Animal Fact Sheet:  Western Diamondback  Rattlesnake
Identifying Features   Click to hear Western Diamondback sounds
Western diamondbacks are pit vipers. This means that they have a
heat sensing pit (loreal pit) located behind each nostril that
can detect differences in temperature, sometimes differences
that are only a fraction of a degree apart. The heat given off
by an animal is detected by the snake helping it to determine
predator from prey.   This snake is considered a generalist,
which means that it isn't too picky about its habitat. It can be
found living in deserts, grassy plains, forests, rocky hillsides
and areas along the coast. It lives in elevations from below sea
level up to 6500 feet (2000m).   This species ranges throughout
the southwestern United States (Arizona, California, New Mexico,
Oklahoma and Texas)and northern half of Mexico.  Wild Status
Currently, western diamondback rattlesnakes are not threatened
or endangered.     Diamondbacks have many predators and not
always because the