Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00 The Chihuahuan Desert is great snake territory, full of blacktails, diamondbacks, and Mojave
00:09 rattlers.
00:10 The only place we're going to find blacktails is up there.
00:16 Rocks, yucca plants, cactus, heat.
00:21 That's a bit of a hike.
00:26 Just watch where you're putting your hand.
00:33 Check this out.
00:38 This is a mottled rattlesnake.
00:41 They live all over the place here, but look how camouflaged they are.
00:43 The same color rock, little shadows.
00:46 He's quite an old one.
00:47 This is a full-grown specimen.
00:48 I'm just going to lift you up here.
00:49 I'm not going to bother you, buddy.
00:50 There we are.
00:51 Rule number one, always use your stick.
00:56 Look at that, a pink belly.
00:59 What a pretty snake, man.
01:01 That's my first one.
01:06 The mottled rock rattler is synonymous with these treacherous outcrops.
01:14 Only two feet in length when fully grown, its grayish-pink scales blend seamlessly into
01:20 the cliffs and boulders it calls home.
01:27 There are more surprises to come.
01:31 Whoa, shit.
01:34 Easy, easy, boy.
01:38 Easy, easy, easy.
01:42 Don't do that.
01:45 Come here.
01:48 Out you come.
01:51 There we go.
01:54 That is a black-tailed rattlesnake.
01:58 Look at that.
02:01 Black tail, little black nose.
02:03 How cute is that?
02:04 This is the first one I've ever seen in the wild.
02:11 Jules is on a roll, his second new species in a matter of minutes.
02:16 And this is exactly the environment they live in.
02:20 This is about 5,000 feet high elevation, really cold nights, very hot day like today.
02:27 Black tails are easy to distinguish from the western diamondback.
02:31 Their yellowish scales and darker diamonds blend perfectly with the leaves and shadows
02:36 of the yucca plant.
02:43 And he's eating pocket mice all over the place here, little pocket mice, little tiny mice.
02:49 He's also hunted by raptors, birds of prey.
02:52 They live on these rocks too.
02:54 So he lives under stuff like this which will really rip you up.
02:57 So he's a little defensive.
02:59 Very lucky to find one.
03:05 I'm going to put you back in there, buddy.
03:07 No bird of prey is going to get you today.
03:10 Look at that.
03:12 That is gorgeous.
03:14 Look at that guy.
03:16 Okay, go on then.
03:17 Back you go.
03:19 Go hide under there, man.
03:23 That's fantastic.
03:28 ( music )
03:32 ( music )
03:37 ( music )