Dec 30, 2025
Western Massasauga (Sistrurus tergeminus), family Viperidae, Kansas, USA
Venomous.
photograph by Yinan Li
seen from China
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seen from Hong Kong SAR China
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Malaysia
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from China
seen from China
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seen from Malaysia
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from United States
Western Massasauga (Sistrurus tergeminus), family Viperidae, Kansas, USA
Venomous.
photograph by Yinan Li
First round of zoo pics! The reptile house was so fun. I could have sat there all day ❤️
I can't remember the name of the first viper, but the second pics are Gaboon Vipers (my fave venomous snake) and the third set are Eastern Massasauga. I promise there is a snake in those pics!!
February 15, 2020
Phoenix Zoo
Love your rattlin' neighbors and leave them be to do their rattlin' things 🐍❤
I'm so so SO happy with this board. It is one of my best ones yet, I think!
The Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake is one of three venomous snakes found in New York.
These docile snakes depend on wet habitats like wet prairies, marshes, and low areas along rivers and lakes for food and shelter. As reptiles, they also need drier, open places to bask in the sun to help control their body temperature. These are especially important for pregnant females. Loss of wetland habitat with areas free of trees and shrubs has contributed to the massasauga's decline. Thanks to research and funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, however, habitat restoration projects are underway! Recently, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation cleared 32 acres of habitat for the snake. Surveys have already found juvenile snakes in the area! This joint effort between the Service and NYSDEC provides hope that the snake’s existing habitat will support it into the future.
More on the snake: https://go.usa.gov/xfDKK
Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus). Marie Phisalix, Animaux Venimeux et Venins, Vol. 2 (1922). Contributed for digitization by Smithsonian Libraries (@silibraries) to #BiodiversityHeritageLibrary. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12749871 _________________________________________________ #Massasauga #Rattlesnake #Snakes #Reptiles #Herpetology #BHLib #Biodiversity #NaturalHistory #NatHist #ScientificIllustration #ScientificArt #OpenAccess #Libraries #Archives #SpecialCollections #LibrariesofInstagram #IGLibraries #IG_Libraries #SmithsonianLibraries
Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus), mother and pups, family Viperidae, found int he Great Lakes area of the US and Canada
Venomous.
photograph by Bob Ferguson