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REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS Western Rattle Snake
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The Western Rattlesnake Crotalus viridis can reach lengths slightly over 4 feet, but 2 1/2 feet is more common. The Western Rattlesnake is a widely distributed and is a highly variable species. In our region, this snake is lighter gray or brown. Pale margins edge the pattern of its dark dorsal blotches. In some individuals, the pale margins can be yellow, giving the snake a greenish cast. Specimens from high elevations can be a velvety, jet black with only a slight hint of patterning. A light stripe runs from outside corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth, and the tail has dark rings. Juveniles have a yellowish tail, and their dorsal patterning contrasts more than that in adults. The Western Rattlesnake is distributed across most of the western United States, Mexico, and Canada . The Western Rattlesnake enjoys a wide range of habitats from seacoast to pine wooded mountain heights, and is tolerant of disturbed areas. It is the most abundant rattler of our region, west of the desert. |
