Recently 2 adult and 13 juvenile eastern green mambas escaped from a house located within the flooded area in Bangkok, Thailand.
Some were caught, some killed, and apparently nobody bitten (yet) by one. They did import some antivenin and have many vials available, at what I think was 300,000 THB – per vial. Yes, about $10,000 USD per vial. If bitten you might need many vials – so stay far away from any green snake in Bangkok for the time being.
Mambas are so dangerous for their speed and extra long strikes. Not to mention the complete absence of antivenin for the species in Thailand prior to this. Mambas are excellent climbers and are very fast. Do not try to kill or capture one, you will almost definitely be bitten, and probably die from it – if a good bite. Mambas strike fast, often, and unpredictably, and not just once, but many times, if threatened.
Eastern Mamba venom is rated at 3.05 mg per kilogram as a lethal dose to 50% of mice given subcutaneous injections. These mice were of the same size and species. Venom is rated like this so we can compare venoms of different snakes. In the real world whether you get a subcutaneous injection, intra-venous, or intra-muscular, is all up to fate – and they have different results. It’s likely that your bite would be subcutaneous in most cases.
In comparison, there are other Thailand snakes with more potent venom on the subcutaneous LD-50 scale than the eastern green mambas:
- Bungarus multicinctus – Many-banded Krait
- Bungarus candidus – Blue krait, or Malayan krait
- Naja kaouthia – Monocled cobra
- Ophiophagus hannah – King cobra
- Daboia russelli russelli – Russell’s Viper
Just to name 5.
I didn’t look up the other cobras, but their venom is likely also more toxic than the venom in mambas loose in Bangkok.
Here are some recent tweets about snakes from the twitter stream, searching “thaifloodeng snake”:
veen_NT veena T.
Public Health Minsitry: 127 ppl have been bitten by snakes, 17 of which by cobra and 53 by green snake viper. TR @satien_nna #Thaifloodeng
12 hours ago Favorite Undo Retweet Reply
nkoleszar nkoleszar
Crocodile and snake dangers in Bangkok floods – ABC Australia (25 Oct) youtu.be/lmrBYERz0y0 #ThaiFloodEng #YouTube #VDO
21 hours ago
E22NXL NADIT LIAM YAEBDEE
[4/11,17.21] Green Mamba snake anti serums already arrived Thailand. (via @thaiflood) #ThaiFloodEng #FB
4 Nov
rubinasi Rubina S.
2m snake found in my sister’s moo ban (neighborhood) at sukhumvit 71. Ahh! #thaifloodeng twitpic.com/7aosrt
4 Nov
seacorro Zoe Daniel
Strike force formed to hunt escaped Green Mambas from flooded Nonthaburi snake farm at Pakkret #thaifloodeng
3 Nov
williereid Rowan Reid
Whoa, your turn to do the dishes MT @RichardBarrow: Be careful of snakes, caught a 2nd snake in my house #ThaiFloodEng pic.twitter.com/NT38YTn0
3 Nov
pae_wazy wasinee
RT @RichardBarrow: Do be careful of snakes outside #ThaiFloodEng pic.twitter.com/EE8lw7Fa Is it the real snake?Look like fake
3 Nov
RichardBarrow Richard Barrow
Do be careful of snakes outside their normal habitat. Caught a 2nd snake in my house #ThaiFloodEng pic.twitter.com/be9xhJw5
3 Nov
lollylollz NooNY P
Wonder where the Green Mambas got their names. Are they great dancers or something? #snake #thaifloodeng
3 Nov
E22NXL NADIT LIAM YAEBDEE
★ Somphop, the snake hunter. Capture snakes for free (24/7) ★ ☎ 089-043-8445 (via @thaiflood) #ThaiFloodEng #FB
2 Nov
msnkkii Nikki Citybitch
SNAKE ALERT: Green Samba (extreme poisonous) has gone missing from flooded house in Pak Kred area. Nearby residents, beware. #ThaifloodEng
2 Nov
georgebkk George Thaivisa
2:39pm Snake hunter! Mr.Somphop ☎ 0890438445, free service for 24hrs ~ @thaiflood #thaifloodeng
2 Nov
E22NXL NADIT LIAM YAEBDEE
★WARNING★ African Green Mamba snake. If you see, Call 1362 (via @SiamArsa) #ThaiFloodEng #FB yfrog.com/kjw0omvj
2 Nov
Banki3 Bankie
RT @Nancreative: RT: If you see this kind of snake “Green mamba” Pls Call 1362 or @js100radio 02-7119160 # ThaiFloodEng
2 Nov
steviegell steve gell
#ThaifloodEng “@veen_NT: RT @DrJoop: How to identified the green mamaba snake. #snakeattack bit.ly/uYIj1P”
2 Nov
anneusm Barfie B.
Keep this number just in case: Snake-hunter Uncle Sompop, free snake catching service (24 hr) 089 043 8445 via @acesir #Thaifloodeng
1 Nov
8td Thanyarat Doksone
My 1st snake encounter during the floods. He/she was caught at a temple in Bang Phlat yesterday. #ThaiFloodEng pic.twitter.com/ApDCr0w7
1 Nov
steviegell steve gell
@
@bkkbase @lisavale I’m hoping for a big snake. Something about skinning 1 of those things that brings a community together #ThaifloodEng