MAMBAS 
Despite their large friendly eyes and generally gentle appearance, the 
mambas have the reputation of being the most dangerous of African snakes. 
Their average length is about seven feet, but the black mamba sometimes 
can be as much as twelve feet long. They are exceedingly light in build, 
being only about half as thick as a king cobra of the same length. 
Mambas lurk in small trees and bushes on the lookout for birds. They 
also stalk rodents on the ground, moving with remarkable speed and agility. 
As a rule they slither away at the sight of man, but in the breeding season 
they may attack anyone approaching too closely to their haunts. 
Mambas become quite docile in captivity, but never live much more 
than a year in confinement. 
KRAITS 
Kraits are exceedingly abundant in southeast Asia and are almost as poison¬ 
ous as cobras. A goodly percentage of the snake-bite mortality in these 
regions can be traced to these snakes. They are four to five feet long, black 
or dark brown in color, with tan or yellow bands across the back. A ridge 
extends down the back, topped by a row of large scales. The head is small. 
The surface is smooth and glistening. 
The kraits are nocturnal in habits, hunting for smaller snakes, frogs, 
lizards and rodents. They are a great menace to human beings as they often 
enter houses in search of rodents. They like to cover themselves with warm 
dust in roadways. The krait’s attack is a sideswish which may be accom¬ 
plished without coiling. 
They are sluggish in captivity and do not live long. 
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