October SLHS General Meeting.

What is your favorite reptile?

Hi everyone. Summer flew by and now it is time to prepare our brumating animals for their winter slowdown. This is a bittersweet time of year for me as the animals must come inside and as they dig in, my interaction with them lessens. But it is all part of the cycle. Next spring will bring eggs and hungry tortoises!

So this is a perfect time to get together and talk about herpetology. The SLHS October General Meeting will be a round table discussion and the topic will be "How did you get interested in herpetology?"  John Ward and Lynn Hartke will be leading the discourse and will be bringing a few animals. You are welcome to bring a herp to talk about. Or just show up and tell us how you got into keeping these wonderful animals or why you like to go out and look for them in the wild. In other words, why are these animals important to you!

All critters you bring must be either caged or bagged. And, of course, No Venomous.

The meeting will begin at 7:00 pm with doors opening at 6:30. Meeting place is the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer rd.

Here's mine!

Learning more about how the turtles shell evolved and why.

Scientists are finding out that the tortoise shell evolved for burrowing purposes not protection.
With the discovery of a fossil that predates others by 5 million years they are learning more about the function of the plastron and carapace. Follow the link below to learn all about it.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/07/160715171312.htm

Below is a link to an older article that explains the importance of this fossil which was found in
2008. It had a fully formed plastron but the carapace was only partially developed. Perhaps the softshell turtle is the last remnant of this prehistoric ancestor.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130530132431.htm

With the evolution of the turtle shell it became what we see today on most chelonians. They are the only animal that has its ribs fused to the shell. With this change they could no longer breathe expanding the lungs. Below is an article discussing how turtles and tortoises breathe.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141107091449.htm

Hope you enjoy these articles that offer yet more insight to the wonder that is the turtle!

Ball Pythons! Bill Keith will be speaking on these wonderful snakes at the SLHS general meeting, Sunday July 10th.

                       

Ball Pythons are a very popular snake in the pet trade. Many of them, if not most, are captive bred and within the last decade or so breeders have come up with some amazing color morphs. If you are interested in a pet python but do not want a snake that will one day become huge then the Ball Python is the snake for you. The natural color of these snakes is beautiful even without all the selective breeding and a normal color phase Ball Python is accessible to most anyone who would like to have one. With their smaller size (about four feet which is small in the python world!) and generally timid nature they are excellent snakes for beginners. Once, wild caught were all you could get and they were sometimes very hard to get to feed in captivity. But the captive bread babies available today are usually great eaters and will feed on thawed feeder rodents.

Come to the St. Louis Herp Society's meeting this Sunday, July 10th and learn more about these fantastic snakes from Bill Keith. Meetings take place at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Rd. Doors open at 6:30 and the meeting will begin at 7. Hope to see you there!

For more information about the SLHS visit our website. stlherpsociety.org

How it got its name. A Ball Python all balled up.

Mamma incubating her eggs.

  

A beautiful piebald color morph.

 

Nice golden color phase.

Ball Pythons! Bill Keith will be speaking on these wonderful snakes at the SLHS general meeting, Sunday July 10th.

                     

Ball Pythons are a very popular snake in the pet trade. Many of them, if not most, are captive bred and within the last decade or so breeders have come up with some amazing color morphs. If you are interested in a pet python but do not want a snake that will one day become huge then the Ball Python is the snake for you. The natural color of these snakes is beautiful even without all the selective breeding and a normal color phase Ball Python is accessible to most anyone who would like to have one. With their smaller size and generally timid nature they are excellent snakes for beginners. Once, wild caught were all you could get and they were sometimes very hard to get to feed in captivity. But the captive bread babies available today are usually great eaters and will feed on thawed feeder rodents.

Come to the St. Louis Herp Society's meeting this Sunday, July 10th and learn more about these fantastic snakes from Bill Keith. Meetings take place at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Rd. Doors open at 6:30 and the meeting will begin at 7. Hope to see you there!

For more information about the SLHS visit our website. stlherpsociety.org

How it got its name. A Ball Python all balled up.

Mamma incubating her eggs.

  

A beautiful piebald color morph.

 

Nice golden color phase.

