Many Revelstoke children have been excited to see clusters of garter snakes in the rocks just off the Greenbelt. With families spending more time outside during the day, watching these snakes is an opportunity for learning. Social distancing still needs to be practiced but this is a good time for an impromptu biology lesson. Here a Revelstoke family watches a cluster of snakes.
In cold countries, snakes huddle together for warmth while they hibernate over winter, only emerging in the warmth of spring. Garter snakes mate in the fall and spring while they are still together, so many of the clusters we are witnessing may involve mating.
Some good resources on this subject can be found at:
–https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/animal-facts-common-garter-snake -https://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/blog/spring-sexytime-in-the-canada-wilderness.