Rattlers come out of hiding for spring

It might seem like it’s too early for prime rattlesnake season, but San Diego County residents should watch their step now. Dozens have already been sighted this year, and the numbers have spiked in April for the last two years.

“We always say that every season is rattlesnake season because of the moderate climate in San Diego County,” county Animal Services Director Daniel DeSousa said. “But when the temperatures start rising in the spring, so do rattlesnake sightings, and calls come in from the coast to the mountains.”

So far, county Animal Services has responded to 82 rattlesnake calls betw...