A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake resting along the top of a drainage after a night out. During the summer months, these and other rattlesnake species are primarily nocturnal, being encountered by people mostly in the hour before and after sunrise. As soon as the sun reaches the area, these snakes make a beeline for their aestivation […]

A Banded Rock Rattlesnake from southeastern Arizona.

A Gila Monster moving through a burn scar in central Arizona. Last year, fire from an illegal campfire swept through the area, fueled by invasive grasses. This one managed to survive, but shows signs of how close it came to death – the top of its head and patches on its tail are black scars. […]

A Rainbow Boa we found in Peru last year. These are popular snakes in the pet trade. In the wild, they can look just as vibrant. But unlike the captive-born pets, these snakes show signs of a hard life in the wild. A variety of scars, ticks, and dings adorn all of them. And unlike […]

A young Blacktailed Rattlesnake resting on top of a boulder. During the heat of summer, deep canyons offer cooler conditions, and water trapped in pools and wet sand months after the last rain. On the hottest, driest nights, we can often predict where these snakes are by the presence of cottonwood and native bunchgrass.

A Sonoran Lyresnake seen late at night on a hike in a remote mountain range in extreme southwestern Arizona. These cryptic, nocturnal snakes live in rocky areas, where they take a variety of prey using venom. But, unless you’re a lizard, you have nothing to fear from this snake … if you ever even see […]

An Arizona Ridgenosed Rattlesnake spotted late on a humid monsoon night in southeastern Arizona. This is the state reptile, though relatively few Arizona residents will ever see one.

A New Mexico Ridgenosed Rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi obscurus). This federally protected rattlesnake ranges into Arizona, but only a dwindling population remains.

A Spotted Leafnosed Snake found late at night a couple of summers ago. While many snakes are tucked away in late May and June to wait for the monsoon, these snakes are very active. The reason: lizard eggs. These are reptile egg specialists, and June is a great time to be out looking for them […]

A beast of a Lyresnake! These are typically slender snakes, but this has been very successful. At first it looked like a gophersnake, with a chunky build and round face. These are cryptic snakes that few people that live in Arizona, even born here, will ever see.