California Snakes and How to Find Them

Emily Taylor is a professor of biological sciences at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where she conducts research on the physiology, ecology, and conservation biology of lizards and snakes. A staunch advocate for improving the public image of snakes, especially rattlesnakes, Dr. Taylor is founder of the community science initiative Project RattleCam (rattlecam.org), where members of the public help her and other scientists learn about rattlesnakes by analyzing photos and livestream footage from snake dens. She is owner of Central Coast Snake Services (centralcoastsnakeservices.com), which helps people and snakes in California coexist safely and peacefully. She lives in Atascadero, CA. Follow her on X @snakeymama.

• PrefaceIntroductionWhat Are Snakes?California Is a Perfect State for SnakesPeople and Snakes—A Complicated RelationshipWhat’s in a Snake’s Name?How to Find and Watch Snakes in CaliforniaThink Before You TouchCalifornia Rattlesnakes Deserve Our Respect, Not FearWhat Good Are Rattlesnakes? (sidebar or box)That’s Not a Snake!Family BoidaeRubber Boa (Charina bottae)Rosy Boa (Lichanura orcutti)Family ColubridaeGlossy Snake (Arizona elegans)Baja California Ratsnake (Bogertophis rosaliae)Shovel-nosed Snakes (Chionactis annulata and C. occipitalis)North American Racer (Coluber constrictor)Sharp-tailed Snakes (Contia longicauda and C. tenuis)Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus)Nightsnakes (Hypsiglena chlorophaea and H. ochrorhyncha)California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae)Mountain Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis multifasciata and L. zonata)Coachwhips (Masticophis flagellum and M. fuliginosus)Striped Racer (Masticophis lateralis)Striped Whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus)Watersnakes (Nerodia fasciata and N. sipedon)Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake (Phyllorhynchus decurtatus)Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer)Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei)Western Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis)Western Ground Snake (Sonora semiannulata)Black-headed Snakes (Tantilla hobartsmithi and T. planiceps)Aquatic Garter Snake (Thamnophis atratus)Sierra Garter Snake (Thamnophis couchii)Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans)Giant Garter Snake (Thamnophis gigas)Two-striped Garter Snake (Thamnophis hammondii)Checkered Garter Snake (Thamnophis marcianus)Northwestern Garter Snake (Thamnophis ordinoides)Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)Lyresnakes (Trimorphodon lambda and T. lyrophanes)Family HydrophiidaeYellow-bellied Sea Snake (Hydrophis platurus)Family LeptotyphlopidaeWestern Threadsnake (Rena humilis)Family TyphlopidaeBrahminy Blindsnake (Indotyphlops braminus)Family ViperidaeWestern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus)Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus pyrrhus)Red Diamond Rattlesnake (Crotalus ruber)Mojave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus)Panamint Rattlesnake (Crotalus stephensi)AcknowledgmentsRecommended Further ReadingAbout the Author

"If you live in, or a planning to visit to, California and you have an interest in snakes—or would like to develop one—this is a book that should most certainly be on your list for your next visit to your local book shop." —The Well-Read Naturalist"In this little volume, Dr. Emily Taylor has produced what seems like a totally new genre of literature. [...] Despite her impressive academic credentials, Taylor's writing style is refreshingly conversational." —Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research Bulletin"I've loved snakes since childhood and am thrilled to now have this gorgeous book as my companion to finding snakes wherever a walk on the wild side takes me." —Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club and The Backyard Bird Chronicles"For anyone who loves snakes, or who wants to love them, Emily Taylor's California Snakes and How to Find Them is packed with facts in reader- friendly prose by one of the world’s leading snake biologists and conservationists. The utility and emotional impact of this book are further enhanced by some of the most evocative photographs of snakes I've ever seen, spanning technically perfect closeups of heads to stunning images of individuals in their species-typical habitats. California Snakes sets a new high bar for nature education, and I look forward to future volumes about other animal groups." —Harry W. Greene, author of Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature and Tracks and Shadows: Field Biology as Art"Emily Taylor's books are indispensable. What Taylor has done and continues to do for popularizing California herpetology is unparalleled." —Obi Kaufmann, author of The California Field Atlas and The Deserts of California"Emily Taylor's enthusiasm and love for snakes shine through every sentence of California Snakes and How to Find Them. Her engaging personal stories, authoritative information, and spectacular photographs will charm snake-lovers and future snake-lovers alike. See you in the field, armed with persistence, luck, and knowledge. Happy herping!" —Marty Crump, author of Eye of Newt and Toe of Frog, Adder's Fork and Lizard’s Leg: The Lore and Mythology of Amphibians and Reptiles