Mass. Teachers 'Surprised' by 2 Intertwined Rattlesnakes Fighting in the Middle of Hiking Path

Mar. 15, 2025

A hike in a familiar place turned into a shocking opportunity to witness a rare snake behavior.According to localCBS affiliate WBZ News, on Aug. 2, elementary school teacher Erin Noonan was hiking through Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, Massachusetts, with other teachers when she found an unusual sight blocking her path: two fighting rattlesnakes.“We’re chit-chatting, and we’re walking, and there were two trailing behind a little bit, and they stopped, and they were yelling to us,” Noonan told the outlet about the interruption to her weekly teacher hiking meetup.The commotion attracted the rest of the group’s attention to two rattlesnakes fighting in the middle of the path. Noonan captured footage of the spat between the reptiles, which appear intertwined with arched necks in the clip.“I’ve been hiking the Blue Hills my whole life,” Susan Maloney, another teacher hiking with Noonan, told the CBS affiliate. “Never seen one in there, so I was surprised.“Noonan’s footage shows the snakes attempting to wrap around each other as they face one another.Two Intertwined Rattlesnakes Fighting.Erin Noonan/TMX"I wouldn’t get much closer,” someone says in the background of the clip as people watch the reptiles wriggle around.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“What are they doing?” another voice asks.Massachusetts’Division of Fisheries and Wildlife(MassWildlife) told WBZ News that while the snakes in the clip may look like they are dancing, the reptiles, identified as two male timber rattlesnakes, were fighting.MassWildlife added that capturing this kind of interaction on camera is rare. The teachers treated to a front-row seat for the snake fight plan to use their videos of the incident to teach their students about the animals.“They love studying snakes and frogs, and it does lead to, like, OK, why don’t we do a little studying about snakes?” Noonan said.Boston.comreported that the hiking teachers left the area with the fighting snakes without issue.According toMassLife’s website, timber rattlesnakes are mild-mannered. If you spot one in the wild, the department recommends keeping a safe, respectful distance from it.Timber rattlesnakes are most active in Massachusetts between mid-April to mid-October.

A hike in a familiar place turned into a shocking opportunity to witness a rare snake behavior.

According to localCBS affiliate WBZ News, on Aug. 2, elementary school teacher Erin Noonan was hiking through Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, Massachusetts, with other teachers when she found an unusual sight blocking her path: two fighting rattlesnakes.

“We’re chit-chatting, and we’re walking, and there were two trailing behind a little bit, and they stopped, and they were yelling to us,” Noonan told the outlet about the interruption to her weekly teacher hiking meetup.

The commotion attracted the rest of the group’s attention to two rattlesnakes fighting in the middle of the path. Noonan captured footage of the spat between the reptiles, which appear intertwined with arched necks in the clip.

“I’ve been hiking the Blue Hills my whole life,” Susan Maloney, another teacher hiking with Noonan, told the CBS affiliate. “Never seen one in there, so I was surprised.”

Noonan’s footage shows the snakes attempting to wrap around each other as they face one another.

Two Intertwined Rattlesnakes Fighting.Erin Noonan/TMX

Erin Noonan/TMX

“I wouldn’t get much closer,” someone says in the background of the clip as people watch the reptiles wriggle around.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“What are they doing?” another voice asks.

Massachusetts’Division of Fisheries and Wildlife(MassWildlife) told WBZ News that while the snakes in the clip may look like they are dancing, the reptiles, identified as two male timber rattlesnakes, were fighting.

MassWildlife added that capturing this kind of interaction on camera is rare. The teachers treated to a front-row seat for the snake fight plan to use their videos of the incident to teach their students about the animals.

“They love studying snakes and frogs, and it does lead to, like, OK, why don’t we do a little studying about snakes?” Noonan said.

Boston.comreported that the hiking teachers left the area with the fighting snakes without issue.

According toMassLife’s website, timber rattlesnakes are mild-mannered. If you spot one in the wild, the department recommends keeping a safe, respectful distance from it.

Timber rattlesnakes are most active in Massachusetts between mid-April to mid-October.

source: people.com