New species of Boa found on remote island in the Bahamas.

Chilabothrus argentum

"The entire silver boa population, which the team estimates to be fewer than a thousand animals, is found only in one small patch of Earth."

The good news is the island where they are found is a national parkland with very few human visiters. 

For more info on this beautiful silver snake read this article on the National Geographic website. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/05/snakes-animals-science-new-species-conservation/

Sunday, June 12th SLHS General Meeting. Show and Tell Social.

Bring your favorite reptile to share with other SLHS members. This is a great opportunity to discuss the care and natural history of your unique pet with other herp enthusiasts. Please have all animals either caged or bagged. NO VENOMOUS ANIMALS PERMITTED! We hope to see you there and are excited to see everybody's critters. Go to the website if you need info on meeting time and location. www.stlherpsociety.org

It is that time of year. GIVE 'EM A BRAKE!

Yes, it is that time when many of us like to get out and take a trip away from the hustle and bustle. This involves traveling on roads where wildlife will be encountered frequently. With reptiles this time of year brings lots of movement due to them just emerging from hibernation searching for food, a mate, or a suitable nesting site. Reptiles also enjoy sunbathing on the warm cement unaware of the dangers that presents. Box turtles are especially vulnerable due to their slow pace. Their time out on the road is longer so that means more of a chance they will be hit.

It is not too hard to avoid clipping these guys if you are aware. Most people are not mean-spirited and do not mean to hit them. They are just not paying attention. It is not on their radar that a turtle may be in the middle of the road around that next turn.

Anyone reading this blog is already probably traveling with a keen eye on the lookout for critters in the road but it is important to spread the word. As mentioned before, most people just don't think about it but when they hear stories of rescues off the road or see a PSA about looking out for wildlife crossing roadways it sinks in and hopefully it may have created another person now paying attention and avoiding the animals or even helping them cross safely to the other side.

Just letting people know you are a turtle (or any reptile) fan raises awareness too. I don't know how many friends who never paid any attention to them until they found out I was a chelonian enthusiast. I am constantly hearing how they thought of me and pulled over to help a turtle to safety. Does a soul good. 

And, as always, please be careful if you stop to move an animal. Do not risk your life if you cannot pull off the road safely or if traffic is too dangerous. 

March 15th, General Meeting. Ed Bielik will speak on "New World Rat Snakes"

Going to try this again! Since we had to cancel the meeting due to weather last February Ed has been kind enough to reschedule for the May meeting. See below for details and see you there!

Ed will be giving an informative talk on these fascinating snakes and their natural history and habits. New World rat snakes include the well known rat and corn snakes indigenous to the United States along with the western fox snake pictured below. Ed is encouraging anyone who keeps these snakes to bring one to the meeting this Sunday. It is always fun to see live snakes!

For anyone interested in reading how Old World rat snakes dispersed to the New World here is a link to an interesting article on the subject.

 http://www.reticulatedpython.info/me/papers/how%20old%20word%20ratsnakes%20disperseds%20into%20the%20new%20world.pdf

SLHS Monthly Meeting, Sunday April 10th. It will be skink-heavy!

This month's presentation will be "Skinks: From Five-lined to Wallace's Line" presented by our own Curt Hendricks and Christopher Kirchhofer. To find out just want that title means you'll have to come and see! One thing is for sure, you will get your skink fix.
Where: The Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting to begin at 7. Hope to see you there!

A huge blemish on the South, Southwest. The Rattlesnake Roundup is an ecological nightmare.

It's that time of year again. About six states still hold rattlesnake roundup events each spring where thousands of rattlesnakes, mostly Eastern and Western Diamondbacks, are hunted and then brought into these weekend long festivals to be slaughtered. Proponents of these hunts argue that the culling of rattlesnakes is necessary each year to keep the population in check. They claim if they didn't do the hunts overpopulation would result in more snakebites on humans, pets and livestock. But there is no data anywhere that supports this and there hasn't been a report of any livestock being bitten in the last twenty years. With the Eastern Diamondback especially, populations are dwindling from loss of habitat so the added pressure of thousands of snakes being taken each year puts these reptiles at great risk. Sweetwater, Texas boasts the biggest roundup. Here is a link to the Sweetwater Jaycees' website calander on this year's event.
http://www.rattlesnakeroundup.net/roundup.html

