during the rainy season but not always the case.

I would add another pro tip:

Generally you want to walk directly behind your tracker and PH while out on a stalk or walkabout for lots of reasons and avoidance of stepping on or startling a snake is just one more good reason.

Was always taught as a kid growing up on a ranch in Texas and always following someone, first one wakes it up, 2nd one gets bit- ha

 

[coreydb]

One came across me in SA, 2023. After I calmed down and changed my pants, the PH took this pic.

 

[Bandera]

I am treating Black Mambas, Corbras, Copperheaded rattle moccasins like Sasquatch.
They may out there but I don’t want to see them.

 

[Atticus]

Just one—Namibia in September 2005 and that’s plenty. I couldn’t believe how high it “stood” up.

 

[CBH Australia]

Do most ph’s let you shoot? I got the impression mine wouldn’t let me harvest anything he didn’t specifically have a quota for..

Can he get a quota retrospectively for that snake?
You deserve a hat band

 

[CBH Australia]

0 for 1 trip and I am not disappointed.

Even thought Australia has has a reputation for having everything here that wants to kill you I don’t recall coming across a lot of snakes while hunting.

I have had remove a number of Brown snakes around improvements while living remotely for my safety and the dog’s safety.

It’s actually sharks I am scared of but I don’t hunt in there territory so it m pretty confident I won’t stumble across one.

 

[BryceM]

7 trips, zero mambas, but I usually hunt in the Kalahari where they aren’t too common. Plenty of cape cobras and puff adders though. 10 days in the Caprivi in 2022 - zero snakes, but there were fresh mamba tracks in camp most days. My Kalahari PH sent me a video of a BIG mamba climbing around in his living room last week.

I have a video somewhere of a puff adder swimming in a small pond. Didn’t know they would do that…..

 

[Philip Glass]

I’ve seen very few snakes on my safaris. On occasions I’ve seen mambas in Zim and both were from the truck thankfully! I have seen cobras and puff adders in Namibia. Stay away from holes in the ground. It is always a concern however.

 

[549]

I can't contribute as I haven't been, but am reading this with interest. I hate "nope ropes", and the stories of them being inside the lodges does give me a bit of concern. I'd be less worried about an encounter while hunting than one crawling into bed with me for "snuggles".

While Puff Adders and Cobras give me pause, it's the Black Mambas that worry me the most. I got freaked out by those as a kid when I read that book about one getting loose in Central Park.

Anyone remember that one?

 

[Nyati]

Mamba, just one,

Seen a few others.

 

[MontanaPat]

1
Thabazimbi, Limpopo, RSA
June 2024

We were standing in the back of the bakkie driving a two track when the PH spotted a 10-11' mamba in a tree at our eye level about 20 feet off the road. The PH was a snake lover so he wanted to sit there and watch it, my hunting partner and I insisted that we keep moving which we did after a brief stop for about a minute. Thing could have probably been in the back of the truck with us in a matter of seconds if it wanted, still gives me the creeps!

 

[SRvet]

I can't contribute as I haven't been, but am reading this with interest. I hate "nope ropes", and the stories of them being inside the lodges does give me a bit of concern. I'd be less worried about an encounter while hunting than one crawling into bed with me for "snuggles".

While Puff Adders and Cobras give me pause, it's the Black Mambas that worry me the most. I got freaked out by those as a kid when I read that book about one getting loose in Central Park.

Anyone remember that one?

I remember reading an abridged version of that book when I was a kid too…. Couldn’t sleep for weeks afterwards

I asked chat GPT about it and got this reply:
The book you’re referring to is The Snake by John Godey, published in 1978. This thriller begins with a sailor returning from South Africa who is mugged in Central Park while carrying a deadly black mamba—the most venomous snake in the world. The sailor is killed, the mugger is bitten, and the snake escapes into the park, leading to widespread panic as authorities scramble to locate and capture it .





John Godey is the pen name of Morton Freedgood, who also authored The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. In The Snake, Godey weaves a narrative that not only delivers suspense but also explores themes such as public hysteria, media sensationalism, and urban vulnerability. The story features a herpetologist brought in to assist with the crisis, adding depth to the plot through his expertise and perspective .





If you’re interested in a gripping, fast-paced novel that combines elements of horror and social commentary, The Snake remains a compelling read.

 

[bakerb]

Two things had a profound effect on my fear of snakes as a child.

1. There’s an old terrible movie, I think with Burt Reynolds, where he wakes up on a floor with a flared Cobra on his chest. Can’t remember movie. Can’t remember much else. But that scared the crap out of me for a long time as a kid.

2. Also as a young kid, 10-12, read a story about someone hunting in the Outback, who had a taipan crawl into his bed. He laid there all night awake, frozen, until the taipan warmed up and took off.

Being awake and dealing with it is one thing, but the thought of something happening in my sleep terrifies me. I don’t like it

The story I told in this thread about my 2023 Botswana hunt and the tracker being bitten and passing away. . . He was napping in the shade. Woke up when the snake crawled over him. Terrible terrible deal

 

[kpoynter]

In Zim now finishing a Safari
3 Mambas were seen live and many tracks across the road (including Puff Adders and Cobra)
The Snakes were out lol

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Just curious what AH members come back with.....

Please answer with:

number:
country:
year:
month:

and add any other color or story with it you want.

My account is:

2
Zambia
2024
October

One in camp parking area and one wrapped on our cruiser bumper. I thought it pretty unusual to see 2 in a week.

View attachment 684533

One in Zimbabwe. August 2022 as we were driving into our hunting area. I haven't seen any while I was.on foot and hunting, which is fine by.me.

 

[Jon Glajchen]

Limpopo Province. Snouted Cobra that had just eaten a Puff Adder. The whole Puff Adder was found inside her when dissected. I have a video of it but can’t manage to load it!

 

[CamoManJ]

I’m zero for one, in Africa & very happy.
Great experiences and posts.
I have my fair share of close encounters with rattlesnakes on a regular basis in the W. Texas & SE NM oilfields…that’s enough.

 

[Muskox]

Djibouti been there year round, not sure of exact months on snake sightings. Seen lots of everything. Cobras, Boomslangs and Adders. Lots of shovel kills.

Namibia August 2 cape cobras, a puff adder, a big damn python and some other kind of venomous I can't remember as it's been a long time since then. It was something a lot smaller.

 

[Field28]

I heard this morning that the snakes are crawling around in Limpopo like crazy right now. All the rain must have them scattered.