By Herp News

Two traders of beaks from the helmeted hornbill were arrested in Sumatra, Indonesia, on June 12. During the arrest, authorities confiscated 12 beaks and the two suspects, known only as ZMS and ALB, confessed to selling over 120 beaks within the preceding six months. The pair is thought to have organized an operation involving 30 hunters who poached birds in the island’s threatened Leuser ecosystem, including inside Gunung Leuser National Park.The arrest took place in the Langkat region, a 3-hour drive from Medan, the largest city on the island of Sumatra. Langkat is notorious as an entry point for poachers heading into the national park. The arrest was part of a joint investigation carried out by forest rangers from the national park, the Indonesian government, and the U.S.-based Wildlife Conservation Society, which operates a Wildlife Crimes Unit [WCU] in Indonesia.

‘The arrest shows our commitment to protecting Gunung Leuser National Park’s ecosystem which has been placed under our management. We will continue to take firm action against all poaching, destruction and encroachment of the conservation forest and work hard to preserve and protect this last stronghold for biodiversity” Andi Basrul, the park’s head, said in a statement. Indonesia is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, and is home to thousands of weird and wonderful species. The helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil) fits right in. It has a wingspan of approximately five feet, a featherless and wrinkly neck, and a distinctive casque, or decorative growth, atop its upper bill — its “helmet.”The birds live on a number of Indonesian islands, as well as in Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. But the flourishing illegal trade in their casques, as well as the destruction of their natural habitat, is diminishing their numbers and the species is now listed as near threatened by the IUCN.In 2013, Yokyok Hadiprakarsa, a conservationist and independent hornbill expert, found that at least 500 adult helmeted hornbills were killed each month in the province of West Kalimantan alone. He also showed that between 2012 and 2014, 1,100 helmeted hornbill casques were confiscated by authorities in Indonesia en route to China.”The poaching of helmeted hornbill has boomed among local hunters,” Dwi N. Adhiasto, program manager of the WCU in Indonesia, told mongabay.com. He believes that the reason behind it is simple. “Unlike the casques of other hornbill species, which are typically hollow and extremely light, the casques of [the] helmeted hornbill [are] a solid block of an ivory-like substance,” he said.

The demand for hornbill casques comes from China, where it is used in traditional medicines or fashioned into valuable souvenirs. Photo credit: …read more
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By Herp News

On August 11, the eve of World Elephant Day, a group of 250 scientists from varied backgrounds, disciplines and organizations around the world sent a letter to Barack Obama urging for the closure of commercial ivory trade in the United States.The letter, according to Wildlife Conservation Society, was conceived and circulated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Born Free USA, Defenders of Wildlife, Environmental Investigation Agency, Humane Society International, The Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Wildlife Conservation Society, and other groups.

“Members of the scientific community are particularly aware of the destructive effects the ivory trade is having on populations of African elephants,” said Dr. Susan Lieberman, Vice President of International Policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society and a signatory to the letter. “It is our hope that we can use our expertise to convince policy makers at home and abroad of the need for these regulations and to close all domestic ivory markets.”In just the last 30 years, the elephant population in Africa has already been reduced from around 1.2 million to about 420,000. And a recent study found that 100,000 African elephants were killed between 2010-2012 alone. The scientists behind the letter are in agreement that the illegal killing of elephants for their ivory is a primary cause of these major declines.A new analysis indicates that between 2002 and 2013, 65 percent of the central Africa’s forest elephants – 200,000 individuals – were killed. The numbers are staggering and translate to one elephant being poached every fifteen minutes for ivory. If this poaching trend is not reversed, elephants will be erased from large areas of their range in Africa within our lifetime.

Elephants in Kruger South Africa. Photo by Rhett Butler.

“You don’t have to be a scientist to know that ivory comes from dead elephants,” said Teresa Telecky, Ph.D., director of the wildlife department at Humane Society International. “We’ve come together as scientists to ask the U.S. government to end this destructive trade once and for all.”On July 25, during his trip to Kenya, President Obama announced the pending release of the long-awaited “4(d)” rule revision on African elephant ivory. In their letter, the scientists commended the proposed rule and recognized it as a way to help guarantee that the U.S. is no longer contributing to the global trafficking of elephant ivory.The 4(d) rule change would prohibit most ivory sales in interstate or foreign commerce – with exemptions for authentic antiques and certain manufactured items containing miniscule quantities of ivory – and leave in place other import/export and sales restrictions that the US Fish & Wildlife Service implemented last year. Importantly, prospective sellers would be required to show proof that their ivory items meet the criteria in order to be granted an exemption. However, possession and …read more
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By Herp News

