Amazon Harlequin Toad (Atelopus spumarius) from Peru a couple of years ago.

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.

Collared Treerunners (Plica plica) are one of the larger arboreal lizards seen occasionally hiking in Peru. At night they sleep in trees, mostly high and out of sight. But sometimes they are in the understory and can be photographed.

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 […]

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 […]

My favorite crocodilian, the Smooth-Fronted Caiman. These little guys live in smaller streams and hills in the rainforest, and have a lot of attitude for such a little guy. This one had no trouble at all letting my camera lens know who’s boss when it got a little too close. Got the shot first, though […]

One of the many forms of the Rhinella margaritifera complex sharing a spot above ground with a cluster of tiger beetles. Life on the ground in the Amazon can be a dangerous place, so it’s not uncommon to find animals spending time on leaves. In this case, the toad may be both trying to stay […]

One of several Amazon Tree Boas we found in the Peruvian Amazon a few years ago.

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 […]