CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A “mega den” of hundreds of rattlesnakes in Colorado is getting even bigger as late summer approaches and babies are being born.
Thanks to livestream video, scientists studying the burrows in Colorado’s rocky hillsides are learning more about this mysterious and often misunderstood reptile as they watch young reptiles, called juveniles, crawl on and between adult females on the lichen-covered rocks.
The public can make observations on the Project Rattlecome website and contribute to important research, such as learning how to identify snakes. Since researchers put the remote camera online in May, several snakes have become known in chat rooms and among scientists by names like “Woodstock,” “Thea” and “Agent 008.”
The project is a collaboration between California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, snake removal company Central Coast Snake Services and Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
By involving the public, scientists hope to dispel the misconception that rattlesnakes are generally aggressive and dangerous: In fact, experts say rattlesnakes rarely bite unless threatened or provoked — and often the opposite is true.
Rattlesnakes are not only one of the few reptiles that care for their own young, they also care for the young of other snakes. Adult rattlesnakes protect and keep their young warm from the time they’re born until they go into hibernation in mid-fall, says Max Roberts, a graduate student researcher at the California Institute of Technology.
“We often see what we call ‘babysitting,’ where pregnant females are visibly guarding newborn snakes without having given birth yet,” Roberts said Wednesday.
The site, where up to 2,000 rattlesnakes winter, is privately kept secret by researchers to keep out trespassers. When the weather warms, only pregnant females remain, while the rest disperse to nearby areas.
Scientists monitoring the Colorado site this year watched the rattlesnakes curl up to drink from a cup on their body, and also watched how the snakes reacted to birds swooping down to grab the scaly prey.
The highlight of summer is late August to early September, when rattlesnakes give birth over a period of about two weeks.
“As soon as they’re born, they know how to move into the sun or shade to regulate their body temperature,” Roberts says.
There are 36 species of rattlesnakes, most of which live in the United States. They are found in nearly every state and are most common in the Southwest. The species studied is the prairie rattlesnake, which is found throughout much of the central and western United States, as well as Canada and Mexico.
Like other pit vipers, but unlike most snakes, rattlesnakes don’t lay eggs. Instead, they give birth to live young. The average litter is eight, Roberts said, depending on the snake’s size.
Roberts studies how temperature changes and ultraviolet light affect snake behavior, and another graduate student, Owen Bachover, studies familial and social relationships among rattlesnakes.
Researchers are watching live streams throughout the day, and are also receiving support from up to 500 people watching online at the same time.
“We’re interested in studying the rattlesnakes’ natural behavior without human interference. What are they actually doing when we’re not around?” Roberts said.
As summers get cooler in the Rocky Mountains, male snakes are returning, and the solar- and battery-powered cameras will power down by November, with the snakes due to re-emerge from their “giant burrows” next spring.