Crotalus tigris
Silhouette: Bill Bouton (source photo) & T. Michael Keesey (vectorization) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The tiger rattlesnake (Crotalus tigris) is a highly venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized. The specific name tigris, (Latin for 'tiger'), refers to the many narrow dorsal crossbands, which create a pattern of vertical stripes when viewed from the side.
American herpetologist Robert Kennicott described the tiger rattlesnake in 1859. Common names include tiger rattlesnake and tiger rattler. The tiger rattlesnake is easily identified by its small, spade-shaped head, which is about 1/25 of its total body length. It has the smallest head of any rattlesnake, and a large rattle. The color pattern consists of a gray, lavender, blue-gray, pink, or buff ground color that usually turns to pink, pale orange, or cream on the sides. Tiger rattlesnakes are the only rattlesnake with crossbands on the anterior portion of their bodies, with a series of 35 to 52 gray, olive, or brown bands across the dorsum consisting mainly of heavy punctations. These crossbands have vague borders and are wider dorsally than laterally. Also mid-dorsally, the crossbands become wider than the spaces... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecological Center of Sonora | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Phoenix Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Universeum | 🇸🇪 Sweden |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Tiger Rattlesnake sighting in Phoenix on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 21st most-seen of the 23 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July to October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tiger Rattlesnake in Phoenix on a given day, against under 5% in November to June, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tiger Rattlesnake sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Tiger Rattlesnake sightings, Phoenix ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Mesa (United States, under 5%).
Same genus: Crotalus
The closest relatives of the Tiger Rattlesnake that you can see in Phoenix (genus Crotalus, Rattlesnakes) are Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake (about 10%) and Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Tiger Rattlesnake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Phoenix (7 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
