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Meet The 4 Largest Rattlesnakes Ever

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Author Jen Fitschen, BSc Computer Science and Oceanography

western diamondback rattlesnake
Western diamondback rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Image generated by Animals Around the Globe using Midjourney

Read all the way to the end – we save the one detail most people never think about for last.

Have you ever wondered what the three largest rattlesnake ever are? Well, I had this thought this morning and needed to find out more. Join me in this journey to find out more!

In Fourth Place

rattlesnake
The Mexican west coast rattlesnake also known as Crotalus basiliscus. Image by Evelyn D. Harrison via Shutterstock
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In fourth place is the Mexican West Coast Rattlesnake, scientifically known as Crotalus basiliscus. They typically range from 2 to 4 feet (approximately 0.6 to 1.2 meters) in length. Additionally, they are found in Mexico, particularly along the Pacific coast.

The Bronze Medalist

timber rattlesnake
Timber Rattlesnake. Crotalus horridus is a venomous pit viper native to the Eastern United States. Image via Depositphotos
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In third place in the Eastern Timber Rattlesnake! Its scientific name is Crotalus horridus. Generally they grow to lengths of 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 meters). Furthermore, they are found throughout the eastern US, from Texas to Minnesota and as far east as New Hampshire and North Carolina.

The Silver Medalist

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. Image by Peter Paplanus, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Excitingly in second place is the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, also known as Crotalus atrox. They grow to lengths of up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) and are found in the the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, mostly in arid and semi-arid regions.

The Gold Medalist

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)
Head of an eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus). Image via Depositphotos
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Finally, in first place is the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake! It takes the crown as the largest rattlesnake in the world, growing up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) in length. Generally they are found in the southeastern United States, particularly in Florida and parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.

Wrapping Up with the Largest Rattlesnakes

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake photographed in Scranton, United States. Image by Anastasia Pirri via Unsplash
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In conclusion, there are quite a few largest rattlesnakes in the world, but these four are at the top! In other words they are large and in charge and dominate the their competition with their size.

Thank you for following along with this article – 

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