A black mamba snake has killed a Zimbabwe man's wife, daughter, and nephew in a single attack.
The man, named as Tapiwa Musiiwa of the Hurungwe District according to a local report, says he and his family are still coming to terms with the tragedy.
The black mamba inhabits a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa and is found in several countries across the continent including Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, and many more.
The snake has a fearsome reputation and is referred to as "the deadliest and fastest snake in Africa" by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).
Black mambas are known for their extremely potent neurotoxic venom. The African Snakebite Institute states the venom is capable of causing death within three to 16 hours if untreated.
Black mambas can grow up to 14 feet long, though the average size is about half that. The snakes reside in savannas, rocky hills and open woodlands and like sleeping in hollow trees, rock crevices, and burrows.
SANBI describes the snakes as "nervous animals" that prefer to stay away from humans, but the potential for human conflict is still there.
Zimbabwe news outlet Newsday reports that the fatal snake attack on Musiiwa's family members happened as they were collecting firewood in Murimbika Village, about 37 miles north of the town of Karoi.
He told the news outlet that his daughter Nyarai, 21, was the first to be bitten on her leg. Her mother tried to assist her, at which point she was bitten on the breast. Musiiwa's nephew, Tawanda, aged 15, was then bitten on the ankle as he tried to get away.
Locals attempted to help the three get access to medication, but this took time as the mountainous terrain made the area hard to reach by car.
Musiiwa's wife and daughter died on Friday, September 23, at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital and his nephew died at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital, Newsday reports.
Now, Musiiwa is appealing for help to get their bodies transferred to his family's home to be laid to rest. "This is a family tragedy and we are still yet to come to terms with it," he told Newsday.
So far, three coffins have been donated to the family by a funeral organization and 80 litres of fuel has been offered by Zimbabwe politician chief Abel Mbasera Chundu.
In Africa, there are an estimated 435,000 to 580,000 snake bites every year that need treatment according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which notes that the highest burden occurs in countries where health systems are weakest and medical resources sparse.
It is unclear how many of these bites can be attributed to the black mamba.
The African Snakebite Institute notes that one paper on snake bites in Zululand studied 879 snakebites over five years, with five of them "in all likelihood black mamba bites."
At the same time, the institute states most snakebite deaths in South Africa are a result of black mamba and cape cobra bites.
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