An Arizona Black Rattlesnake from relatively open desert in Maricopa County, Arizona. This species is diverse in appearance and habitat preferences, with this particular population inhabiting generally lower, hotter, and exposed areas.

I scrambled to the high rocky ridge of a mountain in western Arizona, looking for rattlesnakes. The steep terrain and loose rocky ground made it difficult to get there. I was surprised to run into this big Sonoran Desert Tortoise (Gophersus morafkai) up there. These animals are great climbers, often picking hiding spots far up […]

A Banded Rock Rattlesnake found on a sunny day back in 2013 in the sky islands of Arizona. These small rattlesnakes are locally abundant, but would be difficult to be bitten by anyone not actively looking to handle, capture, or kill them. When they see a person, they typically just slip away into the rocks […]

We met this gentleman in Peru a couple of years back.

A couple of Arizona Black Rattlesnakes tucked away in a den in central Arizona.

A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus pyrrhus) found in Maricopa County several years ago. This species is among the most common snakes encountered at most parks across the Phoenix metro area.

A Blacktailed Rattlesnake from central Arizona. The species also often has black eyes, too, especially in higher elevation individuals. This animal is found in mountainous areas, and often misidentified as a Mojave Rattlesnake due to their bright color, even by (especially by!) long-term locals.

Close up with a Sonoran Sidewinder, showing off its “horns”. They are actually soft scales that rise above the eye, a feature they share convergently with unrelated vipers in deserts on the other side of the world. This is one of several seen on a warm evening last year near Phoenix.

A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake from central Arizona. In this region, the rocks are often brightly colored with oxidized metals and tinted crystals. This makes for some really amazing snakes.

A Sonoran Lyresnake we found late at night as it was leaving a rocky hillside, heading out towards open flat desert.