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A sprawling rattlesnake habitat in Colorado, known as a “mega den,” is expanding with the arrival of new offspring this late summer. Scientists have set up a live stream on a remote hillside in Colorado to study these often misunderstood creatures, observing as newborn snakes, referred to as pups, navigate through a terrain of adult snakes and lichen-covered rocks.
This live footage is accessible to the public through the “Project RattleCam” website, where viewers can also participate in distinctive tasks like identifying individual snakes. Since the camera’s installation in May, regular viewers and researchers have even started naming familiar snakes, including “Woodstock,” “Thea,” and “Agent 008.”
The project is a joint effort among California Polytechnic State University, Central Coast Snake Services, and Dickinson College. One of its goals is to change public perceptions about rattlesnakes, often seen as aggressive. In reality, these snakes rarely attack unless provoked and display protective behaviors, particularly towards their young.
Max Roberts, a CalPoly graduate student, highlighted that rattlesnakes not only care for their offspring but also for other juveniles. Up to 2,000 snakes gather in this undisclosed private location for hibernation, with only the pregnant females staying behind in warmer months as others spread out.
This year, observations at the site have included seeing snakes form “cups” with their bodies to collect and drink water and monitoring their reactions to predatory birds. Despite the challenges posed by their elusive nature and tough habitats, these prairie rattlesnakes, common in North America, are a subject of fascination due to their unique behaviors and adaptation strategies.
Researchers encourage checking the live stream during early mornings or evenings for optimal viewing and engagement in the accompanying live chat. The peak time for activity is late August to early September when the snakes birth their young, a special spectacle where neonates immediately exhibit temperature control behaviors.
The 36 species of rattlesnakes are predominantly found in the United States, especially in the Southwest. Unlike many snakes, rattlesnakes give birth to live young rather than laying eggs, with brood sizes averaging around eight depending on the mother’s size.
The study at the Colorado site is part of broader research into how environmental factors like temperature and UV radiation influence snake behaviors. Other angles being explored include the social dynamics within rattlesnake groups.
Interest in the livestream peaks with as many as 500 simultaneous online viewers, all contributing to a greater understanding of rattlesnake natural behavior devoid of human interference. As the season transitions towards cooler temperatures, the return of some male snakes to the den is noted, with plans to turn off the camera by November until the following spring.
Additionally, Project RattleCam manages another live stream that monitors a smaller western rattlesnake den in California. That site has been active for three years during the warmer months, also at a confidential location, and resumed streaming on July 11.