Herper.com: Reptiles and Amphibians

End of Blog (For Now)

2010-04-29T10:55:00.002-05:00

As Google is ending their FTP service, I won't be able to continue making posts to this blog (thus the recent lack of herp news). At some future date I may consider starting up a WordPress or other blogging platform here, though it will probably be a slightly different URL so that I don't lose previous posts.

Contribution to Herpetology

2010-03-20T19:44:00.003-05:00

A nice article here on the development of a reference guide to the 22-volume Biology of the Reptilia series, by 85-year-old Ernest Liner.

California Tiger Salamander

2010-03-07T20:55:00.002-05:00

The native tiger salamander is now considered threatened in California. (News source.)

Rediscovered Australian Frog

2010-03-07T20:52:00.000-05:00

An Australian frog thought extinct for 30 years has been rediscovered. (News source.)

Fisherman Attacked by Croc

2010-02-28T18:57:00.001-05:00

A crocodile carried off a Ugandan fisherman. (News source.)

Snakebites

2010-02-24T01:20:00.002-05:00

A Florida off-duty deputy was bitten by a water moccasin at a youth fishing event. (News source.)

An Australian man was bitten by a death adder. (News source.)

Brown Tree Snakes

2010-02-24T01:15:00.002-05:00

A report shows that more than 500 brown tree snakes were caught on Guam from October to December last year. (News source.)

Breeding Behavior

2010-02-24T01:14:00.002-05:00

Interesting information on all-female species of whiptail lizard.

And, a certain Peruvian frog is the first known monogamous amphibian.

Python Season

2010-02-24T00:46:00.001-05:00

A new season will be available to hunters for reptile of special concern in Florida state-managed areas around the Everglades. (News source.)

Komodo Attack

2010-02-24T00:43:00.003-05:00

A Komodo dragon bit a Komodo Island park ranger on the foot; it had apparently been chasing a monkey. This report doesn't say why or how it turned on the ranger.

[Update: a little more information on the attack here, but several details still missing.]

Florida Python Ban

2010-02-17T18:58:00.001-05:00

Florida is trying to ban "reptiles of concern." (News source.)

Gator Fingers

2010-02-17T18:56:00.000-05:00

A recipe.

Smugglers & Poachers

2010-02-17T18:46:00.002-05:00

Three people were arrested for trying to smuggle geckos out of New Zealand. (News source.)

Six people were arrested in South Africa for trading in leopard tortoises. (News source.)

Boomslang Bites

2010-02-16T15:12:00.001-05:00

Two men and a women in South Africa all handled a juvenile boomslang, getting bit in the process. (News source.)

Pythons Stolen

2010-02-15T16:18:00.002-05:00

A petting zoo in South Fort Myers had a python stolen from them. (News source.)

Coquis and Hawaiian Farmers

2010-02-15T16:12:00.001-05:00

The presence of coquis is troubling farmers who fear they may be quarantined. (News source.)

Just in Time for Valentine's Day

2010-02-13T20:55:00.004-05:00

Love Songs of African Clawed Frogs (NPR)

Fiji Green Iguanas

2010-02-13T20:55:00.002-05:00

Apparently, there are introduced green iguanas in Fiji, and plans are underway to eradicate them. Hopefully it isn't a misidentification of the endangered Fiji iguanas... (News source.)

Pacific Iguanas

2010-02-12T14:03:00.002-05:00

There's a new study from BYU regarding the biogeography of iguanas, specifically how they reached the isolated islands of Fiji and Tonga.

Python Politics Continues

2010-02-11T23:50:00.002-05:00

An interesting business-side look at the effects of the python ban from the WSJ.

The cold snap in FL has killed off a number of pythons, apparently.

Tuataras and UV

2010-02-11T23:38:00.002-05:00

Tuataras need UV for healthy bone growth and stability. (News source, and here.)

Not really news for herpetoculturists, but apparently the media isn't quite up to speed.

Eating Herps: Risk Analysis

2010-02-09T19:21:00.000-05:00

Eurekalert: Study carried out into biological risks of eating reptiles

Alligator Attack

2010-02-09T19:11:00.002-05:00

An 11-year old girl in Brazil was killed by a crocodilian. Several news reports call it an alligator, which of course, is incorrect. (No gators in Brazil.) The reported length (15 feet) would make it a black caiman. (News source, and here.)

Another Article on Python Ban

2010-02-07T14:03:00.004-05:00

From Tennessee.

Venomous News

2010-02-07T14:03:00.002-05:00

The Maryland woman who claimed she was bitten by a loose cobra has been charged by DNR with possession of two venomous snakes. (News source.)

Utah is considering allowing residents to keep rattlesnakes. (News source.)

Australian snakebites are on the rise (News source.); a hiker in Tasmania was bitten by an unidentified snake. (News source.)