“Teeth and claws are not all you need to kill a man.... fangs and a deadly cocktail will do just as well - a single bite from one of these African serpents can mean death”

Africa is a continent that conjures up images of bold predators: Lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and jackals. Now National Geographic sets those four-legged giants aside in search of the twelve deadliest snakes in Africa, including the continent’s most lethal serpent.

There are over 400 different species of snakes in Africa, nearly 100 of those are considered dangerous to man. Out of those, 12 stand out.

We will come face to face with these amazing creatures, and meet both those who revere them and some of the victims of their often-deadly defences.

What characteristics will crown one snake as the most dangerous in all of Africa? It is sure to have a combination of toxic venom, size, speed, and hunting ability. A single bite from one of these African serpents can mean death.

• The impressive Black Mamba is Africa’s longest and fastest venomous snake; for many in Africa, its name is synonymous with death
• The African Rock Python’s size is its weapon, as it squeezes its prey to death and consumes it with jaws large enough to devour an impala
• The Gaboon Viper boasts 2-inch hinged fangs
• Stealthily hiding from its prey, the Saw Scaled Viper’s small size belies its deadly strike

These are just four contenders. Meet the others and discover which one takes the crown:

• Boomslang
• Sahara Horned Viper
• Puff Adder
• Mozambique Spitting Cobra
• Rinkhals
• Egyptian Cobra
• Cape Cobra
• Green Mamba.

Narrated by Mike Pengra.
Produced by Tigress Productions for National Geographic.