Microhabitat Selection by Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) at the Northern Extreme of their Geographic Range

Abstract

Abstract Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) are a species of conservation concern in Canada because of suspected population declines. Data on the habitat selection of Prairie Rattlesnakes at northern range limits are essential to inform management strategies and implement recovery plans in Canada and other northern regions. We used radio-telemetry and generalized linear mixed models to create resource selection functions for Prairie Rattlesnakes (N = 23) in and around Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada. Eight habitat variables were compared between used and available sites to quantify microhabitat selection. We found that Prairie Rattlesnakes select for specific sites (i.e., within 1 m) with shrub cover and burrows and avoid bare ground. Shrub cover was two-times higher at used sites compared to available ones, while bare ground showed the opposite trend. In addition, two-thirds of all snake location points were within 1 m of a burrow, which suggests that retreat sites are important. None...