Despite ongoing efforts to ban these barbaric hunts they are still going strong. Texas, Alabama, Kansas, Georgia, Oklahoma and New Mexico hold annual festivals promoting the slaughter of these iconic snakes. For several months prior to the event, hunters go out and capture as many snakes as possible. Many techniques used in these hunts are harmful to the environment. A popular method is pouring gasoline down the burrows to drive them out. Since many other animals use these same burrows they are adversely affected too. In the Southeast the critically threatened Gopher Tortoise digs burrows where Diamondback rattlers like to reside as well. Gassing, as it is called, is devastating to these tortoises.

The Center for Biological Diversity is one group that is fighting hard to ban the roundups.
Here is a link to information on their efforts to stop this gruesome tradition. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/outlawing_rattlesnake_roundups/
Their work has had some successes. Due to pressure from them and other conservation groups some towns have transformed the roundup into a festival that celebrates nature and promotes conservation. The rattlesnake is still the big draw but they are alive and well and used to educate people on their important place in the ecosystem. Hurrah for Claxton, Georgia! They are one such town that now has a wonderful weekend long festival celebrating not only the rattlesnake but wildlife in general. Follow this link for that story.
http://savannahnow.com/news/2012-01-28/claxton-rattlesnake-roundup-gets-makeover#

Help spread the world on this destructive practice. These little towns claim these roundups bring in much needed revenue to hard hit economies but I'm willing to bet a more eco-friendly festival on the wonders of nature could put a lot of butts in the seats.

Let's turn this...


Into this...

March 13th SLHS General Meeting. Jonathan Micancin PhD will speak on "Tiny Frogs in the Dark: a study of communication and conservation in syntopic cricket frogs in the Atlantic Coastal Plain."

Who doesn't love the Cricket Frog? With its distinctive call and diminutive size it is certainly worth our attention. Come hear Dr. Micancin's talk on these wonderful creatures. He will cover how they communicate along with other aspects of their natural history and what is being done to conserve them.
Meeting will be held Sunday March 13th at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with presentation to start at 7:00.

Due to the weather, THE FEBRUARY 14TH SLHS GENERAL MEETING AND TALK HAS BEEN CANCELLED!

We are working on rescheduling Ed Bielik's talk on New World Rat Snakes for later this year. Please check back for details.

February 14th, General Meeting. Ed Bielik will be speaking on New World Rat Snakes.

Ed will be giving an informative talk on these fascinating snakes and their natural history and habits. New World rat snakes include the well known rat and corn snakes indigenous to the United States along with the western fox snake pictured above. Ed is encouraging anyone who keeps these snakes to bring one to the meeting this Sunday. It is always fun to see live snakes!

For anyone interested in reading how Old World rat snakes dispersed to the New World here is a link to an interesting article on the subject.
 http://www.reticulatedpython.info/me/papers/how%20old%20word%20ratsnakes%20disperseds%20into%20the%20new%20world.pdf

See you Sunday and Happy Valentine's Day!

Resonant frequencies cause patterns in sand on a Cymatics plate that reflect a tortoise shell's natural patterning.

January 10th, General Meeting.

We are excited to have Leslie Brinkman as our guest speaker this month. Leslie is a MSc in Biology at Missouri State University and she will be presenting her work studying the history of the Bolitoglossine Salamanders of Central America. Part of her work includes the conservation of this species too. Learning more about the animal in its natural habitat can give us an understanding on how best to protect it. Please join us this Sunday, January 10th, at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Rd. This month's meeting will be held in room
201 a/b on the 2nd floor. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting starting at 7. It is a bit chilly out but that is how the salamanders like it! Hope to see you there.

