Into the Woods with Curio: Rattlesnakes at Beacon!

“For every animal in the forest is mine…” Psalm 50:10a

Have you ever seen a rattlesnake at camp? They look different than some of our other snakes, with their thick body and black belly. And their rattle, of course, though that is not always obvious, unless they are making noise with it.

Massasaugas are a pygmy rattlesnake, which may sound strange to us, as it still gets about one metre in length, though is usually smaller than that. But that is small compared to the other two rattlesnake species found in Canada, and the more than 30 species found in the US. Other species in Canada include the prairie rattlesnake, which is 1.5 metres in length and lives in southern Saskatchewan, and the western rattlesnake, which is 1.5 metres in length and lives in the dry southern interior of BC. The timber rattlesnake used to be found in Ontario and Canada, but it hasn’t been seen here for over 80 years. It is still found in the US, and is up to 2 metres in length, which is about as big as any rattlesnake can get.

Let’s be glad Massasauga rattlesnakes are not that large! And Massasaugas are quite docile compared to many rattlesnakes, preferring to hide from people.

Why are they at camp? Beacon’s property is located within their range in Ontario, which is mainly along the eastern shore of Georgian Bay, including any rivers draining into the Bay, such as the Moon River in Bala.

Beacon’s property also provides excellent habitat for them, as they favour low, wet areas, though they can also be found in a variety of places, including woodlands, old fields and rocky barrens. These habitats provide shelter, and prey, which includes frogs, salamanders, small mammals such as mice and voles, and small birds.

Besides food and shelter, there are a couple of other things Massasaugas need to survive. One is a place to hibernate, known as a hibernaculum. Because snakes are cold-blooded they can’t stay active in the wintertime, so must hibernate underground, below the frostline. The same hibernaculum is often used every winter, as such spaces are not common, and the snakes couldn’t make one for themselves. Another thing Massasaugas need is a warm, protected space where they have their young – a gestation site. Massasaugas give birth to live young every other year, in late summer. But they occupy these sites for up to three months before they give birth, and don’t move from them during this time.

These reasons are why the laws protecting Massasauga rattlesnakes stipulate that they can’t be moved more than 250 metres from where they are found.

How can we live with Massasaugas at Beacon? We have always been aware of their presence at camp, and thankfully have never experienced a serious incident. Best practices include first being sure it is a rattlesnake, as water-snakes and hognose snakes also live at Beacon and look similar, but are harmless. Knowing where Massasaugas live on the property, and when they are active, helps with avoidance and tolerance. When there is a potential problem let the on-site team take care of things.