Belated Save The Frogs Day Special!

This year Save the Frogs Day fell on April 28. It is something that has been celebrated by wildlife conservationists from all over the globe with over 180 events being organized in 38 countries (spanning into 5 continents!). Yesterday I celebrated by going into the city, that's right the city, to look for amphibians and hopefully catch glimpse of some toads if it is not too chilly out. Unfortunately, I did not see any herps at all, most likely due to the fact that it was a steady 52 degrees out and completely overcast. A couple of weeks ago I had slightly better luck and at least saw some frogs. Now a city is generally not the place one would expect to look for toads but just inside the city of Philadelphia, around where I live, there are several habitat areas where one can find the American toad (Bufo Americanus), the green frog (Rana clamitans, the Northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) and the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) as well as a treasure trove of other reptiles and amphibians and a whole cast of other animal species. One of the largest areas for such habitat is a place called the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, a private wildlife preserve in Roxborough just inside the city itself that is dedicated to exactly what its title suggests. I traveled to the Schuylkill Center to participate in the annual "Toad Walk" that they do every year in mid April. Although we did not manage to see any toads we did see some frogs and other pond life!

There was also some remains of human settlements from the past as well, preserved as historical landmarks.

The ground pictured here is normally at least muddy and when summer comes along it's a decent sized pond. Here it is dry as a bone. The tour guide, a woman named Gin, said that she had never seen anything like it in her years working there. To learn more about the Schuylkill Center just visit them by clicking the link! They have plenty of great programs to educate kids and adults alike about the nature that can be found in PA. http://www.schuylkillcenter.org/

Bullsnake, Mouth Rot and a Listing

This beautiful patterned snake is the increasingly rare Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi). In years past this snake was quite common and most every farmer boasted of having a resident bullsnake controlling rodents in their barns or bins.

Last Friday, March 30, 2012 I received a phone call from one of our agents, Jason. He had paid a call on one of the residents of the county he patrols. This man had in his possession a large bullsnake. Jason wanted to know if I would like to have the bullsnake to use as an exhibit snake for a period of time. I was thrilled by the prospect and told him "yes, I would definitely like to see the snake and keep it for awhile." The man who found the snake agreed that when we were done with the snake he would re-release the snake back on his property. I knew Dr. Mills our local herpetologist had been on the look-out for this species and had not found one in the entire 14 years he has lived in this area, other than one found on the road dead. I could hardly wait to let him know we had a bona fide bullsnake coming into out office, and not just any bullsnake, but a LARGE one.

That afternoon our herpetology class was planning a field trip to Squaw Creek NWR, so I told Dr. Mills I would bring the bullsnake along so the students could see it. He was anxious to see it and show it off the the class. We all met at 2:30, and as expected the students were impressed with this large snake. When it first came into the office it hissed loudly and rattled its tail, trying very much to sound like a rattlesnake. We could not get it to repeat the defensive behavior they are famous for in front of the students, perhaps he suddenly felt shy?

Dr. Mills took the snake out of its enclosure and showed off his unique snake wrangling abilities.

He gently places the snake between his legs and slowly feeds the snake towards the front of his legs as he feels for the head. When he feels the head he grips it firmly but gently to keep it from biting. A snake as large bodied as a bullsnake can and will give a painful bite. This particular snake however calmed down almost immediately once in hand and did not offer to bite or act aggressive. We were able measure his length, but did not have time to take further measurements before we were confronted with the wildlife biologist and the Massassauga he had captured and wanted to show the class.

 

Dr. Mills telling the class about the bullsnake.

Students assisting Dr. Mills in measuring the bullsnake, he has a SVL of 171 cm (nearly 5.5 feet)

The bullsnake behaving very calmly as it is being handled. 

Bullsnakes are the largest snake found in Missouri and may reach lengths up to eight feet, with 6 to 7 feet being common.They range in color from yellow, tan to white with approximately 41 dark brown or black blotches. Most of the specimens I've seen in previous years have been yellowish with brown blotches. They occur in traditional prairie habitats  throughout most of Missouri.

