Latest news with #RattleCam
Axios
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Colorado's rattlesnake "mega den" is back on livestream
Project RattleCam is back, meaning you can now take a ssssneak peek inside Colorado's "mega den," where hundreds (and possibly thousands) of prairie rattlesnakes are emerging from their winter slumber. Why it matters: The livestream, in its second year, offers a rare, up-close look at the lives of one of nature's most misunderstood creatures — showing them sunbathing, snuggling and even giving birth. (And yes, rattlesnakes do like to cuddle.) How it works: Researchers from California Polytechnic State University and Dickinson College in Pennsylvania are behind the effort to study these snakes and "show them off to everyone around the world," Owen Bachhuber, a Cal Poly graduate student involved with the project, tells Axios Denver. The livestream is captured through one stationary tripod camera that's manually operated by researchers throughout the day. The den's location is a tightly held secret (somewhere near Fort Collins, per KUNC) to protect the snakes. The project is made possible through donations, which are "so important right now when the federal government is cutting science [funding] in every place it can," Bachhuber says. Zoom in: Two dozen slithering serpents are named and tracked, each with a distinct personality and appearance. Lasagna, for example, is known for folding her body "like a big pan of lasagna" alongside her pal Ramen. "Noodles hang with noodles!" her bio reads. Stubby is missing a tail but remains "brave and resilient." Twitchy is "a ladies man" who "love[s] to put on a show" and, true to his name, gets fidgety when females are around. Fun fact: A live chat lets you talk with fellow viewers about snake behavior and soap opera-level drama in real time. The intrigue: In the spring and summer, the den acts as a "rookery" or nursery — meaning most snakes you see on the livestream are pregnant females, Bachhuber says. The big picture: Western films and viral videos have painted rattlesnakes as aggressive, mindless loners — but Bachhuber say that's misleading. Most of the time, snakes are calm, social and surprisingly complex. RattleCam aims to rewrite that narrative — not just for science, but to help people and snakes safely coexist. What's next: Dozens of pregnant snakes are expected to give birth later this summer. Females carry for three to four months and typically deliver eight to 17 live babies.
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
Watch hundreds of rattlesnakes come out of 'mega den' ahead of new Pennsylvania webcam
The group behind the popular RattleCam livestreams, which showcase hundreds of rattlesnakes in California and Colorado, are expanding east. In April, researchers with Project RattleCam commenced its "mega den" northern Colorado livestream for the second year, allowing anyone to watch the reptilian internet stars as they come out of winter hibernation. The California livestream, which debuted in 2021, is expected to resume sometime this summer. After recently achieving the more funding, a new livestream in Pennsylvania will likely debut in the spring of 2026, according to Owen Bachhuber, a California Polytechnic State University graduate student who helps run Project RattleCam. The new camera has the possibility of showcasing other types of snakes, like copperheads, as well as different animals like black bears. "We want everyone to be able to see what would a snake that might live near them be doing, and so that's part of the appeal of the Pennsylvania camera to give representation to the people out in the east," Bachhuber told USA TODAY on May 13. "We're hoping to continue to broaden the reach of the RattleCam and its impact." Bachhuber said the project continues to educate the public about the snakes, including young students who observe the livestream in science classes under a newly published curriculum. Researchers have already begun to note fascinating facts through the Colorado livestream, which will showcase hundreds of rattlesnakes emerging from an undisclosed private property. "Notably, there were a couple of snakes who had pretty severe injuries, like missing tails or head wounds or big scars. We've actually seen those snakes come out of hibernation all healed up, so that's been really encouraging for us," he added. Project RattleCam examines the the social dynamics of the snakes through their unique scale patterns and aims to challenge a longtime negative stigma toward rattlesnakes. Scientists from California Polytechnic State University, Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and Central Coast Snake Services have partnered to create Project RattleCam. Its first livestream launched in summer 2021 along the central coast of California. The exact location of the den complex are withheld for the snakes' safety, according to Bachhuber. Both rattlesnake livestreams are available on and on Project RattleCam's YouTube channel, though only the Colorado feed is running as of May 13. 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 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day from July through October. Project RattleCam's Colorado livestream lured more than 2.5 million views in its debut year of 2024, even reaching over 180,000 viewers in one day, Bacchuber said. Contributing: Erin Udell and Mike Snider, USA TODAY NETWORK This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Mega den' webcam to stream rattlesnakes, copperheads in Pennsylvania
USA Today
14-05-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Watch hundreds of rattlesnakes come out of 'mega den' ahead of new Pennsylvania webcam
Watch hundreds of rattlesnakes come out of 'mega den' ahead of new Pennsylvania webcam Show Caption Hide Caption Rattlesnake 'mega den' emerges from hibernation Dozens of rattlesnakes apart of a large colony were spotted basking in the sun. The group behind the popular RattleCam livestreams, which showcase hundreds of rattlesnakes in California and Colorado, are expanding east. In April, researchers with Project RattleCam commenced its "mega den" northern Colorado livestream for the second year, allowing anyone to watch the reptilian internet stars as they come out of winter hibernation. The California livestream, which debuted in 2021, is expected to resume sometime this summer. After recently achieving the more funding, a new livestream in Pennsylvania will likely debut in the spring of 2026, according to Owen Bachhuber, a California Polytechnic State University graduate student who helps run Project RattleCam. The new camera has the possibility of showcasing other types of snakes, like copperheads, as well as different animals like black bears. "We want everyone to be able to see what would a snake that might live near them be doing, and so that's part of the appeal of the Pennsylvania camera to give representation to the people out in the east," Bachhuber told USA TODAY on May 13. "We're hoping to continue to broaden the reach of the RattleCam and its impact." Bachhuber said the project continues to educate the public about the snakes, including young students who observe the livestream in science classes under a newly published curriculum. Researchers have already begun to note fascinating facts through the Colorado livestream, which will showcase hundreds of rattlesnakes emerging from an undisclosed private property. "Notably, there were a couple of snakes who had pretty severe injuries, like missing tails or head wounds or big scars. We've actually seen those snakes come out of hibernation all healed up, so that's been really encouraging for us," he added. What is Project RattleCam? Project RattleCam examines the the social dynamics of the snakes through their unique scale patterns and aims to challenge a longtime negative stigma toward rattlesnakes. Scientists from California Polytechnic State University, Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and Central Coast Snake Services have partnered to create Project RattleCam. Its first livestream launched in summer 2021 along the central coast of California. The exact location of the den complex are withheld for the snakes' safety, according to Bachhuber. Where to watch the rattlesnakes livestream Both rattlesnake livestreams are available on and on Project RattleCam's YouTube channel, though only the Colorado feed is running as of May 13. 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 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day from July through October. How many people watch rattlesnakes livestream? Project RattleCam's Colorado livestream lured more than 2.5 million views in its debut year of 2024, even reaching over 180,000 viewers in one day, Bacchuber said. Contributing: Erin Udell and Mike Snider, USA TODAY NETWORK
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
