Lucky escape: Nature photographer Mark Laita was capturing snakes for his latest project when he was bitten by a deadly black mamba...but didn't realize until the next dayThis is the terrifying moment that a wildlife photographer was bitten by one of this subjects - and didn't even realize he had suffered a potentially fatal snake bite until the image was developed.
Mark Laita was taking pictures of snakes for his latest photography project called Serpentine.
The only reason he survived the attack by the black mamba was because it was a dry bite with no venom injected. A poisoned bite from a black mamba is 100 per cent fatal. The photographer, who was born in Detroit and raised in Chicago, told New Scientist that he wasn't even aware that the snake had latched on to his leg until he looked at the photographs the following day.
Writhing: Emerald Boa with babies features in photographer Mark Laita's new book SerpentineLaita took pictures of snakes in zoos, anti-venom labs and in private collections to highlight the plight of the species which has seen a decline in population due to the destruction of its natural habitat.
Black mambas are the longest venomous snake in Africa and can grown up to 10 feet.
Its name comes from the black color on the inside of its mouth and not its scales which are a dull green.
Predator: The Mussurana snake which is found in central and south AmericaIt is the fastest snake in the world, able to move at up to 12mph and is aggressive and highly venomous. Its bites have been known to kill elephants.
Unlike other snakes, its population is not believed to be in decline. Black mambas have no natural predators besides humans.
Laita's new book Serpentine will be available to buy in the fall.
Coiled: The blue Malaysian coral snake captured by photographer Mark Laita for his latest book Serpentine
Venomous: The green vine snake which lives high in the trees in the south American jungle
Natural beauty: The Albino Black Ball python was pictured by the photographer in order to highlight the plight of the snakes
Risk-taker: Photographer Mark Laita didn't even realize he had been bitten by a black mamba until he developed the images the following day
source: dailymail
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