An especially bitey Rainbow Boa was found cruising around in the leaf litter between amazingly large trees in the Amazon. These snakes are popular in the pet trade, for obvious reasons. In the wild, they’re quick to defend themselves, understandably. I got some photos and watched it slide off into the darkness.
One of several baby Arizona Black Rattlesnakes laying around outside a winter den earlier in the year. As this snake matures, it will likely darken to mute the contrast shown here and be nearly entirely black, like the other females present in the rocks behind it.
It’s not a great photo, but this is how these snakes are often seen. It’s a Striped Whipsnake; one of several seen cruising around a multi-species rattlesnake den in the spring. Personally, I’ve been clued into a good number of rattlesnakes hidden deep within crevices because of these much more observable snakes, and their preference for similar hibernacula.
The first of a handful (not literally) of Central American Eyelash Vipers I found on a family vacation a couple of weeks ago to Costa Rica. This blue-greena nd pink individual stayed the entire week on the same tree, moving lower at night to hope for prey. On the last day, a massive rainstorm got everything moving, and this snake took its queue to leave its tree and disappear into the tangle of green.
A Great Basin Gophersnake cruising around the rocks that it shares the winter with dozens of Great Basin Rattlesnakes. These important areas where hibernation and subsequent hunting and drinking are better than the surrounding rock piles can be home to multiple species of snakes.
An Amazon Tree Boa we found by boat in Peru. These snakes are commonly found in branches overhanging tributaries of the Amazon river, where they can be seen by distinctive eyeshine at night.
A female Western Diamondback Rattlesnake pausing on a bit near a large bush where she likely lives. These are the most common rattlesnake, if not snake, seen by hikers and homeowners in the Phoenix area.
This Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake was resting on a small rise just below its aestivation den in Phoenix. She’s pregnant, and will stayed in the area most of the summer before moving up the hill to a rocky slope to give birth.
Years ago in Baja California Norte, MX, a broken down vehicle in our group made for a surprise overnight stay. A couple of us took the opportunity to explore a nearby canyon in hopes of finding a Rosaio Rattlesnake. We spotted this tiny baby crawling in the brush after a while. Worth it?
A Tiger Rattlesnake found on a nighttime hike in Phoenix more than a decade ago. These snakes are, unfortunately, often poached from preserves.
