While I have long been intrigued by ecology, my interest has admittedly leaned more towards mammals, birds, and fish - probably due to the many hours I have spent hunting and fishing. I was surprised then, to find myself chasing rattlesnakes of all things, and amidst a global pandemic.

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In summer 2020, I was immensely fortunate to be invited to take part in a new study on the thermal ecology and movement patterns of prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) in a high elevation ranch in Colorado. This built off GIS work I had performed under my academic advisor the previous year, as well as outdoor skills I had gained through my ramblings across Montana wilderness.

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As ectotherms, rattlesnakes live their lives tied closely to environmental temperatures in order to power their life processes such as growth, development, reproduction, immune system functioning, and more. We studied female rattlesnakes, as they exhibit interesting behavioral differences depending on reproductive state. During the summer gravid, or pregnant, females occupy structures known as rookeries in which they make use of thermal gradients to maintain high body temperatures and gestate developing young. We examined the thermal ecology of female rattlesnakes, with a particular focus on the thermal benefits of rookeries.

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I was able to put into practice many research techniques I had read about in my courses at Dickinson to design my very own experiment. We captured, took measurements on, and marked more than 370 rattlesnakes, surgically implanted radio transmitters and temperature loggers in 20 snakes, hiked rigorously to track each individual’s movements every day for two weeks, and set up 17 operative models to gather hourly thermal data in the environment.

I recorded, sorted, and analyzed data using Microsoft Excel and R, and I built dynamic maps in ArcGIS to display the spatial distribution of rattlesnakes across our study site. I gained an immense amount of field and data management skills, and was able to successfully develop our work into an honors thesis.

We plan to return to this site, gather new data, and revise my thesis into a manuscript to be published in a scientific journal. This experience also granted me a comprehensive perspective in considering a scientific career, and I value having the chance to be part of a research process and collaborate with herpetologists and ecologists across the country. 

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While I do not yet know what my future will hold, I know that whether focused on landscapes, wildlife, or society, it will certainly be wild.