A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake from a mountain range near Phoenix. In this area, this species is usually this orange-cream or brown. This one was found on a rocky hillside earlier in 2025.
Cochran, C. (2019). Variation in morphology, diet, and venom composition in Crotalus pyrrhus (Cope 1867). Doctoral dissertation, Loma Linda University. https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3590&context=etd
New Mexico Ridgenosed Rattlesnake, Crotalus willardi obscurus. This adult was found in high-elevation woodland in northern Mexico.
Speckled Rattlesnakes are often seen by hikers in Phoenix, who can be surprised that wildlife can be found even on hiking trails in the middle of the city. If you’ve ever hiked Camelback, you’ve likely walked right past at least one of these beautiful pink animals. They’re very cryptic though, so not many people will ever know.
A common and beautiful sight on night time walks in the Amazon, the Crowned False Boa. These are relatively small, usually around two feet in length, and aren’t biters. They eat lizards and other snakes, and the occasional frog, rodent, and bird. Usually when they’re seen, it’s moving through leaf litter on the ground as a flash of red half in and out of debris.
Mojave Rattlesnake of a fairly typical color and pattern for the Phoenix area. These snakes are common in the flat, sandy creosote areas surrounding the city. They were once common in what is now downtown, being found in the flats around Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak (though not on the mountains themselves). They’ve long been extirpated from those areas, but can still be found in small, isolated pockets of habitat around Scottsdale.
Common Whipsnake, Chironius exoletus. Peru, 2020
An Arizona Ridgenosed Rattlesnake found in bunchgrass on a perfect, overcast day in the Arizona sky islands.
An Amazon Tree Boa, spotted by flashlight on a boat in Peru. Unlike most snakes, their eyes shine orange-red in the light, and can be seen even high in trees. Birds and amphibians’ eyes also glow a similar color, though, so there are a lot of false calls of “snake!”.
One of several Indian Vinesnakes spotted out after heavy rain in the Western Ghats a few years back.
