Red Sided Garter Snake

These colourful red sided garter snakes were everywhere a few weeks ago at Steeprock, Manitoba.  They would have been migrating back to their preferred limestone sinkholes where they hibernate for the winter.  Other than the Narcisse snake dens, I don’t ever remember seeing that many snakes in one location.  You couldn’t take two steps without finding another snake in the grass, or rocks or water.  Those who are very afraid of snakes would not have enjoyed walking around Steeprock this day.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

This garter snake town statue is found at Inwood, Manitoba.  Inwood is right next door to the world famous Narcisse Snake Dens located in Manitoba’s Interlake area.  Here, thousands of red-sided garter snakes emerge each spring and fan out into the countryside.  They return each fall to hibernate in the limestone sinkholes found in the area.

Below:  One of the Narcisse sinkholes that goes deep into the limestone.

Below:  Snake Tunnels have been constructed to allow snakes safe passage under the highway.  The mesh fence narrows and funnels the snakes under the road via man-made tunnels.  This has helped reduce the numbers of snakes killed by motor vehicles each year.

Below:  A red sided garter snake swimming.  They just glide across the top of the water. The swimming snake was in Atikaki Wilderness Park.

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Manitoba is known world wide for its concentrations of Red Sided Garter Snakes. The Narcisse Snake Dens have been featured in National Geographic Publications and in documentaries. These garter snakes emerge during the sunny days of spring from the “dens” which are actually sinkholes created by water erosion deep in the limestone rock. The snakes fan out into the Interlake countryside each spring and return again each fall for hibernation. Without these deep sinkholes the snakes would not survive our harsh Manitoba winters. The Narcisse Snake Dens has been a protected wildlife management area for a number of years now, but I do recall taking my young children there before the site was being monitored by wildlife officials and even before it became popular with the general public. The snakes once again made the news this fall but this time it was because they were invading a senior’s residence along with many homes in the Inwood area. In the spring, many male red sided garter snakes will wrap themselves around a female (the females being much larger than the male) and form “mating balls”. Schools take students on annual treks to the snake dens in the spring and fall to witness the annual migration. By the way, for those of you who have never handled a snake – they are not cold, not slimy, these don’t bite and they actually feel smooth and soft but muscular. They use their forked tongue as a sensor which is why they are constantly flicking it out. Larger snakes may strike out but only if provoked. The edge of their mouth is similar to a cracked eggshell surface and likely the worst that would happen is a scratch. The snakes would much rather slither away from people than confront them and it is amazing how fast they move. Unfortunately, many snakes are run over by cars during their migration period but in the snake den area they have created snake tunnels under the road to help alleviate the numbers being killed. For more information, just google the “Narcisse Snake Dens”.

Below: The “forked” tongue

Enjoy!
Sharon