Black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) opening its mouth to perform a threat display. This venomous snake is native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Its skin colour varies from grey to dark brown but juvenile black mambas tend to be paler than adults and darken with age. The snake is called a black mamba due to the colour of the insides of its mouth which is described as "inky black". The venom of this deadly snake is both neurotoxic and cardiotoxic. Black mambas are both arboreal and terrestrial. Photographed in controlled conditions at the Hoedspruit reptile centre, Limpopo province, South Africa.