A vivid emerald-green arboreal elapid of East African coastal forests, far shyer and more retiring than its infamous black cousin.
Description
The eastern green mamba is a long, slim arboreal elapid of brilliant emerald green above and pale yellow-green below, with smooth glossy scales and a slightly coffin-shaped head. Adults reach about 2 m, with females slightly larger than males.
Behavior
Almost entirely arboreal and remarkably shy, green mambas spend most of their time in the canopy hunting roosting birds, chameleons, and tree-dwelling rodents. When threatened they flee swiftly through branches, only striking if cornered. Bites are uncommon but neurotoxic and serious.
Range
Restricted to the coastal forests and adjacent woodlands of East Africa from southern Kenya to KwaZulu-Natal. Habitat loss along the coastal belt has caused local declines in several countries.
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