Rattlesnakes free essay sample

Rattle Sound My appearance makes so many people scare, Egyptians venerates me like a supreme genie, but my house is just a modest hole I have no ears, but vibrations from the ground will help me know who are coming Stay away from me, or you will die from my bite. Rattlesnakes, the native snake in America, are worth spending time watching not only because they are one of the most dangerous and scary creatures in the wilderness, but also the only type of snakes that can make the unique sound from its tail. Slithering, stealthing, waiting, the snake springs up to its prey at high speed. A long time ago, rattlesnakes were pervasive in rural areas where they were used to symbolize the guardianship. The sound of the rattlesnakes’ tails is similar to the one that were used in annual rituals to call down the rain and wish for a good harvest (Duilio). We will write a custom essay sample on Rattlesnakes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Snake, in general, is usually considered as a beneficial animal since it preys on harmful rodents, which are the threat to both humans and crops. Rattlesnakes, despite of their lethal poison, is actually a guardian of the farm and helps to keep the rodent population in check. On the other hand, the fearful look of rattlesnakes allows them to be used as the protective symbol in many sacred places. One of the unique characteristics of rattlesnakes is their fearlessness. When there are threats to the nest, rattlesnakes usually hold and defend its ground rather than retreat even when the opponent is stronger. Rattlesnake, indeed, is very interesting animal that human is usually obsessed with because of its terrifying look, poisonous venom, and the rattling sound. Rattlesnakes exist in almost lower 48 states of United States (Rubio). Especially in California, you can easily find rattlesnakes in the wild areas such as LA Nation Park or San Bernardino National Forest. Rattlesnakes are found easily in the warm weather, especially in spring and summer. Even though rattlesnakes are very poisonous, they are not likely to attack unless people directly threaten them, disturb their nest, or get too close to their territory. If you want to watch a rattlesnake, make sure you wear footloose shoes and always keep a safe distance, about 10-15 feet, between you and the snake (Rubio). In general, the strike of a coiled rattlesnake can cover a distance of approximately 1/3 the snake’s length. Therefore, a three feet rattlesnake can strike and bite an object up to one foot away as fast as lighting (Rubio). Thus, it is better to use binoculars to view the snakes from a further distance rather than approaching their nests. Rattlesnakes usually live in a very dry areas: desert, warm, low mountainous, sunny areas, or savannah. Hikers reported that they have found rattlesnakes along their paths where it is very dry and mostly exposed to the sun. The scales on a rattlesnake can be yellow, brown, or black. They also have dark V or diamond shaped markings along their back. The snake smells with its tongue and has two long, hollow fangs. Rattlesnake can even sense heat with pits on the side of its head (Harry). Most rattlesnakes have rattles even though they are born without one. People often mistake rattlesnakes with gopher snakes because of their similar markings; nevertheless,  they are pretty easy to tell apart. Gopher snakes are skinny compared to rattlesnakes and have slender heads and round pupils in their eyes; conversely, rattlesnakes have elliptical pupils or cat eyes (Harry). The biggest different between them is that rattlesnakes have rattles in their tails and they use them when frightened. The noise made by the rattle is from the segments knocking together when shaken. When the rattlesnake is alarmed, it will create this sound to warn the intruder. The sound they make can be heard from about 60 feet away (Harry). However, if the rattle becomes too wet, it will not make noise even though the snake is still capable of attacking the intruder. Though rattlesnakes are dangerous if provoked, they also provide humans with a tremendous service they eat rodents, other reptiles and insects, and are in turn eaten by other predators. Even though rattlesnakes spend most of their time on the ground, they can also be a submarine in water. They will go into water readily in order to pursue food, mates, or to escape harassment. Another interesting fact about rattlesnake is they are ovoviviparous, which means that the embryos develop inside the egg within their mother’s body until they are ready to hatch (Pole). So the baby rattlesnakes are born fully formed, ready to hunt and ready to defend themselves. Snake is an animal that connects closely to so many legends as well as the culture of humanity. In ancient Egypt, the snake was a symbol of power and worship. You can easy see the snake symbol everywhere in Egypt palace and royal tombs even on the jewelry of imperial family. In Europe, the fall from grace of Adam and Eve is inextricably linked with the snake. It was a snake, here in female form that tempted Eve to taste the forbidden fruit of the tree. The snake is therefore viewed as a symbol of evil and deceitfulness and as the embodiment of temptation and sin (Duilio).