Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis), Mesa Verde National Park, 2015.

This snake is known by several common names, including prairie rattlesnake, western rattlesnake and the Great Plains rattlesnake. This venomous pit viper is native to the areas of southwestern Canada, the western United States and down to northern Mexico. Two subspecies are currently recognized (and research of this topic is ongoing.) Identifying this animal over its range may be difficult, as an individual's characteristics will vary depending on which subspecies you encounter and even habitat preference varies by subspecies as well as its range.

rattle snake ectotherm ectothermic ecto snake snakes rattle rattlesnake prairie rattlesnake western rattlesnake pit viper plains rattlesnake wild wildlife animal great plains western mesa verde national park crotalus viridis subspecies great plains rattlesnake range two subspecies individual s characteristics habitat preference national parks gallery high resolution colorado poisonous animals venomous

2015

National Parks Gallery

https://npgallery.nps.gov/

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