Rattlesnakes in Colorado’s “Mega Den”: Watch live stream

Afraid of rattlesnakes?

Now you can try to overcome your fears by watching thousands of them via live stream video.

The video shows the menacing-looking reptiles living in a “giant cave” in Colorado, including hundreds of recently born baby rattlesnakes.

This allows scientists and the public to take a closer look at their activities.

Located on a rugged hill in Colorado, the cave is home to thousands of rattlesnakes, including newborn babies that now slither alongside their mothers.

The RattleCam project, a collaboration between California Polytechnic State University, Central Coast Snake Services and Dickinson College, offers a unique and fascinating insight into the lives of these shy creatures.

Since the livestream went live in May, viewers have been able to observe and even help identify individual snakes, some of which have been given names like “Woodstock,” “Thea,” and “Agent 008.”

The premise behind the project is not only to study the snakes, but also to challenge the general perception of rattlesnakes as aggressive and dangerous.

Experts say that in reality the snakes rarely bite unless provoked and that their behavior is far more complex than is often believed.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the study is the discovery of the social behavior of rattlesnakes, which includes “babysitting.”

Max Roberts, a graduate student at California Polytechnic, says pregnant females are often seen guarding newborn snakes, a rare trait among reptiles. The adults provide protection and warmth to the young until they hibernate in the fall.

The den, which is located on private property, is kept secret to protect the site from intruders. While most snakes disperse during the warmer months, pregnant females stay behind until their young are born, which usually occurs in late August and early September.

Researchers have also discovered other remarkable behavioral features, such as the way the snakes coil up to catch and drink water and their response to predators such as birds that swoop down to eat them.

Roberts is studying how temperature and UV light affect the behavior of snakes. Together with fellow student Owen Bachhuber, he is researching the social relationships between rattlesnakes. They spend hours monitoring the live broadcast.

The two men are not alone; up to 500 people join online at the same time and help with the research.

The livestream will continue until November, when the snakes retreat to their den for the winter. The camera, which is powered by solar and battery power, will then remain dark until spring, when the rattlesnakes reemerge.

There are 36 species of rattlesnakes found throughout the United States, including the prairie rattlesnakes that are being studied in this project. The researchers hope their work will shed light on the mysterious world of these reptiles.

This article contains reports from The Associated Press