Reptoman

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   Dec 16

Barkers in the Puddles

 Barking treefrogs are capable of chameleon-like color and pattern changes.

Jim and I had been bouncing along a seldom used forest road, our destination still miles ahead. We were heading for a once flooded meadow from which, until the lengthy drought, carpenter frogs had been known to call. But our drive had been intercepted by loud toooonks coming from a woodland pond that we were passing.

Herpers, like birders, learn and respond to the sounds of nature, and there was no mistaking these sounds. The calls – toooonk, toooonk, toooonk, a pause and then another series of toooonks – were those of our largest native east coast hylid, the barking treefrog, Hyla gratiosa.

I should mention that at times barking treefrogs actually do produce a sound that could be likened to a grating bark. The barks are often produced when the frogs are high above ground and are celebrating a period of high humidity or, especially, are welcoming the approach of a summer storm.

But on a night like this – a glorious, breezeless, warm, late spring night, devoid of moonlight and replete with hordes of very thirsty mosquitoes – the toooonks indicated that the frogs were all in the breeding pond. We parked, listened, and determined there were several dozen barkers in the chorus. Although loudest, they were outnumbered by pine woods and green treefrogs, as well as by cricket frogs. Cameras were readied and we edged through the brambles towards the pond…

But what about the carpenter frogs?

We’ll be making another trip. Maybe we won’t be diverted the next time.

Continue reading “Barkers in the Puddles” …read more
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   Dec 16

Herp Photo of the Day: Argentine Black & White Tegu!

It’s our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user RamblinRose!

Argentine Black & White Tegu, uploaded by kingsnake.com user RamblinRose” />

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   Dec 15

Tortoise Capital Advisors to Host Year-End Closed-End Fund Conference Call

By Herp News

Tortoise Capital Advisors, L.L.C., the adviser of NDP, NTG, TPZ, TTP, and TYG announced today it will host a year-end conference call on Dec. 17, 2014 at 3:30 p.m. Central, to discuss current energy industry market conditions and Tortoise closed-end funds’ 2014 year-end results.

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   Dec 15

Tortoise Capital Advisors to Host Year-End Closed-End Fund Conference Call

By Herp News

Tortoise Capital Advisors, L.L.C., the adviser of NDP, NTG, TPZ, TTP, and TYG announced today it will host a year-end conference call on Dec. 17, 2014 at 3:30 p.m. Central, to discuss current energy industry market conditions and Tortoise closed-end funds’ 2014 year-end results.

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   Dec 15

Turtle that breathes through its butt now critically endangered in Australia

By Herp News

Danielle Haynes TOWNSVILLE, Australia, Dec. 15 (UPI) — A turtle notable for the fact that it breathes through its rear-end is now considered critically endangered by the Australian government.

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   Dec 15

Then there were five: rhino death moves species closer to extinction

By Herp News

As if news for rhinos couldn’t get any worse: this weekend, Angalifu, died a the San Diego Zoo. Forty four-year-old Angalifu was a male northern white rhino and his death means only five of this subspecies remains on the planet. Angalifu’s death, which keepers suspect was simply from old age, follows soon after the death of another northern white rhino, Suni, in October.

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   Dec 15

Fitch Affirms Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund Notes at 'AAA' & Pfd at 'AA'

By Herp News

Fitch Ratings assigns 'AAA' ratings to the following senior unsecured notes issued by Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund :

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   Dec 15

Turtle that can breathe out its butt almost extinct

By Herp News

The days of the white-throated snapping turtle (Elseya albagula) appear to be numbered, according to the Australian government, which has recently declared them critically endangered.

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   Dec 15

Turtle that can breathe out its butt almost extinct

By Herp News

The days of the white-throated snapping turtle (Elseya albagula) appear to be numbered, according to the Australian government, which has recently declared them critically endangered.

