• Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    All the people who are not choosing to chill with a usually calm intelligent mammal because “snakes will get out of your way” apparently don’t know shit about black mambas:

    Skittish and often unpredictable, the black mamba is agile and can move quickly. In the wild, black mambas seldom tolerate humans approaching more closely than about 40 metres (130 ft)

    When confronted, it is likely to engage in a threat display

    During the threat display, any sudden movement by the intruder may provoke the snake into performing a series of rapid strikes, leading to severe envenomation

    Give me a big strong dude intelligent enough to leave you alone after you’re demonstrated that you’re not a threat any day!

    • Noodle07@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Yup, I’d feel much safer with a gorilla. But I’m stupid enough to try to befriend him with fruits lol

      • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        As long as you’re careful about displaying submissive body language and not getting too close, the worst thing that could happen is probably that he gets to snack on fruit and ignores you 🤷

        Probably have to REALLY know what you’re doing though lol

    • Iceman@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      From the same Wikipedia article:

      The black mamba’s reputation for being ready to attack is exaggerated; it is usually provoked by perceived threats such as the blocking of its movements and ability to retreat.

      Despite its reputation as a formidable and highly aggressive species, the black mamba attacks humans only if it is threatened or cornered.

        • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          Nah, that’s lawyers you’re thinking of. Gorillas are the ones who howl at the moon and have been observed by Warren Zevon casually strolling around all over London.

      • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Try finding a door that can withstand a gorilla tho

        The gorilla won’t even care that you’re there as long as you don’t get too close and act too aggressively. It’s definitely not going to hunt you down and break down the door to get to you unless its family is in there too or something like that.

        Also, as I pointed out to the other one, being locked in a bathroom for 24 hours is its own kind of hell for some of us.

        Besides, one of the snakes might be hiding in that bathroom and you won’t know until it’s too late. Silverback gorillas, on the other hand, are not known for stealth.