A site about amphibians, reptiles, and other creepy crawlies
Posted in Conservation, Reptiles, Snakes, Turtles on May 17th, 2013
I was recently invited to tag along during an ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata) survey that was being conducted by the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources. The collection methods were some of the furriest ones I’ve used to date. To search out the turtles the DNR brought in some fuzzy, tail-wagging specialists. They hired a [...]
Posted in Amphibians, Frogs, Reptiles, Snakes, Turtles on May 13th, 2013
As many of you know I’m a field wildlife biologist/herpetologist which means I get to spend a lot of time outside for my job. I’m always coming across fun wildlife and wanted to share with you the latest herps I’ve seen in Wisconsin while either working or playing. All of the following except the paint [...]
Posted in Conservation, Reptiles, Turtles on Mar 25th, 2013
I just finished reading Lonesome George: The Life and Loves of the World’s Most Famous Tortoise by Herny Nicholls. While this book does cover George and his life and lack of loves it also discusses the conservation of the Galapagos and the conservation of threatened species worldwide. Nicholls goes into detail about the strife and hardships the [...]
Posted in Amphibians, Conservation, Crocodilians, Education, Frogs, Herpetology, Lizards, Reptiles, Salamanders, Snakes, Turtles, Uncategorized on Mar 13th, 2013
Hello Wandering Herping Friends, Only two days remain for Earthshine Nature Programs’ first 2013 online fundraiser so please donate, share and post the below paragraph with anyone you like or anywhere you like to help us reach our goal–THANK YOU! “Earthshine Nature Programs is in the process of setting up a second nature education [...]
Posted in Conservation, Reptiles, Turtles on Mar 4th, 2013
A recent study by an international team led by the University of Alabama at Birmingham suggests that the endangered leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) could face extinction in 20 years if measures are not put in place to save them. The team has observed a 78% decline in nesting turtles at the species’ last stronghold in the [...]
Posted in Amphibians, Reptiles, Salamanders, Turtles on Jan 9th, 2013
On January sixth I headed up to one of my old haunts in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Greenville County, South Carolina. Like my last holiday salamander expedition I am hoping to find some salamanders but unlike last time I am in a mountain wilderness filled with large Chestnut Oaks, pristine tributaries, and a few [...]
Posted in Conservation, Education, Snakes, Turtles, Uncategorized on Jan 5th, 2013
We were checking out a new spot and looking for snakes on a warm summer day. Daniel & I were together on this attempt which turned out to be a good thing. We try to do most of our hunts together, but time and other priorities do not always match up. Being that this was [...]
Posted in Amphibians, Conservation, Crocodilians, Education, Herpetology, Reptiles, Salamanders, Snakes, Turtles, Uncategorized on Dec 29th, 2012
It has been a great 2012 for Earthshine Nature Programs! We have had many great high notes and a couple of low points–but change is the way of nature. Tracking Catherine in the spring! We started off with a wonderful second annual open house and benefit in the spring! We had a great turn out, [...]
Posted in Amphibians, Frogs, Lizards, Reptiles, Snakes, Turtles on Dec 19th, 2012
Last weekend my hubby and I visited our old stomping grounds in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I lived there for 2 years and my hubby grew up there. I of course had to go herping at my favorite spot in the city while we were there, Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center. It never fails that I’ll see [...]
Y. K. Ip and fellow researchers from the National University of Singapore have discovered that the Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) can excrete urine (technically urea) through their mouths. Ip and colleagues decided to run tests on the turtles after observing them immersing their heads in puddles of water when their main water source had dried [...]