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   Dec 15

Turtle Beach Introduces New Xbox One Headset Audio Controllers

By Herp News

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ –Turtle Beach, the leading audio brand in the video games industry, today announced that Superhuman Hearing and Mic Monitoring will be featured in two new officially …

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   Dec 15

Galapagos tortoises have astonishing recovery

A captive breeding program and removal of invasive goats has helped Española Galapagos tortoises improve their numbers from 15 to 1500.

From treehugger.com:

How was the Española population of giant tortoise saved? The Galapagos Islands National Park Service began a program of captive breeding and reintroduction in 1973. Using an enclosure on another island to help some of the remaining tortoise to focus on breeding, they were successful in reintroducing more than 1500 of the captivity-raised giant tortoise offspring on the island of Española.

For this effort to be successful, the non-native goats had to be culled, and eventually exterminated. Otherwise, the life-sustaining catci could never have recovered:

“[The goats] would feast on the roots… and chew away at the bark, and eventually that would topple these cacti. And then they had an incredible buffet of maybe 500-1000 years of cactus growth, demolished in a week or two,” explained Professor Gibbs, from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at the State University of New York.

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   Dec 15

Herp Photo of the Day: Blue Serong Green Tree Python!

It’s our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user snakemanskynard!

Blue Serong Green Tree Python, uploaded by kingsnake.com user snakemanskynard” />

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   Dec 14

Traveling reptile show lands in Phoenix

By Herp News

Living here in the desert, you've probably seen your fair share of reptiles, like snakes and lizards, roaming around. Some people are afraid of them, but the Repticon show in the valley this weekend shows us that reptiles aren't so scary and are actually pretty cool.Thousands of exotic animals will be at the Repticon traveling reptile show at the Arizona State Fairgrounds this weekend so that …

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   Dec 13

Ancient Flying Reptile Named After Kung Fu Film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'

By Herp News

Fossilized remains of the kryptodrakon progenitor (“hidden dragon”), which evolved into the largest flying creatures ever to inhabit earth, were discovered in northwest China, where Ang Lee's Oscar-winning film was shot. read more

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   Dec 13

Ancient Flying Reptile Named After Kung Fu Film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'

By Herp News

Fossilized remains of the kryptodrakon progenitor (“hidden dragon”), which evolved into the largest flying creatures ever to inhabit earth, were discovered in northwest China, where Ang Lee's Oscar-winning film was shot. read more

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   Dec 13

Ancient Flying Reptile Named After Ang Lee's 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'

By Herp News

Fossilized remains of the kryptodrakon progenitor (“hidden dragon”), which evolved into the largest flying creatures ever to inhabit earth, were discovered in northwest China, where the Oscar-winning film was shot. read more

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   Dec 12

Turtle Power: Endangered Sea Turtles Are on the Rise on These Islands

By Herp News

When you’re a critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle, any news is usually bad news. But not today.

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   Dec 12

Lizard Squad claims responsibility for PSN login outage

By Herp News

Hacking group the 'Lizard Squad' has claimed responsibility for an outage which took down the web login page for the PSN this morning, marring a weekend of celebration and PR for PlayStation on its 20th anniversary.

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   Dec 12

Absurd Creature of the Week: The Adorable Mexican Mole Lizard Has a Disgusting Reputation

By Herp News

Down in Baja California there crawls a beast so bizarre, so cruel, so foul, that the mere mention of it sends locals scurrying. It’s an opportunist, said to attack humans at their most vulnerable moment: potty time. The post Absurd Creature of the Week: The Adorable Mexican Mole Lizard Has a Disgusting Reputation appeared first on WIRED .

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   Dec 12

Boosting the conservation value of 4M sq km of rainforest logging concessions

By Herp News

Short of buying back logging concessions, switching from conventional logging approaches to reduced impact logging techniques across existing forestry concessions may be the best way boost biodiversity in areas earmarked for timber extraction, argues paper.

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   Dec 12

'Eaten Alive' creates problems for reptile rescuers

There’s nothing like really bad science and equally bad reality TV to make problems for reptile rescuers.

