"Big 5" of SA snakes

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"Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby Sico » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:27 pm

I was wondering today, what you would call the "Big 5" of southern african snakes. On my list i would put -

African Rock Python
Black Mamba
Gaboon Adder
Vine snake
Yellow-bellied Sea snake

what would you put?
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby Boesman » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:45 pm

Afrock
Green mamba
Black mamba
Gaboon adder
Cape cobra
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby rolandslf » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:48 pm

Black Mamba
Gaboon Adder
Puff Adder
Green Mamba
Boom Slang
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby Rob » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:55 pm

African Rock Python
Black Mamba
Gaboon Adder
Cape Cobra
... Cant decide on a fifth
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby TonyK » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:59 pm

Afrock
Gaboon Adder
Black Mamba
Boomslang
The Cobra choice is difficult ,Cape Cobra as I`m from Cape Town.
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby roadkill456 » Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:02 pm

African Rock Python
Black Mamba
Gaboon Adder
Boomslang
Rinkhals
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby mgiddings » Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:10 pm

Afrock (size)
Black mamba (it's a black mamba ;) )
Puff adder (most deaths as far as I know)
cape cobra (most dangerous cobra)
mfezi (spitter)

Although if had a few other choices, boomslang, snouties, rhinkals and green mambas would go on as well.To hard to pick ;)
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby froot » Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:16 pm

Afrock
Black mamba
Puff adder
Mfezi
Boomslang
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby Westley Price » Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:23 pm

Why are all these snakes from the eastern parts? And most are widespread over the whole Africa.

I'll stick to Proudly South (southern) African!

I'd go for:

Black Spitting Cobra
Natal Rock Python
Boomslang (Just the name is South African)
Mole Snake
Fisk's House Snake (Just for rarity. Tourists should have a hard time finding at least one of the Big 5)
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby vuduman » Wed Mar 03, 2010 5:15 pm

Don't know bout the big 5,but my common 5 would be:

Brown house snake
Redlipped herald
Skaapsteker
centipede eater
spotted bush snake

:)
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby armata » Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:38 pm

Puff Adder
Puff Adder
Puff Adder
Puff Adder
Puff Adder

They're all different you know?? :) The DNA tells us so!!
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby Snakes4Africa » Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:43 pm

Afrock- Biggest African snake
Black Mamba- Biggest venomous African snake
Gaboon Adder- Biggest adder
Peringueys Adder- Smallest adder, and rare
Forest Cobra- Biggest Cobra

Try and tour South Africa and see all of those!
Also mostly Eastern coast species... And two elapids and two adders... so not sure if I really like it. Hmmm. I'll give a second opinion later.
I like Mgiddings logic, but Puffadder bites a lot and kills few.
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby Marcel2992 » Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:44 pm

Afican Rock Python
Boomslang
Black Mamba
Puff Adder
Gaboon Adder
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby Bushviper » Wed Mar 03, 2010 6:50 pm

Afrock (size)
Puffie (most widespread deadly snake)
Cape cobra (most dangerous cobra)
Black mamba (just because)
Boomslang (most dangerous colubrid)

I would have liked to add Rinkhals or Mfezi just because of the names and the habits. Narrowing this down is not easy.
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Re: "Big 5" of SA snakes

Postby adrianx » Wed Mar 03, 2010 7:02 pm

1. African rock python (Largest size and only python thats known to eat humans)
2. Puff adder (Fastest strike and best killer in africa)
3. Gaboon adder (Largest fangs)
4. Black mamba (Fastest moving and the most dangerous snake in the world)
5. Boomslang (Best vision and apparently the most potent venom drop for drop)
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