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Greg Lasley Nature Photography
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their display here in no way implies consent for any form of distribution or reuse.
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The Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma) occurs in the south-central U.S., westward into central Texas. In Florida and south Georgia the Eastern Cottonmouth occurs, which is quite similar to the western subspecies. This is a venomous snake and extreme care should be taken if you come across one. I do not kill snakes, since it is my belief they are a part of nature and should have the right to exist just like we do, but I am cautios when around them. The top two photos here, of a small Western Cottonmouth, were taken in May, 2001, along a sandy road in Jefferson Co., Texas, only a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico. The shots were taken a Canon EOS3 and an EF 70-200 F/2.8L lens on Fuji Velvia. The opem mouth posture is a defensive or threat display from which the species gets its common name.
The Western Cottonmouth below was patrolling a section of the San Marcos River near Luling, Caldwell Co., Texas, in July, 2003. I was only able to get a few marginal shots with a Canon EOS 10D and EF 70-200 mm L IS lens and 2X extender as the snake went past me. This particular snake was about three feet long.
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The Western Cottonmouth in the next four images was crossing a gravel road in Lewisville, Denton Co., Texas in August, 2007. This small snake, about 2 feet long, was quite feisty, and immediately assumed a defensive posture with its mouth held open. It maintained this posture the entire time we stood nearby. After a few shots with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 300mm F/4 L IS lens and 2X extender, we walked away and left the snake to go about its business. The fangs are folded up against the roof of the mouth, which is typical except when the snake actually bites at prey.
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