Fish and Wildlife Service consider listing world's biggest rattlesnake as "threatened"

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering a petition to list the eastern diamondback rattlesnake as threatened and designate critical habitat for the species under the Endangered Species Act.

Eastern diamondbacks are the largest rattlesnakes in the world - The eastern diamondback historically ranged along the coastal lowlands of the southeastern United States from North Carolina to eastern Louisiana, including all of Florida and its Keys.  

Its habitat has been disappearing and the snakes have been disappearing with it so now a number of conservation groups have petitioned for the snake to be designated as threatened.

The Fish and Wildlife Service is starting a 90-day finding to see if there is substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the eastern diamondback rattlesnake may be warranted.

The Service is asking for information from state and federal natural resource agencies and all interested parties regarding the eastern diamondback rattlesnake and its habitat.

Comments and information can be sent over the internet at regulations.gov.

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