You can distinguish the Water Moccasin by its thickness and its buoyancy.  From a distance it will appear to be a large snake.  Also if it is in the water almost its whole body is afloat.  Another way to distinguish the Moccasin is by the inside of its mouth.  When a Water Moccasin is threatened it will coil up and open its mouth revealing a cotton white lining.  This snake is dark in over all color an olive colored green from brown to black. These snakes are usually 3 to 4 feet long.  This is a highly dangerous predator.

 

The Water Moccasin is found in most of the southeastern United States.  This animal is an opportunistic feeder and eats frogs, fish small mammals, baby alligators, baby turtles, salamanders, other snakes, and road kill. 

 

This animal does so well in its environment is because it has a very poisonous bite.

I learned that the Water Moccasin get its scientific name from it eating a lot of fish.  I also learned that it is called a water moccasin because of its leathery skin.  It is called cottonmouth because of the cotton lining in its mouth

  

Author: Dylan G

Published: 02/10

 

Sources:

 Quint, Scott Matthew and Salmon, Gerry; “Is That Really a Water Moccasin?” No date:

http://www.coastalplainsreptiles.com/articles/Everyone/ReallyMoccasin.html.  No Author “Moccasin.  Water (Cottonmouth) (Agkistrodon Piscivorus.)”  06-25-03:  http://www.oplin.lib.oh.us/snake/fact%20pages/moccasin_water/moccasin_water.html

Berger, Cynthina; “Wild Guide: Venomous Snakes.” 2007

No Author “Eastern/Florida Cottonmouth/Water Moccasin” No date: http://timberrattlesnake89.tripod.com/cottonmouth.html

 

Photo Credit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cottonmouth_quarter.jpg