[dropcap type=”4″]W[/dropcap]hen you count off the cat species that roam Africa – leopards, lions, cheetahs – you could be forgiven for not listing the African golden cat (Caracal aurata). This small, elusive forest dweller easily slips by unnoticed, and until very recently, failed to show up on the radar screens of most conservationists.Uncertainty and mystery shroud the golden cat: it’s one of the world’s least-studied felines. The

Small and powerful, the golden cat primarily hunts rodents on the forest floor. Photo credit: David Mills/ Panthera

“Since 2010, we have conducted seven camera surveys and accumulated nearly 300 independent golden cat captures in over 18,000 trap days,” David Mills told mongabay.com.One of the first thing scientists learned is that the golden cat is far more vulnerable to extinction than anyone knew.An update by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) just this year raised the stakes for the African golden cat from Near Threatened to Vulnerable. The rainforest-loving species has been hard hit by deforestation, with an estimated 30 percent loss in numbers over the past 15 years (that’s three golden cat generations). “Additionally, the exacerbation of these threats due to population growth, projected mining activities and forest clearance for oil palm plantations will likely cause further reduction,” by at least a further 30 percent in the next 15 years, reports the IUCN. Indeed, researchers say the cat disappears from forests with a heavy human presence.Unravelling an enigmaPrevious studies have suggested around 10,000 golden cats are left in the wild, but nobody is sure: it’s not a figure scientists Bahaa-el-din and Mills verified with their research. The species roams the equatorial forests of Africa over two separate regions ­– one stretching across Central Africa from Uganda west to Gabon, and the other in West Africa stretching roughly from Ghana west to Guinea. Its main stronghold is in the forests of the Congo Basin.Though the name suggests otherwise, the golden cat is not golden. Blends of golden/reddish-brown, grey and even black have been recorded. There’s some suggestion that the cat’s color may even change over time. One African golden cat is said to have changed color in captivity, but died soon after, with the change in hue possibly brought on by a special condition, rather than a common trait.The color variants confused scientists early on as they tried to classify the cat’s taxonomy. A similarity in size and appearance with the Asian golden cat initially placed it in the genus Profelis, though others designated it Felis. Recent molecular studies proved both to be mistaken; the African golden cat is unequivocally genetically closer to the caracal – a medium sized wildcat also known as the African lynx. This led scientists to rename the species Caracal aurata. The designation remains somewhat controversial, with some researchers still preferring to use Profelis aurata. The animal’s taxonomy is currently under review by the IUCN Cat Specialist Group.An adult African golden cat is small …read more
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By Herp News

No piece of conservation hardware has received more attention in the media than drones, a.k.a. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), yet there is disagreement about their applicability to various conservation applications. The use of drones for enhancing anti-poaching is perhaps the most controversial application, with little empirical data to back some of the media claims and hopeful speculation.To provide some background and to help demystify the potential of drones to help monitor, study, and conserve wildlife and habitats, wildtech.mongabay.com has invited a recognized expert in the field, Dr. Nir Tenenbaum, the Director of

Group photo of drones at a Naval Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Air Demo.    Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain

Part 1 History, Theory, and PracticeIntroductionJust a decade ago, drones—technically known as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)—were mysterious devices used by military forces to conduct covert aerial intelligence and surveillance missions formerly limited to manned aircraft. In the military, drones have served and continue to function as expandable devices, known in the industry as “platforms”, for undesirable missions denoted as “the dull, the dirty and the dangerous”. However, until recently, drones rarely made it to the mainstream news or sparked widespread public interest and concern.Several trends have converged in recent years to introduce UAS to a wider range of civilian users. Chief among these changes was awareness. Since the 1970s, there has been a steady increase in the number of UAS-related publications. Recent partial success of UAVs in anti-terrorism missions has brought them even more into the public eye.At the same time, the increased availability of information on the Internet gave people everywhere the ability to learn about, discuss, and access technology that was until recently deemed “for professionals only”. The same time period has seen increased availability of hardware and software, with easier access to open-source, low-cost materials and components.With the proliferation of open-source autopilots and the dropping prices for sensors, many companies have jumped to incorporate UAS’s into their business. These range from delivery of goods by big players such as Google and Amazon.com, to security services, surveyors, inspectors, farmers, photographers and film makers. In just the last few years, UAS have begun to pop up in conservation activities.UAS’s in nature conservationThe dramatic increase in forest destruction and wildlife poaching has encouraged wildlife scientists and conservationists to explore the potential for using drones in surveillance and anti-poaching activities. For many years, the conservation world has lagged behind other sectors technologically – devoting tight budgets to immediate needs like putting boots and vehicles on the ground left no funding to explore and introduce advanced tools to improve wildlife management.

