{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "rattlesnake",
  "name": "Western Diamondback Rattlesnake",
  "scientificName": "Crotalus atrox",
  "category": "Reptile",
  "summary": "The western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) is a large venomous pit viper of the deserts and scrublands of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It grows to around 1.2 m (4 ft), sometimes up to 1.5 m, and warns intruders by shaking the hollow, interlocking segments of its tail into a distinctive rattle. A carnivore that ambushes rodents, it can live 15 to 20 years in the wild and is listed as Least Concern.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Reptilia",
    "order": "Squamata",
    "family": "Viperidae",
    "genus": "Crotalus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1.8,
    "lengthM": 1.2,
    "topSpeedKmh": 8,
    "lifespanYears": 18
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Crotalus atrox"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Deserts, scrubland, and rocky slopes"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "15–20 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Length",
      "value": "1–1.5 m (3–5 ft)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 8 km/h (5 mph)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Deserts and scrublands of the southwestern United States, including Texas and Arizona, and into northern Mexico.",
    "continents": [
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Crotalus atrox.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Crotalus%20atrox&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Crotalus atrox. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Crotalus_atrox/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_diamondback_rattlesnake"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/rattlesnake/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/rattlesnake/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}