| EASTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE |
| Crotalus adamanteus |
|
Range:
|
Southern North Carolina to Florida and west to Louisiana. |
 The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake is the largest venomous snake in North America. Their pattern of yellow-bordered, light-centered black diamonds makes them among the most strikingly adorned of all North American reptiles. They are capable of accurately striking at up to one-third their body length. Although feared as aggressive, attacks on human beings are rare. |
| Habitat: |
They generally live in the dry, pine flatwoods, sandy woodlands, and coastal scrub habitats. |
| Diet: |
Rats, mice, squirrels, birds, rabbits. |
| Status: |
Not endangered, but due to hunting and loss of habitat, its numbers are decreasing. |
| Approximate Dimensions of Adult: |
Length: Around 5.5 ft (1.7 m).
Weight: Around 5 lbs (2.3 kg). |
| Lifespan: |
10 - 20 years. |
| Reproduction & Offspring: |
Mating occurs in the spring and fall and females give birth to 12 – 24 young in the late summer. Diamondbacks take several years to reach maturity, and adult females only reproduce every 2-3 years. |
|
