Watch: Dozens of rattlesnakes slither, curl in Colorado mega-den
Cal Poly officials noted that this mega-den of rattlesnakes is a rare habitat, as its geologic features provide the snakes with hiding places and shelter from the elements.
Rattlesnakes slither, curl in Colorado snake den
Dozens of snakes can be seen slithering and curl ing in a rookery, or snake den, in Colorado. They are just a few of hundreds of snakes in the rookery.
Recent video shows rattlesnakes slithering and curling over one another in an undisclosed location in northern Colorado.
The video begins with one rattlesnake coiled up into itself, while another snake slithers over it.
Two rattlesnakes in Colorado.
(Project RattleCam via Storyful / FOX Weather)
The next clip shows a gathering of several snakes of different sizes, including a rather robust individual at the center.
Following that are clips of rattlesnakes mostly resting, and sometimes on top of each other.
PREGNANT RATTLESNAKES SLITHER OVER EACH OTHER IN COLORADO MEGA-DEN
The footage was shot as part of a livestream run by Project RattleCam, a collaboration between scientists from Cal Poly, Central Coast Snake Services and Dickinson College to study rattlesnakes.
The camera recording the livestream is in front of a rattlesnake mega-den, which houses hundreds of the animals.
Project Rattlecam officials said the den is where the snakes overwinter, shed their skins and lie in the Sun.
Snakes resting.
(Project RattleCam via Storyful / FOX Weather)
It is also where dozens of pregnant rattlesnakes spend their summers in preparation for birthing and caring for their babies.
Those babies, or pups, are expected to be born starting in August, according to a statement by Cal Poly. They will be born live and helpless rather than be born from eggs.
As the livestream is available to the public on YouTube, viewers can tune in to watch the baby snakes be born.
The pups will remain in the den with their mothers until male snakes, which leave for the summer, return in September for hibernation.
Cal Poly officials noted that this mega-den of rattlesnakes is a rare habitat, as its geologic features provide the snakes with hiding places and shelter from the elements.
Three snakes.
(Project RattleCam via Storyful / FOX Weather)
The best times to watch the rattlesnakes are in the morning and early evening, they added.
Along with the Colorado livestream, Project RattleCam launched a second livestream of a smaller rattlesnake den in California. The team is also hoping to launch a third camera, which will be located in Pennsylvania.
Boback said the exact locations of the cameras are undisclosed to protect the snakes. The cameras are also operated remotely so the dens and snakes they are recording are not impacted by human presence.