Reptiles
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
Crotalus oreganus oreganus · also called northern Pacific rattlesnakes
Coiled among rocks on a cool Pacific Northwest hillside, a northern Pacific rattlesnake remains active in conditions that would send most other rattlesnake species underground, its tolerance for cooler temperatures having carried it farther north than almost any other rattlesnake on the continent.
Overview
The northern Pacific rattlesnake, Crotalus oreganus oreganus, is a venomous pit viper native to a wide variety of habitat, including grassland, woodland, and rocky mountain slopes, across the Pacific Northwest and California. Its unusually far-north range, tolerance for cooler temperatures and higher elevations, and status as a subspecies of the wider western rattlesnake complex make it one of the more climate-tolerant and geographically far-reaching rattlesnakes in North America.
A rattlesnake built for cooler country
While most rattlesnakes stay confined to warmer climates, the northern Pacific rattlesnake’s tolerance for cooler conditions has let it push into cooler, higher, and farther-north habitat than nearly any other rattlesnake species can manage.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and stable across suitable habitat throughout the Pacific Northwest and California.
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake: common questions
How far north does the northern Pacific rattlesnake range?
This species ranges farther north than almost any other rattlesnake in North America, reaching well into the Pacific Northwest, an unusually cool and temperate range for rattlesnakes generally, made possible by this species' comparatively high tolerance for cooler temperatures relative to many of its more heat-dependent relatives.
Why can the northern Pacific rattlesnake live at higher elevations than other rattlesnakes?
This species tolerates cooler conditions than many other rattlesnake species, allowing it to remain active at higher mountain elevations and along the cooler Pacific coast where more heat-dependent rattlesnake relatives would be forced to stay underground for much of the year.
Is the northern Pacific rattlesnake its own species?
No, this species is classified as a subspecies within the broader western rattlesnake group, distinguished from related subspecies mainly by its more northern range and some associated physical differences, rather than being recognised as a fully separate species in its own right.
What does the northern Pacific rattlesnake eat?
This species is a carnivore feeding mainly on rodents, birds, lizards, and other small vertebrates, using venom delivered through hollow fangs to subdue prey before swallowing it whole, a hunting strategy typical of rattlesnakes generally.