08/24/2026
Zoo Miami is proud to announce the birth of an Aruba Island Rattlesnake, one of the rarest snakes in the world, with fewer than 250 individuals estimated to remain in the wild. It was born on August 1st and marks the first successful birth of this critically endangered species in Zoo Miami’s history! 🐍
The father is Ruben, a 16-year-old male born at the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, and the mother is Calypso, a 9-year-old female born at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens. This is the first offspring for both individuals.
Aruba Island rattlesnakes are found nowhere else on earth except the island of Aruba, off the coast of Venezuela, where they inhabit a small area of thorny scrub and cactus habitat. They feed on a variety of lizards, birds, and rodents. Their coloration ranges from light brown and tan to shades of yellow, typically with darker diamond-shaped patterns running along the back. Adults can reach approximately 3 feet in length.
Unlike many reptiles that lay eggs, Aruba Island rattlesnakes give birth to live young. They are ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs develop and hatch within the mother’s body. With the young emerging fully formed. Like all rattlesnakes, the babies are venomous from birth and capable of delivering a venomous bite.
The Aruba Island rattlesnake faces serious challenges to its survival. Its greatest threats include habitat loss and degradation from human development, as well as impacts from invasive species such as cats and non-native boas. With such a small wild population and extremely limited natural range, every successful birth is significant for the future of the species.
Aruba Island rattlesnakes are managed under the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative program designed to maintain genetically diverse, sustainable populations of threatened and endangered species under human care.
The birth of this remarkable snake represents an important milestone for Zoo Miami and another meaningful contribution to the conservation of one of the world’s rarest reptiles.
📸 Ron Magill
