Nature
The Narcisse Snake Dens in Manitoba are the winter denning grounds of tens of thousands of red-sided garter snakes in water-worn limestone caverns, the largest known concentration of this subspecies in the world. Each winter the snakes hibernate underground, emerge in spring to gather and mate around the dens, then disperse to nearby marshes for summer before returning in early September. Conservation efforts became crucial after a severe 1999 weather event and heavy road mortality along Highway 17 killed many snakes. Snow fences, tunnels under the road, and seasonal warning signs sharply reduced deaths, and by 2024 the population had largely recovered.
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Manitoba · Canada
