Description: Black-tailed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus molossus) are medium-sized rattlesnakes, growing to about 3-ft long. The background color usually is brown (can be all black), patterned with dark, blotchy crossbars. The tail is black, and usually there is a black patch on top of the head, sometimes sliding over the eyes to form a "bandit mask."

These snakes are venomous. Do not handle rattlesnakes; rather, enjoy your good luck of finding one from a distance (minimum 4 feet) and leave them alone.

Taxonomy: Pit Vipers Family (Viperidae).

Where to Find: Don't look for Black-tailed Rattlesnakes around Las Vegas. Rather, look for them in the pine-oak woodlands of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and south into Mexico.