In the past 15 years their numbers have drastically fallen and they are becoming difficult to find. Joey and I raised hogs from 1990 until 2000. We had a couple of bullsnakes that hung around near the farrowing house, in large part because of the rats and mice that were there. With all the grain we had around to  feed the hogs, we had no shortage of rodents. These bullsnakes soon learned that an easy meal could be had and they stayed pretty close to the building. When we got out of the hog business, the snakes left  and I have not seen one since. In fact, I have not seen a bullsnake at all anywhere, and I am out looking for snakes all the time. Dr. Mills moved to St. Joseph in 1998 and said he found a bullsnake dead on the road and that has been the only specimen he has seen in all these years. So, to say he and I were excited about this bullsnake that suddenly came into our possession would be an understatement.

Bullsnakes are famous for their large size and the hissing sound they make when disturbed. They puff their body up to look bigger and then let loose with a hiss that will make you take a step back and reevaluate the situation. Do you want to get closer? Is this thing venomous? Will it hurt me? It is doing what Mother Nature designed it to do, mimic a rattlesnake. It will even shake its tail in leaf litter or dry grasses to carry the ruse further. Truthfully this species is harmless, however if you grab one it may earn you a bite. When I was in high school I remember one of my classmates was putting up hay and got bitten by a large bullsnake. He ignored the bite and continued to work in the hay. The superficial mound he received became infected from sweat, dirt, hay and the bacteria from the snakes mouth keeping the wound dirty. He spent some time in the hospital seriously ill from infection. Had he taken a few minutes to wash the bite and wrap it, this most likely would have turned out different for him. A snakes mouth carries bacteria from the things it is feeding on. Anytime you are bitten by a snake, it requires attention. If it is a venomous bite, seek medical help IMMEDIATELY! If it is non-venomous take a few minutes to clean the bite and wrap it. Putting an antibacterial topical ointment like neosporin is a good idea as well.  Better safe than sorry.

Several days after acquiring the snake, myself and several others noticed it was holding its mouth funny, it was slightly agape and he was drooling. Snakes don't drool, Bulldogs do! I contacted Dr. Mills and explained my observations and he said he thought it sounded like Mouth Rot. I had never heard of such a thing, and did some research. I soon discovered this can be quite serious and may even kill the snake. I contacted several local vets, and none knew anything about it or how to treat it. A friend of mine from Squaw Creek NWR suggested a vet named Dr. Roy Wilson from Mound City. He and his wife run Rafter Cross Veterinarian Care. I called him and he knew how to treat it. I took the snake to him and after looking him over, he determined it was indeed mouth rot.

 (Photo By: Carrie Wilson)

 He weighed him (4 pounds) and gave him an antibiotic shot. He sent me home with four more doses of antibiotics to administer and then wanted to see him in a week.

 

 (Photo By: Carrie Wilson)

Eight days later and 3 more shots later I returned to Dr. Wilson with our patient. He said he thought the mouth looked some better, it at least had better color. The snake however developed thrush (A type of yeast infection of the mouth) brought on by the antibiotic shots. Dr. Wilson cleaned a bunch of dead tissue out of the snakes mouth, gave him another antibiotic shot and an additional shot of an anti-inflammatory. He then tube fed him an electrolyte cocktail. He also applied an athletes foot/jock itch ointment to the mouth to help with the thrush. I will continue to give him another round of antibiotics and apply the ointment for another week then return to the vet in ten days. Hopefully this poor snake will be well on the road to recovery. I will try to feed him a small mouse tomorrow to see if he has any interest in eating. The sooner he eats the better and faster he will heal.

I contacted the man who found the snake and told him this snake could not be returned to him to be released on his farm. Once we began administering antibiotics we have no way of knowing how long those antibiotics will remain in the system of the snake. Dr. Wilson said in good conscience he could not recommend releasing it. If a predator such as a owl, eagle or hawk were to try and feed on this snake and in turn consume the antibiotics we don't know what the affects would be on them. The gentleman was fine with that and was happy for us to give it a home. This snake (should it survive) will be used as an ambassador of his kind in education.

I spoke to our state herpetologist and was told by him that there is a very good chance that this species will be listed as threatened in the state of Missouri as early as next year. This is a decision I support whole-heartedly, as do many of us in the herping/conservation community. We recognize the rarity of this species and know that protecting it may bring it back from the brink of extinction in Missouri. To have this snake extirpated from our state would be sad indeed. With humans encroaching on the habitats of the snakes in their desire for more strip malls, housing additions, agricultural ground and various other human related construction/destruction the snakes are finding it more and more difficult to hold on to what little remains of their natural habitats.

