---
title: "black mamba vs Burmese python — size, speed and bite force"
description: "black mamba and Burmese python compared on mass, length, speed, bite force and lifespan — every measure side by side, with why the numbers cannot settle an encounter"
url: https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/black-mamba-vs-burmese-python/
site: "At One Place"
---

# black mamba vs Burmese python

**black mamba vs Burmese python: Burmese python leads on 3 of 3 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

The fastest snake and Africa's longest venomous one; it is named for the black inside of its mouth, not its colour. One of the largest snakes, now established as an invasive predator across the Florida Everglades. On the measurements below, Burmese python leads on more of them — but they do not all point the same way, and the ones that disagree are the interesting part.

## The measurements

|  | black mamba | Burmese python |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 1–3.1 kg | 20–182 kg |
| Length | 2–4.3 m | 2.5–5.7 m |
| Top speed | 11–20 km/h | — |
| Lifespan | 10–20 yr | 15–28 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: Burmese python is 38× heavier.
- Length: Burmese python is 1.6× longer.
- Lifespan: Burmese python is 1.8× a longer life.

## What this does and does not tell you

These are measured averages with real ranges behind them, and every figure links to its own page. What they cannot do is settle an encounter. Outcomes between animals turn on circumstance — who initiates, whether either is hungry, defending young, injured or cornered, and what the terrain favours. Size and bite force are not decisive on their own, and most of these pairs never meet in the wild in any case, because their ranges do not overlap.

> Every figure here is an average with a substantial spread. Individual animals vary enormously — a large individual of the smaller species routinely exceeds a small individual of the larger one.

## Common questions

### Is a black mamba bigger than a Burmese python?

Burmese python is heavier — 20–182 kg against 1–3.1 kg.

### Who would win, a black mamba or a Burmese python?

That is not something measurements can settle. The comparison above shows which animal leads on each measure, but an actual encounter depends on circumstance, motivation, health and terrain — and most pairs like this never meet in the wild.

## Related pages

- [How much does a black mamba weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/black-mamba/)
- [How much does a Burmese python weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/burmese-python/)
- [African elephant vs Burmese python](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-burmese-python/)
- [African elephant vs black mamba](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/african-elephant-vs-black-mamba/)
- [Asian elephant vs Burmese python](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/asian-elephant-vs-burmese-python/)
- [blue whale vs Burmese python](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/blue-whale-vs-burmese-python/)
- [American alligator vs Burmese python](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-alligator-vs-burmese-python/)
- [American alligator vs black mamba](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/american-alligator-vs-black-mamba/)
- [Burmese python vs lion](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/burmese-python-vs-lion/)
- [Burmese python vs tiger](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/burmese-python-vs-tiger/)
- [Burmese python vs snow leopard](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/burmese-python-vs-snow-leopard/)
- [Burmese python vs domestic cat](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/burmese-python-vs-domestic-cat/)
- [Burmese python vs giant panda](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/burmese-python-vs-giant-panda/)
- [Burmese python vs wild boar](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/burmese-python-vs-wild-boar/)

## Sources

- Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (https://www.wikidata.org/) [CC0 1.0]
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)