Many venomous members of the family Colubridae—to which the boomslang belongs—are harmless to humans because of small venom glands and inefficient fangs. However, the boomslang is exceptional because it has a highly potent venom, which is delivered through large fangs located at the back of its jaw. Boomslangs are able to open their jaws up to 170° when biting, allowing them to release more venom which usually kills the victim from internal or even external bleeding.