Hobbies And Interests
Copperhead
Copperheads (Agkistrodon contortri) are medium-size snakes with a stout body and distinct, triangular head. Mature snakes grow between two and three feet long. They are usually tan to copper-colored and have an hourglass pattern along their back; juvenile snakes have yellow tails. Copperheads live in a wide variety of habitats including woodlands, open fields and in rocky hillsides.
Cottonmouth
Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) is a venomous aquatic snake that can be found in the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers around Fort Smith. Cottonmouths are dark snakes with a solid black or dark gray color; they receive their common name due to the lightly colored mouth. Cottonmouths are one of the most aggressive venomous snakes in Arkansas and will not hesitate to strike when threatened.
Timber Rattlesnake
Timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) are large, heavy-bodied snakes. Timber rattlesnakes have a highly variable appearance and range in color from solid black to pale brown with intricate camouflage patterns. Timber rattlesnakes are a very timid species and may not even rattle their tail when threatened.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
The Western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) is the largest venomous snake in Arkansas though populations are low and little is known about their status in the State, according to biologists at the University of Arkansas. Western diamondbacks have a mottled brown coloration with distinct diamond-shaped patterns along their back.
Western Pigmy Rattlesnake
The pigmy rattlesnake ((Sistrurus miliarius) is the smallest pit viper around Fort Smith. Pigmy rattlesnakes are dark gray and spotted with brown or black patches as well as a copper line that runs the length of their body. Pigmy rattlesnakes spend most of their time in leaf litter in forests and under rocks and logs. Though small, pigmy rattlesnakes have rattles that can sound as loud as a diamondback's.