Dozens of rattlesnakes emerge in Colorado ‘mega den’ livestream

Video of rattlesnake 'mega den' in Colorado

Dozens of rattlesnakes congregated in a rookery in Colorado, livestreamed footage from April 23 shows. Credit: Project RattleCam via Storyful

Thousands are tuning in to view one of nature’s perhaps most creepiest creatures.

A livestream from Colorado shows the hundreds of rattlesnakes that are coming out of overwintering, shedding their skins and basking in the spring sun. 

Colorado rattlesnake "mega den"

The backstory:

Project RattleCam is once again providing a livestream of a prairie rattlesnake mega den, also known as a rookery. 

The area, somewhere in Colorado, is where dozens of pregnant snakes spend the summer preparing to give birth and care for their babies.

Dig deeper:

Prairie rattlesnakes usually mate in late summer, and females store sperm through the winter and give birth the following summer, according to Colorado Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. 

Video perspective:

Pregnant females bask and shelter at rookeries alone or in groups in order to incubate their young, which is what is seen in the livestream provided by Project RattleCam. 

Project RattleCam is a group of scientists on a mission to study and raise awareness about rattlesnakes. 

The most recent livestream can be found here. 

RELATED: The 'Great Moose Migration': Millions tune in for Sweden's epic livestream

What is "slow TV?"

By definition:

Slow TV is a genre of a television or streaming production that makes available a long, uninterrupted broadcast of ordinary events, typically in real-time.

The livestream of the rattlesnake rookery is an example of so-called slow TV, and isn’t the first wild nature phenomenon to spawn a dedicated audience. 

This time of year in Sweden, a livestream of migrating moose draws millions of viewers. And in the Netherlands, Utrecht’s "fish doorbell" cam enlists help from those watching to "ring a doorbell" that signals authorities to open up a river lock to help fish migrate. 

READ MORE: This 'fish doorbell' cam from the Netherlands is attracting viewers

The backstory:

Slow TV first became popularized in 2009 when Norway’s public broadcaster aired every minute of a seven-hour train trip across the southern part of the country. 

Why you should care:

In a stressful, busy, fast-paced world, slow TV can help viewers relax as they watch the journal unfold without any high stakes. (Though, seeing snakes may raise blood pressure for some.)

Slow TV can also build a community around watching a shared experience.