I will update later and keep everyone posted about this snakes progress.

Claxton and Sweetwater: A Comparison

Well, against tremendous odds, I made it to Claxton. How I actually got there is a long story filled with empty promises, broken dreams and last minute betrayals and is an insane story all in of itself. One day, it may be told but there is no reason to right now, there are more important matters to discuss, such as the Rattlesnake Roundups in Texas and Georgia. These three were known to be among of the bloodiest spectacles to take place in the Deep South in the name of “family entertainment” and it was this year that they were changed forever.




The towns of Sweetwater, Texas and Claxton, Georgia: those are what we are going to be looking at for our purposes today. We have plenty of footage from both.

Sweetwater has become gravely paranoid in response to new negative publicity and the declaration of Danny Mendez that he would personally attend with photographer and biology student, Sky Stevens, in order to document the cruelty displayed there. Danny describes the act of decapitation in one of the videos perfectly on his weekly radio show “Urban Jungles Radio” at about 23 minutes into the program. Unfortunately, before Danny and Sky were able to enter the roundup they were stopped by the Sheriff and several deputies. They were then issued a criminal citation and told that they could not come back to the roundup or attend any of the other local Jaycees events.

Danny and Sky's invitation to leave

And here is the link to the show itself:

Sweetwater Roundup---Holocaust on Rattlesnakes


What Sweetwater did not count on were other people with cell phones and video cameras, ones that did not necessarily support their gory festival, getting in and documenting what went on. Ray Autry, who is a concerned wildlife enthusiast and noted member of the group Rise Against Rattlesnake Roundups, managed to gain entry and film some of the more gruesome events of the roundup. The links will take you to the radio broadcast and the videos.

Public Video---Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup

Video #2

Video #3

Meanwhile, I managed to get to Claxton, which garnered a good deal of publicity for their change from a rattlesnake roundup to a wildlife festival that teaches children about the importance of nature and the place that snakes, including rattlesnakes, have in the ecosystem. Here are some pictures and videos of what happened on the weekend of the 10th and 11th of March.

Instead of capturing wild rattlesnakes as the vast majority of the roundups do (even the no-kill roundups), the newly christened Claxton Rattlesnake and Wildlife Festival borrowed snakes from wildlife rescues and private collection. Throughout events leading up to the roundup I had a chance to discuss the matter with one of the rescuers that volunteered use of his snakes so that the reformation could be successful. Jason Clarke of Southeaster Reptile Rescue willingly let his snakes be used as part of the show, provided that they were not used in any of the demonstration shows or handled anymore than necessary. Although some rattlesnakes were used for demonstration none were permanently harmed and, as far as I could tell, these shows did not last very long at all. I only arrived in time to see the closing of the second to last “snake show” where some of the rattlesnakes were handled (but not Mr. Clarke’s); the final show after that used no snakes other than a kingsnake that was simply held for show. Here are some videos and photos from Claxton, I will let the readers decide how well these snakes were treated but please keep in mind that just one year ago every snake seen here would be slaughtered for the sake of the weekend festivities.

Claxton, GA Wildlife Festival

Claxton, GA Wildlife Festival Video #2

Claxton, GA Wildlife Festival Video #3
Although I was unable to actually meet with Jason Clarke in person I did keep an eye on his animals to the best of my abilities and when I called him after returning home to Pennsylvania he confirmed that every one of his snakes made it home no worse for the wear. Talking with several of the vendors and groundskeepers at Georgia confirmed that the numbers either matched or beat those of the previous years. Overall I would say that the new festival was a huge success in converting the slaughter of thousands of wild animals to celebrating their existence and acknowledging their place in nature. Sweetwater could learn a valuable lesson from this.

Bob Irwin weighs in

Humans Can Be Bizzare, Too by: David Steen Ph. D.

There never seems to be much of a shortage of articles or blogs about how some animals are truly bizarre, weird, or otherwise outrageous. These discussions never resonated with me. Animals have incredible and diverse strategies, behaviors, shapes, and sizes that allow them to persist and thrive in their environment. It would never occur to me to think of these animals as weird.


