Latest news with #CentralCoastSnakeServices
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Watch hundreds of rattlesnakes in Colorado 'mega den' emerge from hibernation
A "mega den" of rattlesnakes are ready for their day in the sun. Some snakes have started to emerge from their winter hibernation to bask in the spring sun on the rocky hillside they call home. Like last year, they'll do it for the world to see as their movements are streamed live on Project RattleCam — a collaborative project between scientists from California Polytechnic State University, Central Coast Snake Services and Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. The den is located on undisclosed private property in Colorado, where hundreds of rattlesnakes are expected to emerge in May, according to Owen Bachhuber, a California Polytechnic State University graduate student who helps run Project RattleCam. The location of the site is intentionally kept secret for the protection of the snakes, Bacchhuber said. The project's Colorado livestream started in 2024, bringing in 2.5 million views that year. At the height of its media coverage in the summer of 2024, the stream had more than 180,000 viewers in one day, according to Bacchuber. Another rattlecam live stream is set up in California, though that one is "hibernating," according to the site. The Cal Poly researchers installed the first RattleCam along the central coast of California in summer 2021. That cam was up and running each summer since and was switched back on last year in July. As spring turns to summer, viewers can expect to see pregnant female rattlesnakes stay in the Colorado mega den as they prepare to give birth. Last year, however, researchers were surprised to see a few males — including one viewers named Thor — sticking around the den in the summer, Bachhuber said. The project is studying the social dynamics of the snakes by tracking individuals from their scale patterns, "which are as unique as a human fingerprint," Bachhuber said. Viewers can help by taking part in Project RattleCam's 'Name a Snake' community science contest, which gets viewers to name and track snakes on the livestream. So far, nearly two dozen of the den's rattlesnakes have been identified and named, according to the project's website. Project RattleCam also seeks to raise awareness about rattlesnakes and their importance in the ecosystem, per its website. Yes, there's two of them. Go to and you'll see the Colorado feed. You can also click and be sent to a live feed on YouTube: The Colorado Rattlecam Livestream of a Prairie Rattlesnake rookery runs 24-7 from May to October. Coming later: The California Rattlesnake Rookery Livestream, which ran last year 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day from July through October. Contributing: Mike Snider, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: See rattlesnakes in 'mega den' emerge from hibernation on RattleCam
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Colorado's Rattlesnake Mega Den Is Active Again and You Can See All 2,000 Snakes at Once
Project RattleCam started a livestream of a rattlesnake "mega den" in 2024, and now the stream is back for 2025 The hundreds of rattlesnakes in the den, located in Colorado, are active again after months of winter hibernation The livestream allows researchers to monitor the rattlesnakes and gives animal lovers a chance to see the reptiles up RattleCam is back as over 2,000 snakes begin to emerge from hibernation. The livestream was set up in 2024 through a collaboration between scientists from California Polytechnic State University, Central Coast Snake Services, and Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, according to USA Today. RattleCam gives viewers a peek at the hundreds of wild rattlesnakes living in a "mega den" at an undisclosed piece of private property in Colorado. After hibernating for several months, the den's snakes are starting to emerge to shed their skins and soak up the sun. Many of the female rattlesnakes in the Colorado den are believed to be pregnant and will likely spend the warmer months giving birth and tending to their young, according to the Project RattleCam website. Owen Bachhuber, a California Polytechnic State University graduate student and member of the Project RattleCam team, said researchers expect the mega den's snakes to become active again throughout May. Bacchhuber told USA Today that the location of the Colorado den will remain undisclosed to protect the snakes. The mega den's live stream began in Spring 2024 and rapidly gained 2.5 million views, reaching 180,000 viewers a day in some cases. Bacchhuber and his colleagues use the livestream to study the rattlesnakes and to "show them off to everyone around the world," Bacchhuber told Axios Denver. The RattleCam team captures the livestream by taking turns manually operating a tripod throughout the day. Donations make the project possible and are needed now more than ever, with "the federal government is cutting science [funding] in every place it can," Bacchhuber added. Bacchhuber and other researchers keep managing the stream fun by naming dozens of snakes from the mega den. One of the snakes is named Lasagna because of her identifiable characteristic of folding her body "like a big pan of lasagna." Twitchy is another snake who is considered "a ladies man" because he "love[s] to put on a show" for the females and gets fidgety in their presence. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The female mega den snakes carry their young for three to four months before delivering between eight and 17 babies. RattleCam will remain active at the den throughout the birthing season, so animal lovers will have a front-row seat to the arrival of all the new mega den members. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Rattlesnakes begin to emerge from terrifying megaden holding more than 2,000 serpents
