Black-masked Racer from Louisiana a few years back.
Black-Masked Racer
Category: Snakes
Banded Rock Rattlesnake
Banded Rock Rattlesnakes are common in the hills and mountains of southeastern Arizona. They come in a variety of colors, often a combination of grey, blue, green, and pink, like this one. They’re quick to flee, and it would be hard to see a situation where a hiker or the relatively few people who live where they do could consider them something to fear. We found this one more than a decade ago, and it very well may be still cruising around in that same spot each year.
Western Striped Forest Pitviper
One of several Western Striped Forest Pitvipers (Bothrops bilineatus smaragdinus) we found in Peru earlier in the year. This was the largest of the group, found coiled in vines just overhead.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake from the Rincon Mountains
An Arizona Black Rattlesnake (Crotalus cerberus) from the southern extent of their range.
Baja California Rattlesnake in Mexico
A Baja California Rattlesnake we found a few years ago in Mexico. These interesting rattlesnakes can be found all over the peninsula, from sandy beaches to slides along nearly vertical cliffs, and everywhere in between. Just from impressions, they seem like someone mushed a sidewinder and tiger rattlesnake together to make a versatile desert rattlesnake.
Mojave Rattlesnake from Central Arizona
A Mojave Rattlesnake from one of the higher-elevation populations in central Arizona. These snakes are common in grasslands, where they live in relatively flat, sandy areas. This one is from a canyon bottom it shares with several other species of rattlesnakes, including Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes, Arizona Black Rattlesnakes, Blacktailed Rattlesnakes, and Speckled Rattlesnakes.
Tiger Rattlesnake in Estrella Mountains
A Tiger Rattlesnake in ambush late on a hot summer night several years ago. Despite being relatively seldom seen, this species is common in most of the mountains that overshadow the Phoenix metro valley.
Trans Pecos Ratsnake Face
A Trans-Pecos Ratsnake (Bogertophis subocularis) from the border region of Texas.
Caspian Cobra in Uzbekistan
We met this Caspian Cobra in the grassy hills of eastern Uzbekistan.
This cobra may have the most lethal venom of all cobras … but its venom also shows potential to be an effective treatment for some cancers.
Ebrahim K, Vatanpour H, Zare A, Shirazi FH, Nakhjavani M. Anticancer Activity a of Caspian Cobra (Naja naja oxiana) snake Venom in Human Cancer Cell Lines Via Induction of Apoptosis. Iran J Pharm Res. 2016 Winter;15(Suppl):101-112. PMID: 28228809; PMCID: PMC5242357.
Speckled Rattlesnake Aestivation
A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus pyrrhus) resting in a small cave during the hottest time of the year. This location receives almost no sun, due to its depth and aspect, which makes it an ideal aestivation site.
Snakes, as do other ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals, do regulate their body temperature by managing external forces. It’s more than just basking in the sun … they also spend a lot of time and energy trying to stay cool. For animals in Arizona, that can be a challenge. These sites, where they return each year when temperatures become lethal, are just as important as a winter hibernation den for rattlesnakes in cooler areas.