UAS footage of elephants on the move in Tanzania. UAS’s are increasingly used for conservation applications – their use for anti-poaching is one the most ardently debated.  Photo credit: Randy Jay Braun

Optimism about the potential of a commercial/civilian UAS market attracted many new …read more
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By Herp News

In what conservationists are hailing as a major breakthrough in efforts to protect Sumatra’s fast-dwindling lowland rainforests, the Indonesian government on Wednesday finally approved an ecosystem restoration license for more than 44,000 hectares (110,000 acres) of forest bordering Bukit Tigapuluh, a national park renowned for its rich wildlife.After

WWF map showing the new ecosystem restoration concession. The license granted to PT Alam Bukit Tigapuluh has been hotly contested for nearly a decade, with several companies vying for the right to manage the area. A major breakthrough came last year when WWF and Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), whose supplier RHM was a contender for the license, reached an understanding, paving the way forward for PT Alam Bukit Tigapuluh to win the concession.

The initiative should better secure critical habitat for endangered elephants, tigers, orangutans, rhinos, and tapirs in Bukit Tigapuluh, which is effectively an island amid large-scale deforestation across Sumatra. Satellite data shows that Sumatra lost more than half its lowland forests since 1985.Given the dire state of Sumatran forests, the development was immediately welcomed by conservationists involved with the initiative.”Sumatra has reached a tipping point in the fight to save its wildlife. Without adequate protection, many of the planet’s most iconic species face an uncertain future,” said Rainforest Trust CEO Paul Salaman in a statement. “This new purchase is a major step in the right direction. It demonstrates that concrete land protection can still be achieved in Sumatra in an economical and effective way.””This incredible place—where elephants, orangutans and tigers coexist in the wild—is also one of the most threatened,” said actor Leonardo DiCaprio in a statement. “Our work to protect this area is an example of what can be accomplished when concerned organizations, governments and individuals work together to create a future where both nature and people can thrive.” DiCaprio is a member of WWF’s board and the founder of the foundation bearing his name.

Sumatran tiger cubs. Bukit Tigapuluh is famous for its diversity of mammals, including Sumatran orangutan, Sumatran tiger, Sumatran elephant, Sumatran rhinoceros, Asian tapir, sun bear, siamang, Sumatran surili, Sunda loris, and clouded leopard, among others. Photo courtesy of WWF.

Sumatran elephants. Photo by Rhett A. Butler.

Baby Sumatran orangutan. Photo by Rhett A. Butler

Conservationists say the project offers the potential to help specific animal species, including Sumatran elephants that have suffered substantial range reduction and orangutans that are currently stuck in rehabilitation centers due to their habitat being destroyed for palm oil and pulp production.“If elephants have to live in hills within a national park they will simply starve to death,” said Leif Cocks, President of Yayasan Konservasi Ekosistem Hutan Sumatera (KEHUS), referring to the fact that most of Bukit Tigapuluh — which is also …read more
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The day when I purchased my first book of snakes and reptiles and saw the picture of Leith’s sand snake Psammophis leithi , I paused for a minute and stared at the picture for a while and I felt in love with this stripped reptilian fellow. Whenever I used to meet any new snake rescuer in my area, one thing which I used to tell every new rescuer I met “dude if you rescue a Leith’s sand snake, please call me” and finally I got to see one.

The Leith’s sand snake is a semi venomous or rear fanged snake found in India and luckily also found in my state Maharashtra. The reason I like this snake so much is because of its insane color pattern, It has a light brown slender body with dark brown or dark grey stripes on the upper body. If I describe the color pattern in my words I would rather say “a slender rope made of gold with 4 horizontal black stripes painted on it”. These snakes mainly feed on rats, lizards and small birds. The maximum length of this snake is 80cm and it is oviparous by nature, lays 3-12 eggs.

I won’t say that these snakes are the most beautiful snakes of India but I would definitely call this one “the attention seeker”.
Photo: Saleel Gharpure
…read more
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A new week brings a first breath of air for this Honduran milksnake (L.t.hondurensis) from Central Nicaragua in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user sballard ! Be sure to tell sballard you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
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Ever thought of starting an alligator farm? In your basement? In Canada?

Rescuers had their hands full in Canada this week when a reptile hobbyist with an affectation for crocodilians decided he could no longer care for his charges properly, and “donated” them to a zoo – all 150 of them. The list includes crocodiles, alligators, and caimans, some as long as 9 feet.

“I think [the owners] just realized that enough is enough, and they need a larger place,” “Kudos to them. A lot of people don’t do the right thing with exotic pets, and they actually did.” – Bry Loyst – Indian River Reptile Zoo

Reptile people are sometimes thought of as “a bit crazy” and stories like this one continue to reinforce that stereotype and leave even experienced reptile hobbyists scratching their heads.

