This is one of the more rarely seen rattlesnakes in Arizona, the Tiger Rattlesnake, Crotalus tigris. This is one of two I saw in 2009 in the South East of the state, this one being near Nogales, only a few miles form the border of Mexico. While we were photographing this guy, a border patrol helicoptor swooped down and gave us a really good look before heading off again … a pretty common thing to happen down there.
This snake’s color, in real life, is incredible. Looking at it, you can’t tell if it’s pink, green, white, or a mix of all. They seem to have almost translucent scales, solid grey with undertones shining through in all colors at once. This one came home with me.
Tags: arizona, Crotalus tigris, nogales, santa cruz, tiger rattlesnake