It was a good month for the critically endangered “rattle-less” rattler species at the Los Angeles Zoo, which saw five babies born as part of an exhibit that mimics the climate and environment of the Southwest desert.
The five newborn venomous pit-vipers — known for their unique feature of not having warning rattles — are among at least 17 baby snakes of various rattlesnake species that slithered into the world at the zoo last month.
The rattle-less species is found only on Isla Santa Catalina in the Gulf of California, off the coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Five of the other babies are sidewinders, which are neither endangered nor rare, but nevertheless charm zoo-goers with their distinctive way of moving.
The other seven are Southwest speckled rattlesnakes, which evolved to blend in with their white granite rock surroundings in the mountainous areas of Southern Arizona and Baja, Mexico.
The newborns are being cared for at an off-site nursery and will be sent to zoos around the country. Their parents can be viewed at the Los Angeles Zoo’s Desert LAIR exhibit daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
