Dendroaspis
Eastern Green Mamba
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Elapidae
Genus:	Dendroaspis Schlegel, 1848[1][2]
Species
Dendroaspis angusticeps Dendroaspis jamesoni Dendroaspis polylepis Dendroaspis viridis

Mambas, of the genus Dendroaspis (literally "tree snake"), are a group of highly venomous, fast-moving land-dwelling snakes of Africa. They belong to the family of Elapidae which includes cobras, coral snakes, taipans, brown snakes, tiger snakes, death adders, kraits and, debatably, sea snakes (although sea snakes are now classed as Hydrophiidae). Mambas are feared throughout their ranges in Africa, especially the Black mamba. In Africa, there are many legends and stories describing these snakes.

Behavior[link]

Most of the members of this genus (for example green mambas) are arboreal. However, the black mamba is terrestrial. They are diurnal: during the day, they actively hunt their prey of small mammals, birds, and lizards, and return to the same lair nightly.

Mambas are related to the cobras (Elapidae); their threat display, when they stretch a slightly smaller "hood" while gaping their mouth, is similar.

Many people believe that the black mamba will chase and attack humans. However, this is probably misunderstood because of the speed with which this species can move.^[3] The black mamba usually uses its speed to escape from threats. Humans are actually their main predators, rather than their prey; mambas generally avoid contact with humans.

Venom[link]

An agitated mamba

All mambas are highly venomous. Their venoms consist mostly of neurotoxins (known as dendrotoxins). Besides the neurotoxins, they also carry cardiotoxins^[4][5] and fasciculins. Other components may include calcicludine, which is a known component of the eastern green mamba's venom and calciseptine, which is a component of black mamba venom. Toxicity of individual specimens within the same species and subspecies can vary greatly based on several factors, including geographical region. Even the weather and altitude can influence toxicity (Ernst and Zug et al. 1996). A bite can be fatal to humans without access to proper first aid and subsequent antivenom treatment, as it shuts down the lungs and heart. The western green mamba (D. viridis), eastern green mamba (D. angusticeps), and Jameson's mamba (D. jamesoni) possess venom similar in composition and effects to that of the black mamba's (D. polylepis). However, as their venoms are less toxic (based upon LD₅₀ studies), their temperaments are generally not as aggressive or as explosive when provoked, and none of the three inject as much venom as the black mamba, their bites are materially less dangerous.

Prior to the availability of antivenom, envenomations by members of this genus carried a high fatality rate. An untreated black mamba bite has a mortality rate of 100%,^[6][7][8][9] but presently, fatalities have become much rarer due to wide availability of antivenom.

Mamba toxins[link]

Mamba toxin (or dendrotoxin) consists of several components, with different targets. Examples are:

• Dendrotoxin 1, which inhibits the K⁺ channels at the pre and post-synaptic level in the intestinal smooth muscle. It also inhibits Ca²⁺-sensitive K⁺ channels from rat skeletal muscle‚ incorporated into planar bilayers (Kd = 90 nM in 50 mM KCl).^[10])
• Dendrotoxin 3, which inhibits acetylcholine M4 receptors.^[11]
• Dendrotoxin 7, commonly referred to as muscarinic toxin 7 (MT7) inhibits acetylcholine M1 receptors.^[11]
• Dendrotoxin K, structually homologous to Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitors ^[12] with activity as a selective blocker of voltage-gated potassium channels ^[13]

Species[link]

* Including the nominate subspecies.
^T Type species.

