One of several Amazon Tree Boas we found on a night time boat ride in Peru.
Amazon Tree Boa
Category: Snakes
Spring Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes
Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes getting some sun just outside their winter den several springs ago in central Arizona.
Cerralvo Island Rattlesnake
Cerralvo Island Rattlesnake found near the beach on its namesake island a few years ago off the coast of Baja California Sur.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake Watching Us
Arizona Black Rattlesnake watching us as we watch her from a basking spot near her winter den. She is one of a group of females that will stay here all year, eventually giving birth late in the summer.
Sonoran Sidewinder On A Dirt Road
Sonoran Sidewinders are very fast as they, essentially, tip-toe across hot desert sand. At night, they can be confused by flashlights and move with speed in surprising directions. This may be an explanation for reports of their “aggression”. In reality, they are timid, quick to flee, and often less likely to strike out defensively than other species in the area. This one was seen crossing a dirt road near Phoenix.
Sonoran Sidewinder
Sonoran Sidewinder in the soft sand it prefers, moving along the edge of drainage when spotted.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake Ambush Path
Arizona Black Rattlesnake as seen from above. This snake was found in ambush on a narrow channel leading to a rare water hole – animals must walk this path to drink, making for a great hunting spot.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Basking At Den
A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake out basking in early Spring at its den. An hour later, this animal was out on the crawl looking for females to court, and make sure rival males stick to their own rocks.
A First – Western Pygmy Rattlesnake
Western Pygmy Rattlesnake, Sistrurus miliarius streckeri – the first I have seen. This was actually a pretty big one! At around 18″-20″, it was much larger than the majority of Sistrurus sp. I’ve seen elsewhere, and about twice the size of the others found in subsequent days.
This leaves one last subspecies of rattlesnake for me to see in the U.S., and a flight at some point to the Carolinas to finish it up. I’m not too much of a life-lister, but after so much time it would just be nice to complete something started long ago.
Fer-de-lance On The Trail
Only a half mile from camp into a night hike in the Peruvian Amazon, I saw this Fer-de-lance moving to an elevated position on a meter-high buttress … right in the middle of the trail. These snakes can be anywhere at any time.
