Artificial snake hibernacula provide suitable microclimate but are not immediately adopted

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Herpetology
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Artificial snake hibernacula (ASHs) are increasingly used to mitigate habitat loss for snakes.
• Previous research has not compared the thermal performance of ASHs with natural hibernacula during overwintering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the thermal buffering capacity of ASHs against external conditions.
• To assess if ASHs meet the thermal requirements for Great Basin Gophersnakes during hibernation.
• To monitor the adoption rates of ASHs by displaced snakes and other species.

Main Methods:

• Established two ASHs following a habitat disturbance.
• Utilized microclimate loggers to record internal temperature and humidity.
• Surgically implanted transmitters in gophersnakes to monitor body temperature during hibernation.
• Monitored snake presence and overwintering within the ASHs.

Main Results:

• ASHs effectively buffered external temperature and humidity, unaffected by snowfall.
• Hibernating gophersnakes in ASHs exhibited body temperatures comparable to those in natural hibernacula.
• ASHs provided thermal microsites matching gophersnake hibernation patterns at depths of 2.6-3.1 m.
• Low adoption rates were observed, with only 6 of 93 displaced snakes overwintering in the first year and none returning in the second.

Conclusions:

• ASHs can be constructed to support snake survival by providing appropriate thermal conditions.
• Future ASH designs require species-specific and location-specific considerations.
• Further research is needed to assess long-term adoption and viability in diverse environments before routine use.