To read more check out the article at the Toronto Star . kingsnake.com gallery photo by user bci32 …read more
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By Herp News

See and be seen. In the elaborate game of seeking and attracting a mate, male anole lizards have a special trick — they grab attention by perching on a tree limb, bobbing their heads up and down, and extending a colorful throat fan, called a dewlap. The dramatic ‘glowing’ effect, according to a new study, increases the efficacy of the male lizard’s visual signal, making them stand out better to females.

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Frogs and toads, already under enormous pressure from the ravages of the Chytrid fungus, have a new threat to contend with. Scientists in the U.K. have discovered a new parasite that attacks tadpoles. Protists, single-celled microorganisms that store genetic information in a nucleus, act as a parasite for tadpoles, entering into their livers, and killing off huge numbers of the amphibious larvae. With the loss of so many tadpoles, the disease can rapidly cause a decline in amphibian populations.

“We now need to figure out if this novel microbe—a distant relative of oyster parasites—causes significant disease and could be contributing to the frog population declines” – Thomas Richards, University of Exeter

Tadpoles from six countries across three continents were tested and the previously unidentified parasite was present in tadpole livers in both tropical and temperate sites, and across all continents tested.

To read the press release from the University of Exeter, click here. kingsnake.com gallery photo by user retnaburner …read more
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This sun loving Nile Croc helps us look towards a wonderful weekend with a smile in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user CDieter ! Go out and find some beauty this weekend and share it with us! Be sure to tell CDieter you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
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U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt sentenced Illinois resident Keith Cantore to 41 months incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release and $100 special assessment as well as $41,000 in restitution after he attempted to purchase 100 North American Wood Turtles for $40,000.

“The poaching of Wood Turtles has had a significant negative impact on its population in the wild. In effect, this defendant was willing to help drive this species to extinction to make a few bucks. ” – Raymond R. Parmer, head of ICE Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans

According to court records, Cantore was charged with three counts of purchasing and/or attempting to purchase threatened species of turtles that were illegally captured from the wild, a violation of the federal Lacey Act. Cantore was previously convicted of federal charges related to the illegal sale of turtles and that he continued to illegally sell turtles while on bond for the current charges.

To read the Department of Justice press release click here. Gallery photo by user arfytoothskin …read more
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Gotta love the smile from this Monkey Tail Skink in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user sreps ! Go out and find some beauty this weekend and share it with us! Be sure to tell sreps you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
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It was early morning (about 0715) and the temperature was just about 70 F. A least bittern — always an avian photographic nemesis for me — had just flown across the gravel road and landed in a patch of cattails about 30 feet ahead of me. I slowed, not that I was walking all that fast anyway, and decided to sit and wait a while on the wet and grassy bank to see if the bird would emerge in a photographable position. It did. But hoping for something even better I waited longer.

As luck would have it, while waiting I noticed a slight disturbance in a patch of floating vegetation about 15 feet from shore. My interest shifted to the floating grasses. Was something really there or was the disturbance caused by a current? I watched. Yes, there definitely was something there and it was closer to shore now. Ah ha! A snake. A dark snake with vestiges of darker bands and of a fair girth. Oh, of course. A Florida cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorous conanti.

The snake neared the shore, idled quietly in the shallows for a minute or two, then slowly emerged. It angled towards a sunny spot about 6 feet from me. Once there it stopped with its head bathed in the warming rays, and then with tongue flickering coiled ever so slowly. When I shifted positions to better angle the camera the snake made a fleeting defensive gape.

Once it settled, I stood, moved quietly up the hill, and left both bird and snake in peace. This was a fine way to begin the day.

More photos under the jump…
Continue reading “Bitterns and cottonmouths” …read more
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As far as snakes go, the racer is in large found on the African and American continents, but racers also commonly found found in suburbs of India. These snakes are common enough that I should have written about racers earlier, but due to lack of photographs I wasn’t able to do so. Luckily my dearest friend Saleel Gharpure shared his photo with me for my blog post.

The Banded Racer Argyrogena fasciolata possesses white bands on it when young but the bands fade and become less obvious as it matures. Adults of this species end up entirely light or dark brown. The maximum size of these non-venomous snakes is 4-5ft and it is oviparous by nature, it lays 5-12 eggs between February and April. And as the name implies, they are very fast.

I have rescued these snakes a lot, many times on rescues these snakes disappear before I reach the rescue spot because of their speed. If they are in an open space and I try to go near them, I am sure they will disappear within seconds in front of my eyes. But, worryingly, that these snakes are slowly slowly declining in my my area It has been 8-9 months since I found this racer on a rescue, but I am sure I’ll encounter another of these magnificent creatures very soon.
Photo: saleel gharpure
…read more
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This isn’t our forefathers Af Rock! This beautiful patternless African Rock shines in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user MEIER21288 ! Go out and find some beauty this weekend and share it with us! Be sure to tell MEIER21288 you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
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Researchers have named a brightly colored new flat lizard Platysaurus attenboroughi, after broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough. Attenborough is known worldwide for his numerous documentary films on natural history, many involving reptiles and amphibians.

