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Mojave Rattlesnake
A
medium to large rattlesnake, averaging 22" to 50" in length. Base
coloration varies from olive green-brown to yellow-green to gray-brown. The back
is lined with a series of dark gray to dark brown blotches or
"diamond" shapes. The blotches of the Mojave are usually uniform in
color and not speckled or peppered looking like the similar looking Western
Diamondback has. A light colored stripe extends from the corner of the eye back
and down beyond the end of the mouth. The tail is white or light gray with thin
black or dark brown rings that are narrower than the white spaces between them.
Usually
found in the flats and more level areas of the desert, not often found in
steeper foothills and mountains. Occurs in habitats ranging from Sonoran desert
to oak/acacia scrubland.
Primarily
nocturnal. Eats rats and mice.
This
snake ranges across the entire western, southwestern, and southern portions of
Arizona.
This
rattlesnake species tends to be highly aggresive when encountered and is one of the most dangerous and venomous snakes in the U.S.