Snakes in Sonoita, Arizona

Sonoita is a populated area in southern Arizona's Santa Cruz county. It is located in the northwest portion of the county and is surrounded by natural habitats that serve as home to 27 different snake species. Most of the native snakes are not considered harmful to humans, but six are venomous and may pose a risk.

  1. Large Snakes

    • The area around Sonoita is home to six large species of snake. The largest of these, the Sonoran gopher snake, grows to 92 inches. It is one of two subspecies of gopher snake found in the state. The Sonoran whipsnake is the next largest species at 70 inches in length followed by the Sonoran coachwhip and red racers at 68 inches. The Sonoran coachwhip and racers are both subspecies of the coachwhip. The green rat snake grows to 63 inches in length and has a slender body. The area's other large species is the desert king snake which is a subspecies of the common king snake and grows to 56 inches.

    Medium-Sized Snakes

    • Most of the species in the area are medium-sized and grow to between 2 and 4 feet in length. The Sonoran lyresnake, checkered garter, black-necked garter, big-bend patch-nose, Arizona mountain king and Arizona glossy snakes all grow to just under 4 feet. The long-nosed, eastern patch-nose and Mexican hog-nosed snakes grow to around 3 feet in length.

    Small Snakes

    • The area around Sonoita is home to six smaller snake species that are less than 2 feet in length, on average. The smallest is the Yaqui black-headed snake which grows to just over a foot in length. The Chihuahuan hook-nosed, Chihuahuan black-headed and western thread snakes are all a few inches longer, averaging around 15 inches. The hooded nightsnake and the ground snake grow to just under 2 feet long.

    Venomous Snakes

    • Those living in or visiting the areas around Sonoita have six venomous snake species to watch out for. The large western diamondback rattlesnake is the largest, at 66 inches. Four other rattlesnakes live in the area and include the rock, black-tailed, Mojave and ridge-nosed rattlers. The state's other venomous species is the colorful Sonoran coral snake. All six species are potentially harmful to humans and all bites should be treated immediately.