Suitable over-wintering habitat is critical to the survival of snake p
opulations at higher latitudes. The identification and protection of t
raditional, communal hibernation sites (hibernacula) is important for
the conservation of threatened species, while the assessment of hibern
acula availability may help determine the extent to which population d
istributions are limited by habitat suitability. In this paper, we qua
ntified surface habitat characteristics of 10 hibernacula and the comp
osition of basking trees used by a threatened population of black rat
snakes (Elaphe o. obsoleta) at the northern limit of the species' rang
e. Hibernacula were typically situated on relatively rocky, south-faci
ng slopes. The co-occurrence of these features was sufficiently unique
as to distinguish hibernacula from (1) a series of random sites, but
not from (2) a set of intuitively identified ''potential hibernacula''
in the surrounding landscape. This implies that additional requisite
elements (e.g., underground structure and micro-climatic conditions),
which we were unable to quantify, set actual hibernacula apart from si
tes that appear to be otherwise suitable (i.e., ''potential hibernacul
a''). Basking trees found at hibernacula tended to be relatively large
and decayed or dying with numerous cavities. Unused trees exhibiting
these characteristics were also available at both random sites and pot
ential hibernacula indicating the suitability of those sites for baski
ng. Our results suggest that rat snake hibernacula cannot be predictab
ly located by simply searching for key surface habitat features in the
landscape. The current data are equivocal as to whether or not this m
ost northern population is limited by the availability of suitable ove
r-winter habitat since the possibility that essential subterranean fea
tures of hibernacula are limiting remains to be tested. We recommend t
he continued use of radio-telemetry to identify and protect additional
hibernacula, the preservation of basking trees at known hibernacula,
and further research to determine the internal structure and micro-env
ironments of hibernacula.