Hibernation project could reintroduce endangered snakes to protected areas
If a new snake hibernation project is successful, endangered species of snakes could be reintroduced to areas where they have died out.
Jonathan Choquette, a biologist with Wildlife Preservation Canada, said they are most concerned about the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake because it's the next reptile likely to disappear from southwestern Ontario.
"We're conducting a critical preparatory step prior to a trial reintroduction with Massasaugas," said Choquette. "We're down to a handful of these animals left."
According to Choquette, the rattlesnake's habitat is protected at Ojibway Park, but the snakes have left after construction projects over the last few years. Reintroducing them safely is difficult.
"Translocation — the intentional movement of one animal from one place to the next — it's not successful with reptiles most of the time," said Choquette. "We're using a surrogate species Eastern garter snake to intentionally hibernate in what we think are good hibernation sites. If they survive, we'll use those sites in the future."
Since 2015, Choquette's research has looked at groundwater and frost depth to find space underground for the rattlesnakes to live over winter. They've now designed artificial hibernation structures and installed them in release sites.
"Essentially it's an artificial burrow that we've installed in the ground so we can allow these animals to access the water table and escape the freezing temperatures," said Choquette, adding that it's too early to tell how successful the project has been with the test garter snakes.
Choquette has been monitoring the snakes they've put into these artificial hibernation chambers with borescope cameras.
"Everybody is still alive essentially," said Choquette. The snakes they're using as test subjects were found elsewhere in the park. They will be released back at their capture sites in the spring.
After hundreds of hours of searching every year since 2013, Choquette estimated the population of the Massasauga snake in southwestern Ontario to be less than 12.
"Last year we found one snake, with all of our efforts," said Choquette. "It's really hard to find these animals."
Choquette said the information gained through the artificial hibernation and translocation project could improve reintroduction techniques for snakes across North America.
