Midwest massassauga rattlers...

[Sushigaijin]

the massassauga rattlesnake is in serious trouble. Across its range it has been the victim of wetland contamination, draining, encroachment, and deliberate bounty slaughter. Today it is protected over most of its range but the prognosis is poor.

There are still places that one can find a 'sauga or two and I'm lucky enough to know where one is.

Eastern Massassauga Rattlesnake, Sistrurus Catenatus Catenatus.

Nice half-shed job. I didn't want to help her with the skin left on her head...way too close to the business end! Although I don't think there has EVER been a fatal 'sauga bite, they ARE rattlesnakes and I wouldn't want to get bitten. It would really ruin my weekend.







in its natural setting, a midwest fen.



a second animal, also ready to shed. I have a feeling that the 'saugas on the surface were all pregnant ('saugas give live birth) females that were catching some sun in order to shed. As snakes stretch with young (or a large food item) they need to shed more frequently in order to replace the stretched skin before it rips or bags.



Hope you enjoyed these rare critters as much as I did!

[flyinion]

Wow those are beautiful (I love snakes, though family/friends don't so I probably won't own one again). Just curious, how far away were you? I can't imagine trying to get close enough to a poisonous snake in the wild to get a picture.

[AmberC]

Pretty! I really like the first and the second ones! :thumbsup:

[Sushigaijin]

Thanks everyone!

Just curious, how far away were you? I can't imagine trying to get close enough to a poisonous snake in the wild to get a picture.

These were shot with either my 12-60 or my 50-200 with a 25mm tube. The wider shots are wide enough where I didn't have to get within the two foot danger zone of the first snake. The second snake was not disturbed and was only photographed as found so I was comfortable enough to get within a foot and a half of it. The 50-200 behaves like a 100-400 in 35mm format so it gives me PLENTY of working space both with and without the tube but breaks my back at over 2# of extra weight. Still, it's worth it for the close-ups.

Most of the time I shoot with my 50mm macro, but at 100mm in 35mm equivalent it simply isn't long enough to shoot these diminutive (two foot) rattlesnakes because I have to get in too close. Typically with "hot" snakes I stay at least one body length away.

[CaraRose]

Very nice shots... I especially like the third.

Were these taken in IL?

[paulnj]

Awesome shots of a rare find! I love the in situ approach you take with your images too!

Side not, did you know that "operation shellshock" caught a canadian smuggling them into NY for sales on the black market pet trade.

[Sushigaijin]

Cararose, these weren't shot in Illinois but there ARE massassaugas here. They used to find them in window wells all the time when they were first developing milwaukee avenue, just northwest of niles. Today that population is extirpated (locally extinct) but I do know that biologists have found saugas in chicagoland in the last few years. When and where is a closely guarded secret. The densest known population in the world is in central illinois.

Paul, I did hear that some saugas were confiscated in the Big Bust. I found it strange at the time because they aren't particularly desirable captives. At least, no more desirable than the other small rattlesnakes that are pretty common in other areas (pigmys, sidewinders, etc.)