One of the most misunderstood types of reptiles in America is the cottonmouth. Whenever someone sees a dark snake close to any bodies of water like ponds, marshes, drainage ditches, and creeks, he or she automatically assumes that the snake is a cottonmouth. It is important for us to know how to identify a cottonmouth by looking into certain characteristics, rather than by using just one very distinct characteristic alone. The following features are the criteria mentioned by scientists and field guides when identifying cottonmouths:
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, cottonmouths are semiaquatic pit vipers, which typically dwell in wetlands and water systems throughout the southeastern part of the United States. However, there are other harmless species of snakes that can also live in the same areas as these cottonmouths.