No, for the truly strange, we must look inward. How weird is it that humans hold annual celebrations in which the main focus is rounding up and killing animals for entertainment? How bizarre is it that this is socially acceptable and encouraged?


These thoughts occurred to me recently as I was reading a number of newspaper articles promoting, excuse me, reporting on the events associated with the Sweetwater, Texas Rattlesnake Roundup. How else can we explain why skinning a recently decapitated and still-squirming animal is considered, "laugh-inducing"? Is it really that much fun to cut up an animal, feel it's still-beating heart, and then slap your bloody handprints on the wall? If so, I have to admit that I have been looking for entertainment in entirely the wrong places. I think it's much more interesting if the snake's heart is beating when the skin is still on.


I wrote last week about how the organizers of the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup raised their rattlesnake bounty this year in hopes of gathering more snakes. It didn't work. As this press-release, excuse me, newspaper article, notes in relation to a rattlesnake-eating contest, it was once again a below-average year. Whether the roundup organizers are correct in attributing low rattlesnake densities to weather patterns, there seems to be no arguing the fact that there have been less rattlesnakes crawling around Texas lately. I guess this means people should
try harder to round up what's left? After all, those bloody handprints on the wall aren't going to get slapped on themselves.


Now that is what I consider bizarre.

David A. Steen received his Ph.D. from Auburn University, his B.S. from the State University of New York-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and his B.S. from the University of New Hampshire. He researches the ecology and conservation biology of wildlife and blogs about his work at www.LivingAlongsideWildlife.com. His copyrighted work appears here under a Creative Commons license.

Why we Shouldn't Litter

Few things in this World get me as riled as littering. Not only is it unsightly, but it often has detrimental consequences on wildlife. Tonight my daughter was coming in the backdoor and yelled for me to "come quick!" I hurried to see what the problem was and she had found a black snake with a piece of plastic PVC pipe wrapped around its midsection. There as no possible way this snake would have survived had my daughter not found it and we had not been given the opportunity to rescue it.

I picked the snake up and immediately it musked and bit me. Which is exactly the type of behavior one can expect from a snake that has been snatched up by a giant. You can see the blood on my finger. It is nothing more than a superficial scratch.

The snake is probably 3 to 4 years of age and measures nearly 2 feet in length. The piece of pipe had grown into its skin and my fear was that it was so embedded that we would not be able to remove it without causing further damage.

We decided to try and saw the pipe off. My husband helped me, and it took about 20 minutes to finally free the snake of its PVC entrapment. I need you to understand something too, my husband does not like snakes and I really think he secretly fears them. He bucked up and helped me save this snake when he saw the condition it was in and how important it was to me. He really came through for me and for this snake in need.  The wound that was exposed did not look too severe so I made the decision to release it in a safe place in the yard.

I hope this snake heals and goes on to lead a productive snakey life. 

 

Littering is an ongoing problem faced by wildlife on a daily basis. We as humans often discard our trash without a second thought. We wrongly assume that someone else will take care of it. We throw trash out of our car windows, simply because we don't want our cars littered with trash. For some reason we prefer it laying along the highways, roadways, walking trails and other natural areas. Why can we not take the trash home with us and dispose of it properly? Why can we not pull into the nearest gas station and dispose of it in the trash bin? Do we really need to throw it out for all the World to see? I don't know about you but there is nothing I hate worse than hiking a beautiful trail, only to have it disturbed by fast food packages, pop or beer cans, bottles, plastic bags, etc. 

There are many stories that abound of animals that have been in similar situations including the one here Common Snapper trapped by six pack ring 

In Missouri we have an ambassador of trash by the name of Peanut. Peanut's story can be read here Peanut the Turtle

If you plan to be outside this spring, summer and fall, if you pack it in, please remember to pack it out. Our wildlife will thank you.

Rare Fungus Killing Endangered Rattlesnake Part 2

Well, I am back from Claxton Georgia and have great news: the newly formed Rattlesnake and Wildlife Festival went off without a hitch! It seems safe to say that the local rattlesnake roundup is now a thing of the past and will now be replaced with a new fair that expresses a truly celebratory attitude towards nature and wildlife. More will be posted on this very soon (as soon as I can get the videos uploaded) but for now I have a follow up on the Chrysosporium fungus that is killing Eastern massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) near Carlyle Lake, Ill.

