At the buzz of a rattlesnake, the heart races, and the adrenalin flows. Our response is primal, physical.

But rattlesnakes also exert a power over the imagination. For many, the fear of rattlesnakes is mixed with fascination.

Rattlesnakes are impressive predators, and they play an important role in the West Texas ecosystem.

Rattlesnakes first appeared about 4 million year ago. They're the most recently evolved snake – and the most highly specialized.

They're unique to the Americas, found from Canada to Argentina. But West Texas is truly rattlesnake country. The majority of rattlesnake species live in the American Southwest and Mexico.

Rattlers rely on complex adaptations to ...