References[link]

1. ^ www.dahmstierleben.de
2. ^ Wikispecies
3. ^ The new encyclopedia of Reptiles (Serpent). Time Book Ltd. 2002. 
4. ^ van Aswegen G, van Rooyen JM, Fourie C, Oberholzer G. (May 1996). "Putative cardiotoxicity of the venoms of three mamba species.". Journal of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine 7 (2): 115–21. PMID 11990104. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11990104. 
5. ^ Toxipedia (Black Mamba)
6. ^ Mortality Rate
7. ^ Nature-Black Mamba
8. ^ Black Mamba Intro
9. ^ Davidson, Terence. "IMMEDIATE FIRST AID". University of California, San Diego. http://drdavidson.ucsd.edu/portals/0/snake/dendroa3.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-22. 
10. ^ Newitt RA, Houamed KM, Rehm H, Tempel BL. (1991). "[Potassium channels and epilepsy: evidence that the epileptogenic toxin, dendrotoxin, binds to potassium channel proteins.]". Epilepsy Research Supplement 4: 263–73.. PMID 1815606. 
11. ^ ^{a b} Rang, H. P. (2003). Pharamacology. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. pp. 139. ISBN 0-443-07145-4. 
12. ^ Berndt KD, Güntert P, Wüthrich K. (5 December 1993). "[Nuclear magnetic resonance solution structure of dendrotoxin K from the venom of Dendroaspis polylepis polylepis.]". Journal of Molecular Biology 234 (3): 735–50. DOI:10.1006/jmbi.1993.1623. PMID 8254670. 
13. ^ Harvey AL, Robertson B. (2004). "Dendrotoxins: structure-activity relationships and effects on potassium ion channels.". Curr Med Chem. 23: 3065–72.. DOI:10.2174/0929867043363820. PMID 15579000. 
14. ^ ^{a b c} ITIS

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dendroaspis

• Animal Planet
• Cobras

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Austin Stevens (born 19 May 1950) is a South African-born herpetologist and wildlife photographer best known for hosting a series of snake documentaries. Austin is also the author of 2 books.

Biography[link]

Austin Stevens was born in Pretoria, South Africa and became interested in snakes at the age of 12. By the time he finished school, his reptile collection included some of the most exotic and venomous species in the world.

His mother lost a lung in a car accident as a girl, was often ill, and died when Stevens was in his thirties; his father owned a small typewriter repair business. He traces his adventurous streak back to his grandfather from Bristol, England—also named Austin James Stevens—part founder of the AJS Motorbike Corporation, but later took the boat to Africa.^[1]

After leaving the army[link]

Austin got heavily into motorbikes and motorbike gangs and spent years riding around being a self described "loose cannon". He gave up the world of motorbikes in 1974 after a disastrous near fatal accident during a race. What saved him, he says, was being offered a job at the Transvaal Snake Park, near Johannesburg, which rekindled his passion for wildlife. Austin took up the position as curator of reptiles at the Transvaal Snake Park, where he spent the six years undergoing hands-on training to become a fully qualified herpetologist.

Photographer and film maker[link]

After Austin left the Transvaal Snake Park he took up a position as Curator of Herpetology at the Nordharzer Schlangenfarm in Germany, a park which he helped design and bring into operation before later again returning to Africa, where he took up the position as Curator of Reptiles at the Hartebeespoort Dam Snake and Animal Park. In an effort to generate funds and public interest in the plight of African gorillas, Austin set a record by spending 107 days and nights in a cage with 36 of the most venomous and dangerous snakes in Africa. On the 96th day, he was bitten by a cobra, but to many people's amazement he refused to leave the cage and was instead treated in the cage. Although he was very sick at that time, Austin completed the 107 days and beat the existing Guinness World Record (documented in the Guinness Book of Animal Records). This world record has never been duplicated or broken, though there have been a number of other attempts at similar records (records attempted with different conditions and snakes to Austin's record.) From this experience, Austin authored a book entitled Snakes in my Bed.

Thereafter, Austin moved to Namibia where he became involved in wildlife photography and film making.

Nowadays Austin's career in herpetology includes presenting a series of TV programmes about reptiles and other wild animals. The main programme Austin Stevens: Snakemaster is also known as Austin Stevens: Most Dangerous on Animal Planet, and Austin Stevens Adventures broadcast on Animal Planet and five in the United Kingdom. His show was also presented in high definition on HDNet under the title Austin Stevens Adventures in the U.S. in the fall of 2009 [1]. His latest book The Last Snake Man was published in the UK by Noir Publishing [2].