“We thought it fitting the lizard be named after the world-famous naturalist after he made famous a closely related flat lizard species in the BBC series ‘Life in Cold Blood'” – Dr. Martin Whiting – Macquarie University

To read the full article at CBS News click here. Photo Dr. Martin Whiting
…read more
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The skies opened and the deluge began. There was no easing into it. Within minutes, the afternoon sun in which anoles and tortoises had been basking had been obliterated by leaden clouds. Thunder rumbled and lighting speared the heavens. Torrential rains were falling – 2 and a half inches in just under one hour.

By the time darkness had enveloped us, our little artificial pond on the hill was freshened, overflowing, and echoing with the rapidly pulsed and oft repeated trills of southern toads, Bufo terrestris.

But it was from across the road in the newly opened Sweetwater Wetlands Park that the true anuran cacophony had begun. Tiny marble-sized narrow-mouthed toads, Gastrophryne carolinensis, were present in some numbers, but their peenting calls were virtually overwhelmed by the vocalizations of the two larger, dominant treefrogs: the green and the barking (Hyla cinerea and H. gratiosa, respectively) that had gathered by the dozens, perhaps in the hundreds in the newly created temporary pools.

With favorable breezes the loud choruses, the “wonks” and “hollow barks”, of these 2 beautiful hylids could be heard from our back deck more than a half mile away.

Need I mention that it is for these storms that we wait anxiously each year, for with each year’s storm arrival we are enchanted anew by the anuran activity they induce.

Continue reading “Frog serenade in a thunderstorm” …read more
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Just hanging out in the wilds of Allen Cay, this gorgeous Cyclura cychlura figginsi stages the cake in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user jf! Go out and find some beauty this weekend and share it with us! Be sure to tell jf you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
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Just hanging out in the wilds of Allen Cay, this gorgeous C.figgisi stages the cake in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user jf! Go out and find some beauty this weekend and share it with us! Be sure to tell jf you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
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The Argentinian Black and White Tegu, Salvator merianae, has been a problem in Southeast Florida for a while now, the lizard has established populations in Miami-Dade, Hillsborough and Polk County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, but it is now spreading to the Southwest region, particularly Collier County.

“This is public enemy number one–the Argentine Tegu,” – Ian Bartoszek, Biologist – Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Wildlife experts have mailed 7,200 postcards to the Collier County as a warning for residents to report a sighting immediately. Residents are urged to call 1-888-IVE-GOT1 if they see a tegu or send a picture of the animal to www.IveGot1.org.

To read the whole article in the Palm Beach Post click here – Gallery photo by RamblinRose …read more
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Frankie is on the road to recovery. Strike that.

Frankie is doing much better. Strike that.

Frankie is making it very plain that he is just fine and quite babying him, Mom!

I think he knows it’s his birthday so I will forgive just about anything.

Almost anything.

Frankie antics in just the last 24 hours.

Climbing into the box turtle habitat.

Scaling the barrier that’s supposed to keep him in the safe-for-foot area of the yard.

He climbed over the retaining wall blocks of the the box turtle’s outdoor area. He has never done this before and it’s been there all summer. He seem content to sit there so I left him alone.

20 minutes later I found him digging a hole. Caught him before he dug deep enough to escape. Notice that the grass and leaves are completely covered with dirt.

So, he is fine. The Brat.

Happy Birthday, Frankie. 14 years old and 101 pounds big! …read more
Read more here: Turtle Times

Frankie is on the road to recovery. Strike that.

Frankie is doing much better. Strike that.

Frankie is making it very plain that he is just fine and quite babying him, Mom!

I think he knows it’s his birthday so I will forgive just about anything.

Almost anything.

Frankie antics in just the last 24 hours.

Climbing into the box turtle habitat.

Scaling the barrier that’s supposed to keep him in the safe-for-foot area of the yard.

He climbed over the retaining wall blocks of the the box turtle’s outdoor area. He has never done this before and it’s been there all summer. He seem content to sit there so I left him alone.

20 minutes later I found him digging a hole. Caught him before he dug deep enough to escape. Notice that the grass and leaves are completely covered with dirt.

So, he is fine. The Brat.

Happy Birthday, Frankie. 14 years old and 101 pounds big! …read more
Read more here: Turtle Times

Faced with a disease that could wipe out native salamander species scientists are calling for a ban on the import of the amphibians from outside the United States in an effort to prevent the disease from establishing a foothold here. Already threatened by the chytrid fungus, also called Bd, this new fungus appears to only target salamander species and is called Bsal Though Bd has made it here, so far, Bsal has not yet been found in the Americas.

