A black mamba, I believe. This was another extreme lighting picture. It was so bright in some areas, that the reflection off the black scales appeared as white. The black mamba is a highly venomous snake endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. It’s the longest venomous snake in Africa and the second longest in the world after the King cobra. It’s also one of the fastest moving snakes on the planet. It’s venom is one of the most rapid acting. Victims show signs of prominent neurotoxicity within minutes. After 10 minutes, respiratory paralysis sets in and death occurs within 20 minutes to 6-8 hours and is almost always fatal without rapid anti-venom therapy.

PS…not doing snakes again for awhile. These scales drove me nuts!!