This is a lethal process that has been going on for at least three years but scientists are just beginning to truly understand it. So far no clear cause has yet been identified and most of what has been thrown around is speculation. Livescience.com compares the Chrysosporium to Geomyces destructans, which is more commonly known as the "White Nose Syndrome" that has been appearing in bat colonies across North America. While the two may be similar and are, as the Livescience article mentions, related, it is highly misleading to say that they are "not too distant relatives". The two belong to the same Phylum but nothing else. This is not the only inaccuracy being circulated by a reputable science website. Scientific American wrote that there was a similarity in the molecules of the infected rattlesnake to those found in a captive black rat snake and that this suggests the fungus spread to the wild rattlesnake population from released or escaped pets. According to Dr. Matthew Allender, the scientist in charge of investigating this outbreak, there is no evidence for such a speculation as of yet.

I recently E-mailed Dr. Allender an inquiry about this. His response was that there is currently no evidence whatsoever that this fungus originated in captivity or is related in any way to those in captive snakes. Furthermore, there is a lack of evidence that any human activity is behind the emergence of this particular pathogen. Of course all of this could change pending the discover of a smoking gun but until that happens these speculations remain just that. Dr. Allender also remarked upon the irresponsibility of making such inferences. This is something that all writers and bloggers must keep in mind when they report on such things. They are free to make such conjectures, as they should be, however, it is always important to make a clear differentiation between one's own hypothesis and that of the researcher one is reporting on.

Sources:


Perry, Wayne. Live Science. (February 24, 2012). Mysterious Rattlesnake-Killing Infection Emerges. Retrieved March 16, 2012, from http://www.livescience.com/18634-endangered-rattlesnake-fungal-infection.html.

Platt, John R.(2012, Feb 23). Killer Fungus Targeting Endangered Rattlesnake. http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/2012/02/23/killer-fungus-targeting-endangered-rattlesnakes.

Dr. Matt Allender (personal communication, Feb. 27, 2012).

Central Newt

Joey and I made an impromptu trip to Springfield, MO to do some antique shopping and to visit with a fellow blogger and friend named George Sims of Bugs of Booger County. George had told me about a fellow neighbor who has a woodland pond full of newts and tadpoles. I was anxious to see the pond and to capture some newts. Unfortunately I had forgotten my muck boots, but lucky for me George was willing to wade in the pond and capture some for me. 

The setting of the pond is so beautiful and serene. The water was like glass as it reflected the images of the trees on its surface. George worked his way round the ponds shoreline and  used his handy-dandy strainer to scoop up leaf-litter near the shore. Each time he had either a newt, aquatic insect or a tadpole. 

 I enjoyed walking around the pond and photographing the various lichens and mosses that were very plentiful in the woodlands. Their textures are so beautiful.

Here is George sneaking up on his quarry. His technique seems to work because I now have 8 newts to bring home with me. I will keep 5 and 3 of them will be turned over to MWSU for their voucher collection of herps. They will be preserved and used for future classes as a teaching tool. The pond was a brisk 57 degrees as George bravely tromped and sloshed through it in shorts. The air temperature however was absolutely gorgeous at 74 degrees on the first day of MARCH! 

Central newts (Notophthalamus viridescens louisianensis) are a common occurrence in the Southern half of Missouri, but up in the northwest corner where I live they do not occur at all. So these are a real treasure to me. We will be heading home tomorrow with my new little friends. Hopefully they will do well for me and survive. Central newts are small at only 3 to 4 inches as adults. They have a somewhat unusual lifecycle. Males locate females and approach them with the intention of mating. He will grab the female and hold onto her tightly in a position called amplexus. He may remain wrapped around her for several hours all the while using his tail to fan a delectable scent called a pheromone in her direction. He wants to make sure that the smell reaches her nostrils and has the desired affect of making her receptive to receiving his spermatophore. He will release her and perform a dance of sorts in front of her, if she is interested in finalizing the mating process she will rub her nose against his body or tail. It is then that he deposits his spermatophore on the bottom of the ponds edge or other shallow water. He will try to guide her to his packet so that she can take it up into her body via her cloaca or vent. If she is not impressed with his attention she will turn tail and run. 

