30: Coachwhip

I write to you from Arapahoe, Ute, and Cheyenne land. I am interested in learning about the different animals that live in the place where I was born. I want to mention that biological classification as taught by western science has its roots in racism, sexism, and transphobia – here’s a good explainer about why.

Ok guys I have been extremely remiss in writing these this past week because my life’s occupation was scrolling Twitter in between (and sometimes at the same time as) walking my dog. But we’re BACK and today we are going to learn about the Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum), one of the largest and fastest snakes in North America. In Colorado, they can be five feet in length! They live mainly in the southeast of the state and enjoy a diet of small mammals, reptiles, and even birds. They generally live below 6000 feet, but have been seen above 7000 feet in the Wet Mountains, a low range in Custer County which is made up largely of pre-Cambrian granite. I mention the rock because it’s some of the oldest in the state.

These snakes can come in a large variety of colors and honestly I’m not sure I could be certain of telling if I’d seen one, but the scales on the tail resemble a braided whip. Although they live in other states, Colorado is the only place where they have a reddish/pinkish color, hence their local name (and the one I was familiar with as a child), Red Racer.

This description from the Colorado Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation is quite evocative:

“The Coachwhip is a diurnal species, often seen foraging in the hottest hours of a summer day. When foraging, the Coachwhip holds its head vertically, high above the ground, and it can prowl at a rate of 0.30 mph (0.5 kph) and a maximum speed of 3.7 mph (6.0 kph)... Their speed is associated with their unusually long major axial muscle units. Their activity is not restricted to the ground because C. flagellum has the ability to climb into shrubs and low trees to bask or forage.”

For some reason, I never put it together that snakes could climb trees, despite going to a Catholic high school where I had to take a class about the Old Testament. The coachwhip will even climb trees to avoid predators – though their most common predators are hawks.

As for their vibe? Sounds like the person who wrote their description for Colorado Parks and Wildlife might be biased:

“Coachwhips have somewhat of a reputation for their attitude. When pursued or cornered they often turn toward the attacker and vibrate their tail and strike repeatedly. The reputation is not helped by the fact that they seem to have a very liberal definition of being pursued or cornered. They may exhibit their bravado to a passing bicyclist, a walker on the bike path, or even an innocent park ranger checking on a stalled vehicle. They are non-venomous and are of no threat to humans.”