“The Fish and Wildlife Service has been very interested in chytrid and amphibian diseases for many years,” “But there’s a problem. Under the Lacey Act, they don’t have the legal authority to do much.” – Dr. Karen Lips University of Maryland

According to scientists salamanders in the southeastern U.S., the western U.S., and the highlands of central Mexico are most at risk.

To read more, click here for the article at NPR. Gallery photo by emajor …read more
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By Herp News

Scientists have found that a newly identified and highly infectious tadpole disease is found in a diverse range of frog populations across the world. The discovery sheds new light on some of the threats facing fragile frog populations, which are in decline worldwide.

Go to Source

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By Herp News

A lizard lineage which has evolved over the last 19 million years has helped scientists to re-think one of the most important concepts of modern biology: adaptive radiation.

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Mondays are rough even for this Woma in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Tkrush12 ! Go out and find some beauty this weekend and share it with us! Be sure to tell Tkrush12 you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
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By Herp News

Carl Safina has created a literary career writing books about the ocean, whether tracing the life of an albatross named Ameila, chasing after sea turtles in the Pacific, or following the seasons at his beachside home on Long Island.But his newest book,

Employing the newest science, personal observation and unapologetic reason, Safina abolishes the centuries-long view that animals are somehow unthinking automatons. Instead, he paints a picture of a wild world populated by emotional, cognitive, social and political beings—incredibly similar to our own inner lives, and yet…very different.“I wanted to make the case for conservation in a new way,” said Safina in an interview with Mongabay (read in full below). “We hear status reports about  ‘nature’ in statistics like: 60 percent of the habitat gone, 15 percent of a population remaining, 3,000 endangered individuals left… Anyone can read about how much we are losing. I wanted to show who these creatures are. I want us to feel, beneath our ribs, why they must live.”

Beyond Words cover.

In the book’s four sections, Safina employs his clear-headed, conversational, but often beguilingly beautiful prose to illuminate the lives of elephants, canines (both wild and domestic) and killer whales. In the process, we begin like Safina to view these animals not as cogs in an ecosystem’s wheel or as commodities for our use, but as individuals with distinct personalities and vital roles in their community.“We have no trouble saying that an animal who’s vigorously eating is hungry, and one resting after exertion is tired; yet we can hardly force ourselves to acknowledge that when they’re playing they’re having fun, or that when they’re acting affectionate they’re feeling the bond,” Safina said. “Why? Because denying them all experience reinforces our favorite story: that we are so very special.”But, refreshingly, Safina isn’t writing this book from a doe-eyed animal rights activist point of view, but from a PhD scientist’s perspective. He weaves the science of animal emotion, intelligence and personality throughout the book, and remains fearless in his skepticism. That said, his experiences with these unique creatures, and the stories he hears, changes him.

Reintroduced wolf in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by: Barry O’Neill.

“Before I encountered these stories, I was dismissive,” he writes in Beyond Words. “Now I feel shaken out of certainty. I’ve suspended disbelief. It’s an unexpected feeling for me. The stories have forced open doors I had shut, doors to that greatest of all mental feats: the simple sense of wonder.”In an August, 2015 interview, Safina discusses the childhood origins of his new book, whether or not some animals may be wiser than humans and gives his take on the outrage over the recent killing of Cecil the Lion.AN INTERVIEW WITH CARL SAFINAMongabay: Your past books have largely focused on …read more
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By Herp News

[dropcap type=”2″]A[/dropcap] wildlife trafficker was arrested in a sting in Indonesia’s Aceh province after trying to sell three baby Sumatran orangutans through Facebook.Authorities apprehended the 29-year-old man, a student at a local state-run university, after conservationists from the Centre for Orangutan Protection engaged him on the social media platform and learned where the critically endangered animals were being stored.Besides the orangutans, the suspect was found with two red-backed sea eagles (Haliastur indus); a great argus (Argusianus argus), which is a type of pheasant; and a taxidermied Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi).

This baby orangutan was one of three rescued from a wildlife trafficker in Indonesia’s Aceh province over the weekend. Photo: Sumatran Orangutan Society

Trafficked Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) usually come from Aceh, according to Daniek Hendarto, manager of the COP’s wildlife crime unit.The creatures, he said, are usually bought locally for 1 million rupiah ($74) and then resold in Medan, the capital of neighboring North Sumatra province, for from 5 million to 10 million rupiah. “In Java they can fetch from 40 million to 100 million rupiah,” he added. “If they’re sold outside the country, like in Singapore or Malaysia, they can go for 400 million rupiah.”Mirwazi, spokesman for the Aceh Police, said that the trafficker had confessed to selling two orangutans in July for 7.5 million rupiah each and that the man would be prosecuted under the 1990 Conservation Law.According to the Facebook page of the Sumatran Orangutan Society, a U.K.-based organization that assisted in the sting, the orangutans’ mothers would have likely been killed to capture the babies, “a terrible reality of the illegal pet trade.”

