Saint-Georges-de-Clarenceville: A cozy nest for common gartersnake
common gartersnake (Photo by NCC)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is protecting an agricultural lot in Saint-Georges-de-Clarenceville in Montérégie, in collaboration with the Government of Quebec and several teams of professionals.
Transforming natural environments impacts the needs of species. Garter snakes that have taken up residence on agricultural land, for example, may need a little help to get through the winter. And this is where NCC comes in.
The common garter snake, a non-venomous snake about 60 centimetres long, is found on this property. In winter, this species requires shelter where the temperature remains above freezing. In a non-wilderness context, snakes may take refuge in barns or houses if there is no intervention. Our role is to, therefore, provide them with a habitat more conducive to their survival.
An underground refuge, known a hibernaculum, was installed in the field. This two-metre-deep hole was packed with stones and logs and covered with earth, with an opening just small enough for the snakes to enter. It was essential that the refuge be deep enough so that its bottom did not freeze, even during the coldest part of the winter. A biologist and project manager for the region, installed probes — one at the bottom of the hole, another in the middle and a third at the surface. Throughout the winter, data will be recorded and then collected in the spring.
This type of intervention is part of a wildlife management approach in an agricultural environment. This is the first time in Quebec that NCC has implemented such a system. Snakes are generally misunderstood, but garter snakes provide a lot of benefits, such as ridding areas of certain pests, like small rodents. That is why taking care of them is important for overall health of the area’s ecosystem.
