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speakup

NARCISSE, Man. - The action is hot and heavy at the Narcisse Snake Dens.

Each year tens of thousands of red-sided garter snakes emerge from their winter dens to get frisky in the warm spring sunshine.

The males emerge first and wait for females, said wildlife biologist Dave Roberts of Gimli, Man.

When a female does come out, she is extremely popular.

"You see a single female and maybe 50 to 100 males following her, trying to court her, to subdue her," said Roberts.

"One lucky fellow who's in the right place at the right time will eventually mate with a female that's receptive."

The mating activity typically peaks around Mother's Day, with thousands of snakes in each of the four dens, then continues in a less frenzied manner for up to two more weeks.

After mating, the snakes slither away to nearby marshes.

Visitors can watch all the hard-core action from viewing platforms.

The bowl-shaped dens, about three to four metres deep, are known for having the largest concentration of snakes anywhere in the world, according to Manitoba Conservation.

The sinkholes, caused by the erosion of limestone, offer convenient over-wintering places where snakes can survive below the frost line, said Roberts.

The Narcisse dens are located 130 kilometres north of Winnipeg, on Highway 17.