# Africa’s fastest and most feared snakes can be a key player in tracking pollution, while at the same time keeping ecosystems healthy. This is according to new research from the University of the Witwatersrand. The study, conducted on snakes captured in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, has revealed that heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury accumulate in the scales of black Mambas. Professor Marc Humphries, who led the research team, says they found a clear association between land use and heavy metal exposure in black Mambas.
Africa’s most feared snake can help sniff out pollution