Rattlesnake Love | National Geographic

early spring in Mexico’s Sonoran Desert

early spring in Mexico’s Sonoran Desert when nature gives diamondback

when nature gives diamondback

when nature gives diamondback rattlesnakes their wake-up call

they’ve spent the entire winter

they’ve spent the entire winter underground in a cozy layer away from

underground in a cozy layer away from

underground in a cozy layer away from cold and predators

cold and predators

cold and predators now it’s time to head outdoors and feel

now it’s time to head outdoors and feel

now it’s time to head outdoors and feel the warmth of the Sun

the females are free to bask to their

the females are free to bask to their heart’s content

heart’s content

heart’s content besides warming their bodies the Sun

besides warming their bodies the Sun

besides warming their bodies the Sun helps their eggs develop as they get

helps their eggs develop as they get

helps their eggs develop as they get ready to breed speaking of breeding the

ready to breed speaking of breeding the

ready to breed speaking of breeding the mature males now have to fight it out to

mature males now have to fight it out to

mature males now have to fight it out to see who gets prime access to the females

see who gets prime access to the females

see who gets prime access to the females the male Rattlers perform a weird ritual

the male Rattlers perform a weird ritual

the male Rattlers perform a weird ritual of one-upsmanship they stretch

of one-upsmanship they stretch

of one-upsmanship they stretch themselves to see which one is the

themselves to see which one is the

themselves to see which one is the biggest tallest and strongest this is a

biggest tallest and strongest this is a

biggest tallest and strongest this is a fairly civilized ceremony considering

fairly civilized ceremony considering

fairly civilized ceremony considering Diamondback venom inflicts everything

Diamondback venom inflicts everything

Diamondback venom inflicts everything from extensive tissue damage swelling

from extensive tissue damage swelling

from extensive tissue damage swelling and bleeding to death the rival doesn’t

and bleeding to death the rival doesn’t

and bleeding to death the rival doesn’t measure up so he has to leave the

measure up so he has to leave the

measure up so he has to leave the serpent King to his females the females

serpent King to his females the females

serpent King to his females the females are rested and ready they’re resting

are rested and ready they’re resting

are rested and ready they’re resting together the male checks him out to see

together the male checks him out to see

together the male checks him out to see if they’re ready to breathe

if they’re ready to breathe

if they’re ready to breathe this head rubbing courtship display

this head rubbing courtship display

this head rubbing courtship display looks like he not only wants to be mr.

looks like he not only wants to be mr.

looks like he not only wants to be mr. right but mr. right now

male and female can stay locked in

male and female can stay locked in Congress for an entire day nor more over

Congress for an entire day nor more over

Congress for an entire day nor more over all that time neither gets rattled and

all that time neither gets rattled and

all that time neither gets rattled and after all this productive pleasuring

after all this productive pleasuring

after all this productive pleasuring it’s time for a meal oh yeah

it’s time for a meal oh yeah

it’s time for a meal oh yeah what haven’t eaten for five months yeah

what haven’t eaten for five months yeah

what haven’t eaten for five months yeah no wonder they’re hungry a squirrel is

no wonder they’re hungry a squirrel is

no wonder they’re hungry a squirrel is spotted and the snakes hemotoxic venom

spotted and the snakes hemotoxic venom

spotted and the snakes hemotoxic venom incidentally poisons the squirrels blood

incidentally poisons the squirrels blood

incidentally poisons the squirrels blood the Diamondback is careful to align

the Diamondback is careful to align

the Diamondback is careful to align itself so it can swallow the head first

itself so it can swallow the head first

itself so it can swallow the head first that way the limbs fold neatly and the

that way the limbs fold neatly and the

that way the limbs fold neatly and the fur rugs the snake’s innards the right

fur rugs the snake’s innards the right

fur rugs the snake’s innards the right way the Diamondback unhinges its jaws

way the Diamondback unhinges its jaws

way the Diamondback unhinges its jaws this way it can swallow animals that are

this way it can swallow animals that are

this way it can swallow animals that are many times bigger than its own skull one

many times bigger than its own skull one

many times bigger than its own skull one final yawn and the rattler resets its

final yawn and the rattler resets its

final yawn and the rattler resets its jaw

jaw

jaw you