Stevens never received any formal photography training, and says he does not have a large collection of camera gear, preferring to keep his kit compact. He describes himself as a 'Canon fan' who has used various brands of cameras since the 1970s. In many of the early episodes he is seen using the Canon EOS 50e and later the Canon 300D. In the second season, he uses the Samsung GX-10, which uses with both Samsung and Pentax lenses. He also uses a Samsung Pro815 and an unspecified Sony Cybershot model for general use.^[2]

Personal life[link]

In December 2007, Austin Stevens married his second wife Amy, 34 years his junior, a young python keeper from Australia. [3]

Works[link]

Some of his credits:

• Dragons Of the Namib, a documentary about the life of the Namaqua Chameleon. Listed as one of the Producers and Director of Photography.
• Africa's Deadliest Dozen, a documentary about the venomous snakes of Africa. Listed as Cinematographer.
• Die Natur der Schlange (German: The Nature of Snakes), a 1997 German Documentary on snakes, aired on ZDF.

• Austin takes wildlife stock photographs for Animals Animals/Earth Scenes [4].
• He is a media donor on ARKive [5].

Books:

• Snakes In My Bed (Penguin 1992)
• The Last Snake Man (Noir Publishing 2007) ISBN 978-0-9536564-6-2

DVDS:

• Snake Bite - In Search Of The King Cobra (Go Entertain 2005)
• Austin Stevens: Snakemaster (first three episodes)

See also[link]

• Austin Stevens: Snakemaster

References[link]

External links[link]

• Austin Stevens on Twitter
• Austin Steven's Official Website
• Austin Stevens (II) at the Internet Movie Database
• Austin Stevens: Snakemaster Animal Planet fan site
• Noir Publishing

Kobe Bryant

Bryant greeting some fans in February 2007
No. 24 – Los Angeles Lakers
Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1978-08-23) August 23, 1978 (age 33) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nationality	American
High school	Lower Merion HS, Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13th overall
Selected by the Charlotte Hornets
Pro career	1996–present
Career history
1996–present	Los Angeles Lakers
Career highlights and awards
5× NBA Champion (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010) 2× NBA Finals MVP (2009–2010) NBA Most Valuable Player (2008) 14× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2012) 2× NBA scoring champion (2006–2007) 10× All-NBA First Team (2002–2004, 2006–2012) 2× All-NBA Second Team (2000–2001) 2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005) 9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003–2004, 2006–2011) 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001–2002, 2012) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997) 4× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011) NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1997) Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1996)
Stats at NBA.com
Medals Men's basketball Competitor for the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing National Team FIBA Americas Championship Gold 2007 Las Vegas Team competition

Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country. He decided to declare his eligibility for the NBA Draft upon graduation, and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.

Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. A heated feud between the duo and a loss in the 2004 NBA Finals was followed by O'Neal's trade from the Lakers after the 2003–04 season. Following O'Neal's departure Bryant became the cornerstone of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. He led the NBA in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, setting numerous scoring records in the process. In 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second most points scored in a single game in NBA history, second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. He was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in 2008. After losing in the 2008 NBA Finals, Bryant led the Lakers to two consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010, earning the NBA Finals MVP Award on both occasions.

As of February 2012^[update], Bryant ranks third and fifth on the league's all-time post-season scoring and all-time regular season scoring lists, respectively. He is also the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history. Since his second year in the league, Bryant has started in every NBA All-Star Game that has been held with fourteen All-Star appearances, winning the All-Star MVP Award four times (2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011). Bryant is tied for the most All Star MVP Awards in NBA history. He is a 14-time member of the All-NBA team and an 12-time member of the All-Defensive team; he is also the youngest player ever to receive defensive honors. At the 2008 Olympics, he won a gold medal as a member of the USA national team. In 2009, Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the top NBA player of the 2000s decade.

In 2003, Bryant was accused of sexual assault after having sex with a hotel employee in Colorado. In September 2004, prosecutors dropped the case after his accuser refused to testify. A civil suit was later filed and settled out of court.