Why do rattlesnakes have a rattle

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Most species are stable, but one species and one subspecies are federally listed as threatened. Rattlesnakes are vulnerable to being killed by those who view them as dangerous pests rather than important predators. Snakes that imitate the rattlesnakes, like gopher snakes, are mistakenly killed when they are incorrectly identified as rattlesnakes.

Although rattlesnakes may seem scary to people, they play a very important role in their ecosystems by controlling small mammal populations. A groundbreaking bipartisan bill aims to address the looming wildlife crisis before it's too late, while creating sorely needed jobs.

More than one-third of U. We're on the ground in seven regions across the country, collaborating with 52 state and territory affiliates to reverse the crisis and ensure wildlife thrive. Uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world.

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Classification: Reptile. Description Rattlesnakes are highly specialized, venomous reptiles with large bodies and triangle-shaped heads.

Diet Rattlesnakes eat mostly rodents, but may also eat insects and other reptiles. Behavior When rattlesnakes sense a threat, different species have developed various ways to protect themselves. Conservation Most species are stable, but one species and one subspecies are federally listed as threatened. More than 35 species of rattlesnakes live in the Americas, from southern Canada all the way to Argentina. When threatened, the snakes rapidly shake the tips of their tails like biological castanets, rattling interlocking sections of hollow keratin, the same stuff hair and fingernails are made of.

See pictures of rattlesnakes. This works because snakes are ectotherms, or cold-blooded. Rattlesnakes vary their rattles for other reasons, as well.

Pregnant rattlesnakes or those who have just given birth tend to be more aggressive, while those that are safely hidden below a rock or near a hole are less inclined to rattle. Some rattlesnakes are hard-pressed to rattle at all, relying instead on their expert camouflage to hide them from danger. In fact, some scientists believe the rattle originally might have been a way to keep bison from stepping on the camouflaged snakes.

Predators may be listening in on that communication, too. With a mouthful of venom capable of destroying skin and blood cells, it might be tempting to think that rattlesnakes are immune to predators altogether. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Scott Boback , an evolutionary ecologist at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, uses remote cameras to study rattlesnakes as part of an experiment called Project RattleCam. Murphy frequently encounters rattlesnakes while studying their interactions with other predators, such as bobcats, foxes, and coyotes.

She says there are a few easy rules for staying safe. Do not handle them, obviously. Maintain a distance of at least six feet and resist the urge to move nearby branches or other bits of habitat so you can get a good picture. All rights reserved. Share Tweet Email. Read This Next Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London.