Arizona Rattlesnake Species:
Misc. Facts:
Scientists have identified 36 rattlesnake species.
Rattlesnakes live only in North and South America.
13 species and several subspecies live in Arizona, more than any other state.
4 species in Arizona have special protection.
Rattlesnakes use the "loreal pit," a heat-sensing organ between the nostril and eye to locate prey and potential predators.
These snakes have glands that make venom, much like human saliva glands make saliva.
Rattlesnakes can strike two-thirds of their body length.
The rattle is a series of interlocking segments that are bouncing against each other, and made of keratin, the same material found in human hair and fingernails.
The age of a rattlesnake cannot be determined by counting the segments of its rattle.
Rattlesnake prey may include small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and centipedes.
According to Arizona Poison Centers, less than 1% of rattlesnake bites result in human deaths.
Sorry, for over-sharing...I don't like snakes (even though at an earlier stage in my life I had two as pets), but I spend a lot of time in the Desert, and it pays to be able to identify what you just stepped on...
"When I wear my Kilt, God looks down with pride and the Devil looks up with envy." --Unknown
Proud Chief of Clan Bacon. You know you want some!
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