88306 Prairie Rattlesnake
Grasslands National Park has several reptile species, including turtles, short-horned lizards, and five species of snake. The Prairie Rattlesnake is one you don't want to step on! When I ran photo workshops here for a decade, I would advise my students, "If you're walking, keep your eyes on the ground, watch where you place each footstep. If you want to admire the scenery, stop walking. Simple."
Simple, yes, but not so easy to remember. Luckily, I knew some good locations to photograph them, including this overhanging rock under which they would seek cooling shade on a hot summer day. It has been several years since I found a snake here, but back in the days of film, I had many sessions with them. This species isn't aggressive. You really have to make an effort - or be both oblivious and unlucky - to get bitten.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada); scanned from the original Fujichrome Provia 100 slide. Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2001 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
88306 Prairie Rattlesnake
Grasslands National Park has several reptile species, including turtles, short-horned lizards, and five species of snake. The Prairie Rattlesnake is one you don't want to step on! When I ran photo workshops here for a decade, I would advise my students, "If you're walking, keep your eyes on the ground, watch where you place each footstep. If you want to admire the scenery, stop walking. Simple."
Simple, yes, but not so easy to remember. Luckily, I knew some good locations to photograph them, including this overhanging rock under which they would seek cooling shade on a hot summer day. It has been several years since I found a snake here, but back in the days of film, I had many sessions with them. This species isn't aggressive. You really have to make an effort - or be both oblivious and unlucky - to get bitten.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada); scanned from the original Fujichrome Provia 100 slide. Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2001 James R. Page - all rights reserved.