ARUBA ISLAND RATTLESNAKE Crotalus unicolor Reptile Order Squamata Description Small, pale grey or grey-brown, patterned with overlapping dorsal scales, pale brown in color and triangular in shape. The head and neck are patterned with a pair of stripes that may extend well onto the body. The pattern is often vague or virtually absent. Average adult size is 3 feet. Range Aruba Island, Netherlands-West Indies Status Currently listed as threatened by the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Photo by Greg Neise

Ecology Habitat   Rocky hillsides, rock slides, and adjacent rocky, sandy fields (habitat dominated by desert flora).   Niche Nocturnal during the warmer months, these animals are active in early morning and late afternoon during the rest of the year. The diet includes small rodents and birds and Teiid lizards. Life History These snakes have small litters of live young. The young are eight inches in length and have fully functioning venom sacs or glands at birth. longevity is 15-20+ years. Special Adaptations Heat sensing pits help the snake locate prey The rattle at the end of the tail warns off enemies and acts as a first line of defense