Currently in Manitoba, the largest gathering of snakes worldwide is happening, albeit a bit later than usual. Tens of thousands of garter snakes are emerging from their dens in Narcisse. Typically occurring towards the end of April, this annual event is when the weather becomes warm enough for these cold-blooded creatures to exit their winter dens in Manitoba’s Interlake region and engage in mating activities.
This year, the emergence was delayed due to cooler spring temperatures. Recently, the province confirmed that the snake population was sufficiently high, allowing interested individuals to witness this natural phenomenon up close.
Retired biologist Doug Collicutt explained that males emerge early to await the females’ appearance. Once the females come out, a frenzy occurs as males swarm around them. The females struggle to leave the dens and pits to reach the surrounding ground where mating takes place amidst a mass of competing males.
Observers can witness large clusters of snakes forming “mating balls,” according to Collicutt. He mentioned that the snakes require time for the ground temperature to drop, enabling their emergence. Additionally, the lack of recent rainfall has impacted this process by not providing sufficient warmth to the dens.
On a Sunday morning, approximately 100 individuals were walking the connecting trail between the dens. One visitor, Liam Warren, spotted 59 snakes and noted that the cold weather led him to expect fewer sightings.
Veronique Simard, a visitor who had long desired to visit the Narcisse snake dens since learning about them in Quebec, expressed her satisfaction with the trip from Brandon. She mentioned that her children were delighted, reflecting the overall positive experience.
The emergence period lasts about a month before the garter snakes disperse to their summer feeding grounds, where they consume various prey such as leeches, insects, and occasionally young birds.
Raelene Sawatzky-Dyck, a “nursery snake interpreter” assisting visitors with snake-related queries, stated that the snakes travel considerable distances to reach their feeding locations, sometimes up to 20 or 30 kilometers away.
By early September, the snakes return to their dens as the fall weather prompts them to go underground. While it is believed they return to the same dens, the exact details remain challenging to study due to their small size.
Aiden Schmidt, a 10-year-old visitor, found the congregation of snakes fascinating and not intimidating. He appreciated the appearance of their scales and overall appearance.