A large male Western Diamondback Rattlesnake cruising through dense vegetation, on the lookout for others that may be near. At this higher elevation den in the late fall, the females are already tucked into rock crevices and caves. All that remain on the surface are the largest males, patrolling for rivals, and getting into the occasional fight. This one finished its loop and settled back into the sunny spot it prefers for awhile, before doing it all again about an hour later. Why wait until spring to fight for the good spot, when you can do it in the fall?
This Arizona Black Rattlesnake noticed me at the same time that I saw it as I climbed up a steep, rocky hillside. I stopped and got a few photos, and saw another one right next to it deeper in the crevice of the rocks. I was able to then back down the hill for another route up without further disturbance, and it resumed its move out to the open to get some sun.
A rattlesnake that looks like a rock. This Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake was found in central Arizona in an area of rusty granite and quartz. The resulting cryptic pattern is just as colorful, including speckled grey blue eyes. Though it is brightly colored, these snakes can be very difficult to see in context.
Crowell, H. L., Whelan, J. M., & Harmel, M. V. (2020). Rattlesnake colouration affects detection by predators. Journal of Zoology, 310(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12786
Hanscom, R. J. (2025). From ambush to activity: Using accelerometry to reveal cryptic behaviors of rattlesnakes and kangaroo rats [Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Riverside]. eScholarship. https://escholarship.org/content/qt4ft2985w/qt4ft2985w.pdf
One of the native turtles of Arizona, a Sonoran Mud Turtle we saw cruising around a water hole in Yavapai County. These stinky little guys can live in many waterways below the rim, and can be seen any time of day and year in the right conditions.
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.
