Masticophis taeniatus
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
The striped whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus) is a species of nonvenomous snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is closely related to the California whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis). The striped whipsnake is native to the western United States and adjacent northern Mexico.
The striped whipsnake is approximately 30–72 inches (76–183 cm) in total length (including tail). This snake exhibits black, dark brown, or gray coloration on its back, often with an olive or bluish tint. Along the center of each of the first four rows of pale dorsal scales, is a dark longitudinal stripe. There is a white to cream-colored stripe down its side that is bisected by either a solid or dashed black line. The coloring on the snake's belly tends to be cream to yellowish, fading to white toward the head, and coral pink toward the tail. This snake also features a lower preocular between the upper labial scales of the mouth. The anal scale is divided.
The striped whipsnake is found throughout the western United States and northern Mexico. The northernmost part of its geographic range is in south central Washington, and continues southward... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Striped Whipsnake sighting in Zion National Park on a given day, based on 37 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 14th most-seen of the 21 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Striped Whipsnake in Zion National Park on a given day, against under 5% in December to March, the lowest months. That is one of Zion National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 75 mm in March.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Striped Whipsnake sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Striped Whipsnake sightings, Zion National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Big Bend National Park (United States, about 10%) and Grand Canyon National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Colubridae
The closest relatives of the Striped Whipsnake that you can see in Zion National Park (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Gopher Snake (about 40%), Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (about 30%) and California King Snake (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Striped Whipsnake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Zion National Park (37 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
