The annual gathering of the world’s largest population of snakes is currently taking place in Manitoba, albeit later than usual, with tens of thousands of garter snakes emerging from their dens in Narcisse.
Typically occurring at the end of April when the temperatures rise sufficiently for the cold-blooded creatures to leave their winter shelters in Manitoba’s Interlake region and engage in mating activities, this year’s event was delayed due to cooler spring temperatures. It was only recently announced by the province that the snake population had reached a level where interested individuals could observe this natural phenomenon.
According to retired biologist Doug Collicutt, male snakes emerge early to await the arrival of the females, leading to a frenzy of mating activities. As the females struggle to exit their dens and pits to reach the surrounding ground, they eventually mate with one of the males amidst a mass of snakes vying for paternity.
Visitors have the opportunity to witness clusters of snakes coiled into “mating balls,” providing a unique spectacle. Collicutt explained that the snakes’ emergence is influenced by ground temperatures, with rainfall playing a significant role in the process by facilitating warmth penetration into the dens.
Despite the colder weather, around 100 people were observed walking the trail connecting the snake dens, including Liam Warren, who counted 59 snakes during his visit. Veronique Simard, who had long anticipated visiting the snake dens, expressed her happiness with the experience, despite the challenging weather conditions.
Raelene Sawatzky-Dyck, a snake interpreter, mentioned that following the mating season, the snakes disperse to their summer feeding areas where they consume various prey such as leeches, insects, and occasionally young birds.
The snakes are expected to return to their dens around early September when the fall weather prompts their retreat underground. It is believed that the snakes return to the same dens each year, although this remains challenging to confirm due to their small and elusive nature.
Despite the large gathering of snakes in one location, Aiden Schmidt, 10, shared that he found the experience “cool” and admired the snakes’ unique appearance.
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