Kinzua Critters

Reptiles

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

(Sistrurus catenatus)

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

Species Description

**Description:** Pennsylvania’s only federally threatened snake; a small, thick-bodied rattlesnake with dark, rounded blotches.
**Size:** Typically 18–30 inches long.
**Habitat:** Specialist of wet meadows, peat bogs, and adjacent upland fields.
**Behavior:** Shy and secretive; they rely on camouflage and are rarely aggressive.