Discovery Channel, in their brilliant glory, ran a farce of a documentary last weekend where a man got into a snake proof suit, slathered himself in pigs blood and then pretended like he was going to be “Eaten Alive” to boost their ratings. Unfortunately, it’s created a big headache for reptile resue groups like mine.

My first call was to find out if anacondas are able to live in Wisconsin. The answer is no. Despite the fact that we have a lot of rivers and swamps, as the caller pointed out to me, the temperatures are far too cold for an anaconda to survive. I mean seriously, it is 22 degrees outside right now.

Three emails followed that asking about anacondas. All three inquired as to if anacondas could really eat people and if they do all the time. It was about this time my head started to hurt and that is when I logged onto Facebook and realized that “Eaten Alive” had aired the previous night.

Several emails followed, all asking a variety of questions about large species of snakes and their deadliness to humans. By the end of Monday night, I had a pre-typed email as a response and was several beers into my 12-pack.

A call this morning also induced severe head pain (no, it wasn’t a hangover!), but thankfully I was able to talk the person down and into keeping their pet. The caller had a ball python and wanted to surrender it because they ate meat. Not the snake, mind you, but the pet owner!

They were concerned because the “scientist” who appeared on the show used pig’s blood, and since they eat meat, their snake would become dangerous. Thankfully, I was able to explain the reality of snake ownership and also touch on cleanliness issues relating to owning any pet. Monty still has a home tonight and the owner no longer fears her pet.

While the show claimed it was aimed at educating about conservation, it merely introduced a new level of fear for those who live among reptiles. It is time that the media on all levels let go of the hype and stick to the facts.

Photo provided with permission by Mike Pingleton …read more
Read more here: King Snake

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   Dec 12

Absurd Creature of the Week: The Adorable Mexican Mole Lizard Has a Disgusting Reputation

By Herp News

Down in Baja California there crawls a beast so bizarre, so cruel, so foul, that the mere mention of it sends locals scurrying. It’s an opportunist, said to attack humans at their most vulnerable moment: potty time. The post Absurd Creature of the Week: The Adorable Mexican Mole Lizard Has a Disgusting Reputation appeared first on WIRED .

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   Dec 12

Herp Video of the Week: Caution, Snakes!

Check out this video “Caution, Snakes!” submitted by kingsnake.com user smetlogik.
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   Dec 12

Herp Photo of the Day: Regal Ringneck Snake!

It’s our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user gshis!

Regal Ringneck Snake, uploaded by kingsnake.com user gshis” />

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   Dec 11

An app to save 400 million animals

By Herp News

Brazilian biologist Alex Bager has been leading a crusade to raise awareness of a major but neglected threat to biodiversity in his country. Every year over 475 million animals die in Brazil as victims of roadkill, according to an estimate by Centro Brasileiro de Ecologia de Estradas, an initiative funded and coordinated by Bager. This means 15 animals are run down every second on Brazilian roads and highways.

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   Dec 11

Major comeback for sea turtles: Highest reported nest counts in Nicaragua

By Herp News

Scientists noticed a dramatic increase in nesting of critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles including the highest nest counts since a conservation project began there in 2000.

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   Dec 11

Tortoise Capital Advisors Announces New Independent Board Member of Its Closed-End Funds

By Herp News

Tortoise Capital Advisors, adviser for five closed-end funds, today announced that Alexandra Herger will join the current Board of Directors of its closed-end funds on Jan. 1, 2015.

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   Dec 11

My first snake: the DeKay's snake

Narrow of head and slender of girth, the northern brown snake.

I can still remember turning the big flagstone that was out by the day lily bed and seeing my very first snake.

I was probably 6 or 7 and had already turned a lot of stones in my short lifetime. I found toads and stag beetles and star-nosed moles – enough things so that I spent a goodly amount of time flipping rocks and debris and marveling at the creatures that called such places home.

But a snake? And in my own backyard at that. Even when the little snake inflated itself and began an almost inaudible hissing, my parents declared it harmless and left the snake and me to our own devices.

