(dramatic music)
- I'm Coyote Peterson, and right now I am face to face
with the deadliest rattlesnake in the world.
Dancin' with a Mohave rattlesnake.
This is one dangerous dance, my friends.
(intense instrumental music)
(roar)
The heart of rattlesnake territory is truly Arizona
which is home to 13 different species,
more than any other state.
Tonight we're out in the Sonoran Desert
and the temperature is absolutely perfect to find snakes.
I got my snake hook ready.
We're gonna head out there and see what we can find.
The rattlesnake specifically
has taken an unbelievable amount of negative press.
Holy moly, okay, don't get any closer.
Probably because if startled or provoked
they can inflict a very painful
and potentially lethal venomous bite.
Check this out.
This environment is absolutely perfect for finding snakes.
You can see how dry and arid all this is.
(excited gasp) I just saw it.
Look at that, ya got some kangaroo rats
runnin' around over here.
Now, that is a great sign that you're gonna find snakes.
Where there are rats,
there are definitely going to be snakes.
Okay, I got him.
(happy instrumental music)
I'm gonna be as gentle as possible.
I do have him by the scruff of his neck,
which is okay to handle them like that.
Look at that cute little bushy tail.
How adorable this that?
And these big hind feet,
and that's how they move so quickly through the desert.
Look, he's holdin' on to his toe right now, he's so scared.
This is proof that not everything out there in the desert
is covered in scales and stingers.
You better be careful out there, buddy.
if I can catch you,
ya better believe that a rattlesnake can.
Alright, I'm gonna let him go, you ready?
Hang around in the vicinity of kangaroo rats long enough
and you are almost certain to come across a rattlesnake.
Got a snake right here.
Snake, snake, snake.
Western Diamondback, come up slow.
- [Voiceover] I see his tail.
(eerie music and rattling)
- That is a Western Diamondback.
Okay, he's rattling.
Wait a minute, that is not a Western Diamondback
that is a Mohave rattlesnake.
This situation just went from dangerous
to extremely dangerous.
Okay, he's kinda tucked back in higher
by this barrel cactus.
Mark, go ahead and come around on this side.
Keep your distance back.
- [Voiceover] Incredible.
- [Coyote] That is the most venomous rattlesnake
in the world right there.
He's gettin' ready to go, okay, hold on.
I'm gonna try to work him up into this clearing here.
- [Voiceover] Right over here.
- Go ahead and come into this open area here.
(rattling)
Now he's rattling.
(excited exclamation)
Dancin' with a Mohave rattlesnake.
This is one dangerous dance, my friends.
Alright, now we've got him out in the open.
Keep your distance, keep your distance.
This is a very dangerous situation.
We are now talking about the most venomous rattlesnake
in the United States right here.
Let me see if I can just get him to calm down.
Holy cow, alright, my heart is racing.
Mark, keep your distance, right there.
We've got the snake calm, ya got an okay shot on him?
- [Voiceover] Yeah, decent.
- These snakes can strike incredibly far.
I'm gonna keep him still if I can.
They will actually lunge
two thirds of the length of their body.
Now, the way I was able to tell that this was a Mohave
and not a Western Diamondback,
they're so easy to confuse,
is that the white banding on the tail, the white bands
are thicker than the black bands.
And you can kinda see once the light is on him
he has a slight greenish tinge.
Can you see that?
Now, people often confuse this for Western Diamondback
because you see the patterning on its back
looks just like diamonds.
They're a little more oval in shape.
When I walked up on it I thought,
"Yes, sweet, a Western Diamondback,"
until I saw that tail (quick sigh)
and realized It's a Mohave, the most dangerous rattlesnake
that's out here in the Sonoran Desert.
It's just (exhales)
it is nerve wracking.
Hold on, he's startin' to move.
(rattling and dramatic music)
- [Voiceover] You can hear his rattle.
- I can hear his rattle.
I see he's just got a couple a little buttons.
Now he is not, you'll notice he's not striking.
This is good.
Now, snakes do not want to use their venom.
Striking and biting is definitely a last resort.
Hold on, hold on.
(intense music builds)
- [Voiceover] Oh geez.
- [Coyote] Look out!
- [Voiceover] Talk about what just happened,
how it happened.
- Okay, so just like that the snake decided,
"Okay, I'm gonna move," and he's getting a little agitated.
They are so incredibly strong.
And as soon as he decides, "Okay, I'm outta here,"
it's really, really difficult
to get him to curl back up like this.
(rattling)
See that, he's puffin' up his body.
He's gettin' ready to strike.
Now, a snake will only strike
if it feels like that's its last resort for escaping.
There ya go, there ya go, calm down, stay calm.
There ya go, buddy, alright.
(exhales)
My heart is goin' about a million miles a second right now.
- [Voiceover] That one made me nervous.
He was like darting right at the camera.
- [Coyote] Were you recording that whole time?
- [Voiceover] I tried to.
I don't know, I might have turned it off.
- Alright, Mark you can probably come around this way now
real slowly, go slow, go slow.
(rattling)
Alright, keep rolling, it's okay, go very slow.
He can sense that you guys are comin' around his back side.
Stay calm, wow.
This is about as close as i wanna get to this snake.
Let's talk about its venom toxicity.
Now the Mohave rattlesnake has two different venom types
depending on what region the snake is living in.
I cannot tell just looking at the snake
whether or not he has type A or type B venom.
The type A venom is a much stronger neurotoxin.
Type B is more hemotoxic.
Either way, you get bitten by this snake
its venom load, off the charts.
Ya get attacked by this snake,
ya wanna get to the hospital immediately.
Their venom has almost 10 times the toxicity
of the Western Diamondback rattlesnake.
Now you guys have seen me capture the Eastern Diamondback,
the Western Diamondback, Sidewinders,
and a lot of times I do head snakes
and show you their fangs.
This snake, I just feel is far too dangerous
to do that with.
All rattlesnake species are potentially deadly
but because this is the most toxic rattlesnake in the world
I'm even more nervous.
And the fact that I can't tell whether or not it has type A
or type B venom really makes me wanna just keep my distance
from this snake, I don't wanna try to handle it,
don't wanna head it, it commands respect.
and that is exactly what we're going to give it.
(rattling)
What an intense encounter.
Getting face to face with the most venomous rattlesnake
in the world.
I'm Coyote Peterson.
Be brave, stay wild.
We'll see ya on the next adventure.
(rattling)
If you thought that was one wild adventure,
check out the time I stumbled upon
a double-fanged Western Diamondback.
And don't forget, subscribe to join me and the crew
on this season of Breaking Trail.
Priority number one, guys is safety.
I wanna get that snake out of there.
I wanna be as careful as I can.
(growling and hoots)