Once mated she will lay up to 400 eggs one at a time on aquatic vegetation. It will take her several weeks to complete the task of laying eggs.  When the eggs hatch the newly born gilled aquatic larvae will remain in the water. By late in the season (August) they will transform into juveniles called efts, they lose their gills, and have formed lungs. They will leave their watery home and head to land. They will live on land for 1 to 3 years depending upon subspecies and location. While on land they will be reddish or brown in color and have a rounded tail. They also lack any evidence of sexual maturity. Once they return to the water at 2 to 3 years of age they will make a transformation into the adult form and become sexually mature. They will then begin seeking mates. 

The adults are olive-brown  on their back with a bright orange-yellow belly. There are numerous black spots on the belly and there may also be red spots ringed with black on the back or along the tail. The color division between the belly and the back is definitely noticeable. There are some specimens that lack the spots or have very few spots. 

They can be found in woodland ponds, swamps and roadside ditches that hold water. They are rarely found in large numbers in ponds that also contain fish, as fish are fond of the the newly hatched newts and the newts would stand little chance of surviving. Newts feed on worms, small crayfish, tiny mollusks, small tadpoles and even salamander larvae. As terrestrial efts they feed on small snails and insects. On land they hide out under leaf litter and logs or under rock piles. 

These little salamanders are active year around in their aquatic habitat and are often seen swimming around under the ice of the pond they inhabit. They may be active during the day or night. Efts and the adults have few predators because of a toxic secretion they produce from mucus glands located all over their body. These secretions can be deadly to some animals. The efts are thought to be up to 10 times more toxic than their adult counterparts. 

As we walked around the pond and explored the area, we noticed hundreds of tadpoles. We recognized some as Green Frog Tadpoles, but many others were hard to distinguish as they were much smaller, they could have been a younger generation of green frogs. After finishing collecting our newts we left the pond and headed back to Georges house. We sat on the front deck and we treated to a beautiful view of the rolling Ozark hills.

George's dog Dobbie was happy to have company and stayed close by and offered up lots of kisses and affection.

We hope to make a trip back to this beautiful area and visit with George and his wife again. Perhaps kayaking the beautiful streams and rivers that the Ozarks have to offer. Or hiking and searching for bugs or snakes. Our antiquing hasn't proved very productive yet, but as we drive home tomorrow I hope to get in some more shopping. If you would like to read Georges post about our little adventure please visit his blog Bugs of Booger County.

Eating our Biodiversity into Oblivion

I would like to say that I have made an important discovery over the past few weeks but that would be a blatant lie, in reality this information has been in plain sight for all to see for many a year. Perhaps it doesn’t occur to most animal lovers to look for it or perhaps it is conveniently ignored because the implications are simply too disturbing to deal with. Or it could be that a debate on this subject would threaten to focus the uncomfortable issue of our eating habits. The truth is that the exotic meat market is alive and well in the United States, Canada and many other Western countries and it is perfectly legal.

One of my friends has brought to my attention the existence of a website that specializes in the sale of exotic meat:

http://exoticmeatmarket.com/

Upon further investigation I have discovered a number of such websites that specialize in the sale of exotic animal flesh for the purpose of human consumption. The website in question that this post will be focusing on, Exotic Meat Market, sells the meat of several exotic mammals including that of lion and kangaroo. It is, of course, not restricted to unusual mammals and sells crocodilian and iguana meat as well. The sale of lion, kangaroo, and crocodilian flesh is supposedly a sustainable practice as various companies have made their business in trading a hypothetically renewable resource that is overseen by local wildlife management. Of course, if one were to dig a little deeper one will find some questionable practices that go blatantly unchecked.

Among the meat that is for sale is that of rattlesnakes. There are over 32 species of rattlesnake, some of which are protected and some of which are in the midst of state or federal protection. The website does not specify which species of rattlesnake they are selling nor are they explaining where they get their snake meat from. I have been asked: do they get this from rattlesnake roundups? I honestly do not know but it would not surprise me as rattlesnake roundups usually end up with hundreds of pounds of meat that they must either sell or let go to waste. Another item that is for sale is frog legs, a trade that has been condemned by conservation groups worldwide and has been implicated in the spread of the deadly Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (aka the chyrtid fungus) in amphibians.

