gentetip

The Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge is over 8,000 acres located in southwest Oklahoma. It is home to over 200 species of birds, more than 60 species of reptiles and amphibians, 50 species of mammals, and at least 36 species of fish exist.

Many visitors come to hike the rocky trails and watch wildlife. Wild turkey, elk, bison, prairie dogs and river otters have all been reintroduced here with success! While we didn’t see all of these animals burrowing owls and Texas longhorn cattle can also be seen here.

The main goal of this trip besides just being out in nature is to observe and photograph rattlesnakes! My favorite subject! We were hoping to see a Western Massasauga and a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake but only were able to find the Diamondback. It is rumored that Prairie Rattlesnakes live here as well but I am not sure of any confirmed sightings. Are you? Leave a comment down below if you have knowledge of their presence in the Wichita Mountains!

We went on a holiday weekend and will never do that again but we were lucky enough to film a colony of prairie dogs and a Diamondback rattlesnake! Also we got some footage of the bison that were there. I hope you enjoy this video!

Ring-necked Snakes (Diadophis punctatus) is a harmless species of colubrid snake found throughout much of the United States, central Mexico, and southeastern Canada. Ring-necked snakes are reclusive, nocturnal snakes, so are rarely seen during the day time unless they are flipped.

They are slightly venomous, but their nonaggressive nature and small, rear-facing fangs pose no threat to humans who wish to handle them. They are best known for their unique defense posture of curling up their tails, exposing their bright red-orange posterior, ventral surface when threatened.

Ring-necked snakes eat earthworms, salamanders and other snakes when available!

#rattlesnake #oksnakes #crotalusatrox

The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake feeds on small mammals such as prairie dogs, rabbits, gophers, chipmunks, ground squirrels, mice and rats, usually they hunt at night. The snake will lay along a trail and ambush a prey item or attack them in their burrows, sometimes striking and swallowing an animal which is bigger than the snake itself. Given the opportunity, the snake will also eat birds. After feeding, the snake can go several weeks before feeding again.

#crotalus #mojave #rattlesnake

The Mojave rattlesnake is an inhabitant of the American southwest. They look amazingly similar to the Western Diamondback rattlesnake but have a more toxic bite. They are reclusive animals which generally flee from people when encountered.

This snake is found in the southwestern United States in southern California, southern Nevada, extreme southwestern Utah, most of Arizona, southern New Mexico, and some of Texas. It also ranges southward through much of Mexico to southern Puebla. It is found in deserts and other areas with xeric vegetation from near sea level to about 2500 m altitude.

The Mojave rattlesnake is one of the world's most venomous snakes. The most common subspecies of Mojave rattlesnake (type A) has a neurotoxic venom that is considered to be the most debilitating and potentially deadly of all rattlesnakes, and even matching several elapids. However, your odds for survival are good if medical attention is sought as soon as possible after a bite.

This was shot at a facility in Oklahoma.