 

Hellbender Conservation Efforts in Indiana and Missouri

The St. Louis Zoo has been working on breeding Hellbenders for several years now with the first successful breeding in 2011. Since then the zoo has been enjoying much success breeding these unique amphibians. Our state is the only state to have both Hellbender subspecies. The animals reproducing at the zoo are from three different rivers in Missouri so their offspring can eventually be released into their specific water systems. For more information on the zoo's breeding efforts click on this link. http://www.stlzoo.org/conservation/wildcare-institute/hellbendersinmissouri/

Our zoo is not the only institution working on Hellbender conservation. Since 2013 officials from Indiana's Columbian Park Zoo (located in Lafayette) along with scientists from Purdue University have been working on breeding Hellbenders in hopes of releasing them back into the Blue River. This river is the only place Hellbenders occur in Indiana. After successfully breeding about 200 of these giant salamanders the next step is to make this waterway habitable once again. For more reading on the project follow this link. http://wbaa.org/post/purdue-hellbender-researchers-focusing-endangered-salamanders-habitat

The Hellbender is very specific in its environmental needs. As is the same old story,  they have declined drastically throughout their range because we humans have altered their rivers to the point where they are no longer suitable habitat. It is heartening to see efforts from these two zoos to try and restore the rivers and reintroduce these amazing creatures so we may see healthy populations thriving once again. If they succeed, they will not only save this species... it will benefit us all.

Holiday Party at the Zoo!

Sunday, December 13th we will be having our annual Holiday Party at the St. Louis Zoo's Herpetarium. 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. This event is one of the highlights of the year for the club. Members get to enjoy our zoo's wonderful collection of reptiles and amphibians after hours in a relaxed visit. You must be a member in good standing to attend but you can renew or join at the door. Members may bring guests. Please BRING A DISH OR SNACK TO SHARE. The SLHS will provide water and coffee. We will hold a short meeting where we will vote for the 2016 board members and then dine at 6:30.

There will also be a PHOTO CONTEST with three age groups (up to 11 yrs old, 12 to 18, and 19 and up). No frames or mats on the photos and please write your name and age on the back in pencil. 8 x 10 preferred and all photos will be kept by the SLHS for future use in the newsletter and blog. With photo credits, of course! 1st prize in each age group is a one year membership renewal and 2nd prize will be a SLHS t-shirt of your choice.

FREE PARKING will be available in the south parking lot near the vertical ZOO sign. See you there!

November 8th, General Meeting for the SLHS

We hope you can come out to the monthly meeting this Sunday. It is going to be an interesting presentation. Steve Brown will be discussing the world's most dangerous reptiles. He may not be covering all of the below animals but looking at these impressive beasts should get you prepped for a great talk. They deserve our respect for sure! Please visit the SLHS website stlherpsociety.org for more details and we hope to see you there.

Member spotlight, Margaret Liu

Margeret Liu will be running for the SLHS board position of Member at Large this December so we thought this would be an excellent opportunity to introduce her. Margaret grew up in Taiwan then spent some time in Massachusetts before settling down here in St. Louis. She is a freelance photographer and digital artist and does eye lens research in the department of ophthalmology at Washington University. Recently she joined other SLHS members on the annual trek down to Snake Road in Southern Illinois. Below are some excellent captures of some of the animals she came across that day. Scroll further down to meet some of the critters she shares her home with. For other examples of Margaret's photography and fantastic artwork please visit her website http://www.margsliu.com Be sure to check out her blog too which is linked from her website.

Copperhead

 Cottonmouth

Juvenile cottonmouth

Leopard frog

A copperhead who has already found his winter home.

Green tree snake

Gray treefrog

Copperhead

Here's a great shot to give you an idea of what snake road looks like.

It is a lovely 5 mile hike with plenty to see.

Meet Margaret's critter family.

Skittles, the panther chameleon

Twiggy, the black rat snake

And just in time for Halloween, a Costa Rican tiger rump tarantula.

Thank you, Margaret, for sharing your snake road experience and wonderful photographs!

October 11th General Meeting. Movie Night!

It is time for the SLHS 2nd annual fall movie night. Instead of a speaker this month we will be showing a reptile-themed horror flick. This year's feature will be "The Giant Gila Monster." It is a 1959 bad B-movie classic. Bring a snack and enjoy. Meeting is October 11th at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Rd. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with a short meeting beginning at 7. Then... movie time!

Here is a link for more info on the movie The Giant Gila Monster.

Photo by Josh Higgins