A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake resting in the shade outside its summer aestivation den. It’s one of a handful that gather here each year to hide from the heat and gestate.
Gravid Speckled Rattlesnake At Rest
Tag: arizona
Baby Sonoran Desert Tortoise
We found this tiny young Sonoran Desert Tortoise cruising around the base of a basalt mountain in the harsh, remote desert of southwestern Arizona. This little one had likely just started its springtime wandering, looking to take in as many blossoms and young green leaves as possible before the heat forces it underground for a while.
Tiger Rattlesnake From The Border Area
A relatively colorful Tiger Rattlesnake found in Santa Cruz County, Arizona awhile back. These rattlesnakes are common in the thornscrub hills along the Arizona/Mexico border.
A Brown Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes in the Phoenix area aren’t all grey. Some can be reddish or have hints of orange, and some rich brown tones like this one.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake In The Grass
An Arizona Black Rattlesnake resting in partial cover. These snakes spend a lot of time on the surface, hiding in and as shadows to evade detection by predators and prey.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake In The Sun
A large Blacktailed Rattlesnake from the southeastern corner of Arizona. These snakes can be beautiful – a high contrast black and yellow with rainbow iridescence in the sunlight.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake At Its Den
One of a few Arizona Black Rattlesnakes hanging out at an overwintering site, ready and waiting for the cold to come. This was photographed in the fall at high elevation, where rattlesnakes gather in sometimes large numbers to den together in deep retreats.
This species is what locals often mistakenly refer to as “Timber Rattlesnake”, which it is not. Timber Rattlesnakes are a real snake, however, but not closely related to this one, and not found in the Western US.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Basking Under Cover
A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake basking in partial cover. This is how rattlesnakes and other reptiles typically thermoregulate. Filtered light and conduction from nearby surfaces and substrate can help them tune in on the right temperatures to a fine degree, all while avoiding detection by predators and prey. This is also a reminder of why it’s best to stay on established trails and keep dogs on leash when hiking in the spring.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake from Mohave County, Arizona
An Arizona Black Rattlesnake from the western end of their range. Locals in the area often refer to them as “timber rattlers”, though actual Timber Rattlesnakes are a distinct species that is not found in the western states. This one was found on a relatively cold, rainy weekend in August, active on the surface just before the area was saturated.
Blacktailed Rattlesnake From Central Arizona
A Blacktailed Rattlesnake from central Arizona. These snakes are often a green shade, leading to misidentification as a Mojave Rattlesnake (which, ironically, are seldom green in many areas). These are large rattlesnakes that live in mountainous terrain, commonly seen by hikers but rarely by homeowners.