The suspect (center, wearing mask) is photographed with the animals he was caught trying to sell. Photo: Junaidi Hanafiah

Aceh’s orangutan population is waning due to hunting and habitat destruction, said Genman Hasibuan, head of the Aceh branch of the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), which estimates that 6,000 of the great apes remain in the wild.“One orangutan habitat in Aceh is the Leuser Ecosystem,” he explained. “If the hunting continues and the forests continue to be destroyed, the number of orangutans will certainly decrease.”­­Produced in English by Philip Jacobson.Citation: Junaidi Hanafiah. “Berawal dari Facebook, Penjual Bayi Orangutan di Aceh Dibekuk.” Mongabay-Indonesia. 4 August 2015.

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I think I really don’t need to describe how much a snake lover is fascinated by albino snakes because, all my reptile lover friends reading this blog know that awesome feeling very well when we see an albino snake.
In a country like India, where you can’t keep reptiles as pets, it is very rare for a snake lover like me to see an albino snake or else you really need a ‘strong luck’. As I said strong luck, I still can’t believe I was so lucky for a while when I saw this beautiful snake.

It was 2012 and my friend had rescued a snake and he decided to give me a surprise, so he called me up and said “Sachin I have rescued a cobra so come to my place we’ll go and release it”.

When I reached his place I asked him to show the cobra and he showed me the jar, when I closely observed the jar and literally shouted “WTF is it an albino grass snake?” Yes! It was an albino green keelback Macropisthodon plumbicolorwhich I was sure when I regained my senses after going crazy.

I am very thankful to that friend for doing me such a big favor. I called my friend Riyaz Khoja to click this beauty and as usual Riyaz is always at his best for capturing amazing shots. I really wish my life gives me such moments again and again where I can call myself lucky.

Photos: Riyaz Khoja
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A fatal fungal disease that has been running rampant in snake populations on the east coast and has been found as far west as Illinois has now been identified in at least nine states. The disease can cause crusty scabs and lesions, sometimes on the head. Although it affects a number of species, it’s especially threatening to rattlesnakes that live in small, isolated populations. It’s unclear if this fungal disease was brought to the United States from elsewhere, or if it has always been present and for some unknown reason is now infecting snakes.

“I think potentially this could overwhelm any conservation effort we could employ to try to protect this last remaining population,” said Doug Blodgett, a biologist with the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife

In New Hampshire, the disease helped halve the population of rattlesnakes, now estimated at only several dozen. In Illinois the disease infects about 15 percent of the population of about 300 of massasauga rattlesnakes every year with a mortality rate of 80 to 90 percent.

To read the whole AP story click here!.

Gallery photo by herpermike1 …read more
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Dumping unwanted reptile pets will just lead to more intrusive laws regulating keeping them.

From the Long Island Press:

A “very aggressive” three-foot-long crocodile was found inside a cardboard box left in the parking lot of a Melville office building Tuesday, officials said.

The unusual discovery was made at about 11 a.m. at 25 Melville Park Road following an anonymous call to the Town of Huntington Animal Shelter, according to Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross.

The worker who took the call was suspicious at first, Gross said, because hoaxes are not uncommon in their experience. But when the shelter employee went to investigate the box in the parking lot of the industrial area, it had a crocodile inside it.

Gross noted the crocodile was feisty, and difficult at first to corral. But the crocodile was safely captured and transported to the animal shelter before it was turned over to the Suffolk SPCA.

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Reptile collector Gerard Kruse plead guilty in a New York Federal Court to 13 violations of the Lacey Act for his role in illegally collecting and transporting native snakes.

Arrested as part of a sting dubbed “Operation Kingsnake” Kruse admitted to the illegal collection, transport and receipt of 59 snakes that were collected from and protected by various states, such as New Jersey, California and Oregon.

“All of our protected species, including reptiles, are important to our ecosystems and must be shielded from such illegal trafficking. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously support efforts against domestic wildlife trafficking.” – Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden

According to the terms of the plea agreement, the government will seek 13 months of home confinement with electronic monitoring. In addition, Kruse has agreed to be placed on probation and subject to special conditions such as forfeiture of his snakes and being banned from the collection, sale and trade of reptiles and amphibians.

To read the full news release from the U.S. Department of Justice click here.

Gallery Photo by DeanAlessandrini
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For the past 2 weeks Milwaukee WI has been under siege with a rumored lion running wild on the streets. As yet only one video has emerged of the lion that is plausible and the media and police blotter are reporting different things. Adult female African lion, Juvenile male African Lion, adult Mountain Lion, some even report cubs being present.