That was my introduction to the species then called the DeKay’s snake and now known as the northern brown snake, Storeria dekayi dekayi. Notice the species name, dekayi, is spelled with a “k” and not a “c.” It is named for early New York naturalist, James Edward DeKay, not for any lack of serpentine structural integrity.

Although a gigantic specimen of just over 19 inches has been documented, most northern brown snakes are adult at 10 to 12 inches. The dietary preference is earthworms but an occasional cutworm or other insect may be accepted. This tiny snake, a relative of the larger garter and water snakes, gives birth to live young. Literature proclaims a litter may number from 3 to 31, but 5 to 12 seems the norm.
Continue reading “My first snake: the DeKay’s snake” …read more
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   Dec 11

Smithsonian exhibit features school bus sized snake

Have you seen the titanboa exhibit?

From NJ.com:

Twice as long as the longest snake alive today, Titanoboa was discovered in 2009 by a team of scientists working in one of the world’s largest open-pit coal mines at Cerrejón in La Guajira, Colombia. Fossil plants, giant turtles and crocodiles found with it deep underground reveal the earliest known rainforest, teeming with life and dating to the Paleocene, the lost world that followed the demise of the dinosaurs.

“Titanoboa is a bigger, badder boa, and it will simply knock your socks off,” said Jennifer Sontchi, Academy director of exhibits.

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   Dec 11

Herp Photo of the Day: Black Rat Snake!

It’s our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user peaceodarock!

Black Rat Snake, uploaded by kingsnake.com user peaceodarock” />

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   Dec 11

New model for snake venom evolution proposed

By Herp News

Researchers have found genetic evidence that highly toxic venom proteins were evolutionarily ‘born’ from non-toxic genes, which have other ordinary jobs around the body, such as regulation of cellular functions or digestion of food.

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   Dec 10

Tortoise Capital Advisors Announces Special Distributions for Certain Closed-End Funds

By Herp News

Tortoise Capital Advisors announced the following special distributions today:

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   Dec 10

To collect or not to collect? Experts debate the need for specimens

By Herp News

In 1912, a group of intrepid explorers led by Rollo and Ida Beck, widely acknowledged to be the foremost marine bird collectors of their time, embarked on a most remarkable effort to catalogue South America’s oceanic birds. Museums of the day held opportunistically collected specimens from scattered sources, but rarely did these include ocean-bound birds that spent little time near the coast.

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   Dec 10

Sea turtles rescued from the cold

Almost 200 sea turtles suffering from hypothermia were removed from chilly Massachusetts Bay and flown to warmer waters.

From the Orlando Sentinel:

Turtle rescues happen every year in late fall in the Northeast, but for reasons not yet known what’s happening this year is “epic,” said one of the nearly two dozen volunteers passing boxes of turtles like a bucket brigade.

“Statistically, I feel like we are out on Pluto,” said Tony LaCasse, spokesman for the New England Aquarium’s marine-animal hospital in Quincy, Mass., who fears the number of cold-stunned turtles could quadruple.

“We’ve been rescuing sea turtles for 25 years, and we are just absolutely shocked,” LaCasse said.

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   Dec 10

Herp Photo of the Day: Collared Lizard!

It’s our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Eve!

Collared Lizard, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Eve” />

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   Dec 10

Disabled tortoise gets a Lego 'wheelchair'

By Herp News

A little tortoise with a metabolic bone disease has had mobility returned thanks to a Lego rig glued to his shell.

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   Dec 10

Snapping turtle's new start after getting hooked through neck

By Herp News

A turtle found in the Northern Territory close to death and with a fishing hook through its neck which tethered it to a tree has been released back into the wild after being nursed back to health.

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   Dec 10

Snapping turtle's new start after getting hooked in the neck

By Herp News

A turtle found in the Northern Territory close to death and hanging from a tree with a hook through its neck has been released back into the wild after being nursed back to health.

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   Dec 09

Armen Shahrigian to Star in Reality-Based Reptile Pet Show

By Herp News

Armen Shahrigian will star in a new reality-based show that showcases his passion and knowledge of reptiles. Shahrigian has had a fascination with reptiles since he…

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