Rattlesnakes are beginning to emerge from hibernation as the springtime approaches, including up to 2,000 serpents from a mega den in a secret location in Colorado. Researchers from California Polytechnic State University have set up webcams near the secret spot in Colorado to record the serpents' behavior. The research is a part of Project RattleCam, which monitors rattlesnakes in Colorado and California. The webcams were placed last summer so scientists could learn more about the reptiles' daily behavior in the wild. A snake removal company called Central Coast Snake Services and Dickinson College in Pennsylvania are also involved in the project. Scientists made the live stream footage public so anyone can watch the snakes moving in real time. The footage captivated audiences as snakes have recently been observed leaving the mega den. Around 2.5 million people watched the live births of baby snakes, also known as pups, last year. Rattlesnakes hibernate in the winter and begin to emerge when the weather gets warm. Currently, there've only been a few snakes seen on camera, but scientists estimate that there will be thousands by the end of May. Some of the snakes pictured at the Colorado rockery are named Pirate, Loki, Scarly, Honeybee, and Olga. The prairie rattlesnake is are native to grassland, sandhills, semidesert shrubland, riparian zones, and montane woodland habitats, according to the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. The rattlesnakes give birth at the end of the summer, for two weeks in late-August to early September. Contrary to popular belief, rattlesnakes give birth to their young and don't lay eggs. Max Roberts, a CalPoly graduate student researcher, told the Associated Press last year that rattlesnakes are pack-like creatures. Mothers care for the young together and protect the newborn pups with their body heat until they enter hibernation. 'We regularly see what we like to call "babysitting," pregnant females that we can visibly see have not given birth, yet are kind of guarding the newborn snakes,' Roberts said. The researchers are studying different aspects of the serpents' daily lives. Last year, Roberts focused on how temperature changes and ultraviolet sunlight affect the reptiles. Another graduate student studied the familial and social relationships of the rattlesnakes. 'We are interested in studying the natural behavior of rattlesnakes, free from human disturbance. What do rattlesnakes actually do when we're not there?' Roberts told AP. The webcam was turned off last fall since the snakes were in hibernation, but is live once again as they emerge from the infamous mega den. The live stream is on at all hours, but stops for 15 minutes at 7am and 7pm PST. Snake enthusiasts can also watch the California RattleCam from 7am to 8pm PST starting in July.
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Watch hundreds of rattlesnakes in Colorado 'mega den' emerge from hibernation
Watch hundreds of rattlesnakes in Colorado 'mega den' emerge from hibernation You can spy on rattlesnakes by watching the RattleCam livestream set up in Colorado. Researchers hope the footage helps ease people's fear of the venomous serpents. Show Caption Hide Caption Rattlesnake or bull snake? Here are critical telltale signs to identify Rattlesnakes and bull snakes look similar. A rattlesnake bite can be venomous; a bull snakes's bite is not, which makes identifying the snake critical. A "mega den" of rattlesnakes are ready for their day in the sun. Some snakes have started to emerge from their winter hibernation to bask in the spring sun on the rocky hillside they call home. Like last year, they'll do it for the world to see as their movements are streamed live on Project RattleCam — a collaborative project between scientists from California Polytechnic State University, Central Coast Snake Services and Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. The den is located on undisclosed private property in Colorado, where hundreds of rattlesnakes are expected to emerge in May, according to Owen Bachhuber, a California Polytechnic State University graduate student who helps run Project RattleCam. The location of the site is intentionally kept secret for the protection of the snakes, Bacchhuber said. The project's Colorado livestream started in 2024, bringing in 2.5 million views that year. At the height of its media coverage in the summer of 2024, the stream had more than 180,000 viewers in one day, according to Bacchuber. Another rattlecam live stream is set up in California, though that one is "hibernating," according to the site. The Cal Poly researchers installed the first RattleCam along the central coast of California in summer 2021. That cam was up and running each summer since and was switched back on last year in July. As spring turns to summer, viewers can expect to see pregnant female rattlesnakes stay in the Colorado mega den as they prepare to give birth. Last year, however, researchers were surprised to see a few males — including one viewers named Thor — sticking around the den in the summer, Bachhuber said. The project is studying the social dynamics of the snakes by tracking individuals from their scale patterns, "which are as unique as a human fingerprint," Bachhuber said. Viewers can help by taking part in Project RattleCam's 'Name a Snake' community science contest, which gets viewers to name and track snakes on the livestream. So far, nearly two dozen of the den's rattlesnakes have been identified and named, according to the project's website. Project RattleCam also seeks to raise awareness about rattlesnakes and their importance in the ecosystem, per its website. Wait, there's a livestream were I can watch rattlesnakes? Yes, there's two of them. Go to and you'll see the Colorado feed. You can also click and be sent to a live feed on YouTube: The Colorado Rattlecam Livestream of a Prairie Rattlesnake rookery runs 24-7 from May to October. Coming later: The California Rattlesnake Rookery Livestream, which ran last year 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day from July through October. Contributing: Mike Snider, USA TODAY