You might be asking yourself, as a reptile keeper, who cares about a stupid lion! What does this have to do with me? When regulation rears it’s head reptiles are usually lumped in with big cats and primates, and Wisconsin is one of the few states that does not currently have extensive exotics legislation at the state level. That is for now.


The Humane Society of the United States working with politicians are crafting legislation soon that will likely parallel the strict regulations introduced in Ohio after the Zanesville tragedy.

According to Wisconsin State Sen. Van Wanggaard in an interview with WISN Milwaukee:

“This bill would codify exotic animals as being something that would not be allowed to be owned in personal residential areas,” Wanggaard said.
…

He said that people who currently own exotic animals will be grandfathered in until the animal dies, but they would have to register the pet and get a permit.


Of course to really push the law, they need the lion and that will means more than a grainy video. The Milwaukee Police Department however is running the search and with other more pressing priorities, most Milwaukeeans doubt they have the ability to actually capture a lion, if it really exists.

Supporters of the bill, including Van Wanggaard, are hopeful they will have the law in place by the end of the year. Reptile keepers however are preparing for a long battle.

Inset photo is of Gypsy, an adult female lioness under the care of Forever Wild Animal Sanctuary in California. …read more
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This stunning grayband helps us kick off the weekend in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user trevid ! Go out and find some beauty this weekend and share it with us! Be sure to tell trevid you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
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Although many frogs and toads are known to be poisonous, i.e. deadly if their toxins are ingested, two frogs from Brazil are now known to be venomous as well, delivering their toxins through spines and spikes on their heads, a first for the four legged amphibians. Scientists that made the discovery said calculations suggest that a single gram of the venom from the more toxic species, Aparasphenodon brunoi, could kill more than 300,000 mice or about 80 humans.

The strength of toxicity of the skin secretions is remarkable, and to say we were surprised by that is an understatement,” Brodie said. “Amphibians have a wide array of skin toxins that have been well-studied, but this sort of mechanism — transmitting the toxin as a venom — has not been found before. It moves the study of amphibian defenses to a new level.

Although their venom packs a wallop, scientists are convinced it is only used as a defensive mechanism as opposed to using it to hunt their prey. Since neither frog has any known predators, that is certainly a likely scenario.

To read more, check out the full article on LiveScience

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By Herp News

It’s no surprise that some frogs secrete poison from glands in their skin. But researchers have discovered the first two species of frog, both living in Brazil, that are actually venomous. Not only do the frogs produce potent toxins, but they also have a mechanism to deliver those harmful secretions into another animal using bony spines on their heads.

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The community of Chilliwack has constructed an amphibian tunnel to stave off deaths of frogs and toads during periods of mass migration.

From the Chilliwack Progress:

There’s a spot on Elk View Road where tiny toadlets no bigger than a dime were getting crushed by vehicles as they tried to migrate across the road.

A new amphibian tunnel completed in June in the hills above Chilliwack should help.

“One of the really neat aspects is this is a solution that other communities can implement as well,” said Joanne Neilson, executive director of Fraser Valley Conservancy.

There’s province-wide concern about declining amphibian species in areas where development is spring up around wetlands, so the tunnel structure is being touted as a potential model for others to follow to reduce mortalities.

B.C. communities might one day look at culvert replacement in a more toad-friendly way.

Last month special fencing was used to guide the toads and frogs through the newly built culvert for the first time.

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“Snake!” Both Jake and I voiced the single word simultaneously.

Ahead of us, nearing the edge of the pavement, was the unmistakable form that we had been hoping to see. There were no other vehicles in sight on the roadway. As we neared, we both said “canebrake.” I stopped a couple of dozen feet before reaching the snake and Jake piled out of one door and I from the other. The snake lying quietly stretched out, merely kinked a bit as we neared and never rattled.

The canebrake rattlers, Crotalus horridus atricaudatus, of this region vary noticeably in ground color with most being tan or dead-leaf brown. A few, though, are a beautiful purple or pink and we were elated to see that this 30 incher was one of these latter.

Since there was still no traffic we took a few pictures, gently touched the rattler’s tail with a slender stick, and watched for a few moments as the snake slowly crawled from the pavement and disappeared without disturbance into the roadside greenery.

A canebrake had been our goal for the evening but having found this beauty we decided to continue road-hunting for another half hour. In that 30 minute time frame we saw 3 additional snakes: a corn, a juvenile yellow-gray rat snake, and a Peninsula ribbon snake.

All in all it was a great evening, one that we both would remember favorably, and we were home before dark!

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How high can you stack your dragons? Another pic overloaded with cuteness, uploaded by kingsnake.com user dedragons! Be sure to tell dedragons you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here! …read more
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