Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Amphibians and Reptiles of North Carolina – Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
In North Carolina, diamondbacks are usually found in sandy pine flatwoods in the southeastern Coastal Plain. Unfortunately, due to habitat destruction and collecting and killing of adults, very few diamondback rattlesnakes survive in the state.

Smithsonian National Zoo – Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
This species is easily identified by the diamond-shaped pattern along its back (the source of its common name), as well as the distinctive black band that covers its eyes, outlined by two pale lines. It has vertical, cat-like pupils, and there is a large pit between the nostril and the eye on each side of its face.

University of Georgia – Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
The eastern diamondback Rattlesnake receives no federal protection despite the fact that it has declined over much of its range. This species is protected in North Carolina , where it is likely extirpated (none have been seen in NC since the early 1990s).

Outdoor Alabama – Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest species of rattlesnake in the world.  It is a heavy-bodied snake that can reach lengths close to seven feet, although the average adult is four to five feet. An eastern diamondback rattlesnake may live up to 20 years, but the typical lifespan in the wild would be about 10 years.

Zoo Atlanta – Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
This snake historically ranged along the Coastal Plain of the Southeastern U.S. from Louisiana to North Carolina and the entire Florida Peninsula. They are now missing from parts of their historic range, with healthy populations appearing to persist only in parts of Southern Georgia and Florida.