Skip to content
FastestThings

Animals · Ranked by top speed

Fastest Snakes in the World (2026)

This list is travel speed, how fast the snake moves across the ground. A strike is not ranked. The black mamba leads at 9.9 mph (16 km/h), the bottom of the range Guinness says, 9.9 mph to 11.8 mph (16 to 19 km/h) in short bursts over level ground. The top of that range is not a second peak. Wikipedia's field-guide line, up to 9.9 mph (16 km/h), matches the floor. Animal Diversity Web's up to 12.4 mph (20 km/h) is a ceiling and does not count.

7 rankedA source on every row
Post on X (opens in a new tab)

The fastest snake on this list is the black mamba, at 9.9 mph (16 km/h), an official figure.

People also ask

What is the fastest snake on this list?

The fastest snake on this list is the black mamba, at 9.9 mph (16 km/h), an official figure.

Is that figure claimed or verified?

Black mamba is labeled Official. Ratified by a governing body such as the FIA, World Athletics or Guinness World Records.

What is the source?

The figure cites Guinness World Records, “Fastest land snake.”

What is second?

The eastern racer is next, at about 4.0 mph (6.5 km/h), an estimate.

7 snakes, ties share a rank.

  1. 1
    Black mamba

    Dendroaspis polylepis · travel

    16km/h9.9mph4.4m/s8.6kn3.2× walking
    OfficialGuinness World Records (opens source in a new tab)
  2. 2
    Eastern racer

    Coluber constrictor · travel

    6.5km/h4.0mph1.8m/s3.5kn1.3× walking
    EstimatedAnimal Diversity Web (opens source in a new tab)
  3. 3
    Horned adder

    Bitis caudalis · travel

    5.5km/h3.4mph1.5m/s3.0kn1.1× walking
    EstimatedIntegrative and Comparative Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  4. 4
    Sidewinder

    Crotalus cerastes · burst

    3.7km/h2.3mph1.0m/s2.0kn74% of walking
    VerifiedIntegrative and Comparative Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  5. 5
    Field's horned viper

    Pseudocerastes fieldi · travel

    1.3km/h0.808mph0.361m/s0.702kn26% of walking
    EstimatedIntegrative and Comparative Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  6. 6
    Painted saw-scaled viper

    Echis coloratus · travel

    1.1km/h0.684mph0.306m/s0.594kn22% of walking
    EstimatedIntegrative and Comparative Biology (opens source in a new tab)
  7. 7
    Rosy boa

    Lichanura trivirgata · travel

    0.4km/h0.249mph0.111m/s0.216kn8% of walking
    VerifiedIntegrative and Comparative Biology (opens source in a new tab)

The eastern racer is about 4.0 mph (6.5 km/h), Harding 1997 via Animal Diversity Web, qualifier estimated. The horned adder is 3.4 mph (5.5 km/h), Hoffmann 1988 via Tingle, with no details on conditions. The sidewinder is 2.3 mph (3.7 km/h) on rubber matting. Field's horned viper is 0.808 mph (1.3 km/h) and the painted saw-scaled viper is 0.684 mph (1.1 km/h), both Mendelssohn 1965 via Tingle.

The rosy boa is 0.249 mph (0.4 km/h), the only named speed in Mosauer's set of five. The other four colubrids stay unnamed. A garter-snake range is not a point. Seven snakes are still short of a public ranking.

The lineup · 7 on file

Meet the snakes

One card per entry, with its headline figure and where it ranks.

Ranked by top speed

Fastest Snakes

  • Black mamba

    Dendroaspis polylepis · travel

    Top speed
    16km/h9.9mph4.4m/s8.6knOfficial43% of Bolt

    #1 of 7 · Fastest Snakes

  • Eastern racer

    Coluber constrictor · travel

    Top speed
    6.5km/h4.0mph1.8m/s3.5knEstimated1.3× walking

    #2 of 7 · Fastest Snakes

  • Horned adder

    Bitis caudalis · travel

    Top speed
    5.5km/h3.4mph1.5m/s3.0knEstimated1.1× walking

    #3 of 7 · Fastest Snakes

  • Sidewinder

    Crotalus cerastes · burst

    Top speed
    3.7km/h2.3mph1.0m/s2.0knVerified74% of walking

    #4 of 7 · Fastest Snakes

  • Field's horned viper

    Pseudocerastes fieldi · travel

    Top speed
    1.3km/h0.808mph0.361m/s0.702knEstimated26% of walking

    #5 of 7 · Fastest Snakes

  • Painted saw-scaled viper

    Echis coloratus · travel

    Top speed
    1.1km/h0.684mph0.306m/s0.594knEstimated22% of walking

    #6 of 7 · Fastest Snakes

  • Rosy boa

    Lichanura trivirgata · travel

    Top speed
    0.4km/h0.249mph0.111m/s0.216knVerified8% of walking

    #7 of 7 · Fastest Snakes

Spot a wrong number?

Every report is read by a person, and corrections are dated on the page.