Exotic Meats Market also sell the meat of turtles. According to the IUCN over 40 species of turtle face the threat of extinction (IUCN). This website is not specific about what species of turtle it is selling for consumption so it may or may not be peddling the flesh of endangered species. Granted, it is most likely selling snapping turtle or alligator snapping turtle meat. The former is currently listed as “least concern” while the latter is listed as vulnerable. Unfortunately, all turtle species are extremely slow to reproduce, often reaching maturity at an older age, laying many eggs (sometimes hundreds or thousands) with very few offspring surviving to reach adulthood. Seemingly stable populations of chelonians might not be able to support a growing or even a steady number of consumers for very long.


On the home page says that all meats being sold on Exotic Meat Market are USDA or state inspected and any agencies are welcome for inspection. The webpage adds that any inquiring press will be provided all information related to the meats being sold upon request. Directly below this statement is a quote from the owner of the company, Anshu Pathak. I am certainly not questioning the legality of the meat in question but this does not mean that I approve of the ethics being practiced by this company. A little over a year ago Mr. Pathak’s company made headlines in Arizona and Los Angeles over the sale of lion meat, which can be seen here:Lion steak sales soar according to one LA Merchant



The lions in question, according to Pathak, are actually raised on farms in the Midwest and slaughtered for their meat and fur. All of this is going on while the status of wild lions in Africa remains questionable. Interestingly enough they also sell the meat of the Burmese python which they say they import from Vietnam, even though there are plenty of pythons in the everglades. While the debate rages over whether or not people should be allowed to keep exotic pets very few seem to be discussing the issue of whether or not the exotic meat industry that appears to be legally thriving in the West should be checked in some way.

Rare Fungus Killing Endangered Rattlesnakes

Science News

Rare Fungus Kills Endangered Rattlesnakes in Southern Illinois

ScienceDaily (Feb. 21, 2012) — A small population of rattlesnakes that already is in decline in southern Illinois faces a new and unexpected threat in the form of a fungus rarely seen in the wild, researchers report.

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The eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus), a candidate for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act, suffers from habitat loss and environmental stresses wherever it is found, said University of Illinois comparative biosciences visiting instructor and wildlife veterinarian Matthew Allender, who led the health investigation. Long-term population studies of the snake -- in Illinois and elsewhere -- had never turned up evidence of debilitating fungal infections. But in 2008, biologists studying the snake reported to Allender that they had found three sick snakes in a park in southern Illinois, all with disfiguring lesions on their heads. The snakes died within three weeks of their discovery. A fourth snake with a similar syndrome was discovered in the same park in the spring of 2010.
Allender conducted necropsies on the snakes and identified the pathogen that had killed them: C hrysosporium, a fungus that plagues portions of the pet reptile industry but is not normally seen in the wild, he said.
"Chrysosporium causes disease in bearded dragons and in other snakes and it's a bad bug," Allender said. "We see it in captive animals worldwide, but we don't typically find it in free-ranging animals."
Chrysosporium also is emerging as a dangerous infection in humans with weakened immune systems, he said.
Shortly after he first presented his findings at a meeting of the Fish and Wildlife Service, Allender heard from other biologists about similar infections in snakes in the northeast United States.
"They seem to be having a similar problem in timber rattlesnakes in New Hampshire and Massachusetts," Allender said. Although biologists have sporadically identified Chrysosporium in those snakes, the symptoms they report -- facial swelling and ulcers and malformations of the jaw -- are the same, he said. These infections also occurred only within the last five years.
"Fungal pathogens have been increasingly associated with free-ranging epidemics in wildlife, including the well-known effects of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on frog populations globally and white-nosed syndrome in bats," Allender wrote in a December 2011 report in Emerging Infectious Diseases. "Both of these diseases cause widespread and ongoing deaths in these populations that seriously threaten biodiversity across the United States."
Allender sees this new occurrence of a fungal infection in endangered snakes as a "yellow flag" that warrants more study.
"Wildlife diseases and human health are not that different," he said. "And often wildlife are our window into a weakened environment that leads to disease in both people and animals."

Decline in Mammals of the Everglades attributed to invasive pythons

With the recent proposed and imminent passing of the ban of the importation of Burmese Pythons, two species of Rock Pythons and the Yellow Anaconda there has been much debate back and forth between ecologist, environmentalist, naturalist, biologist and collectors or breeders. Those on the side supporting the ban believe it is a long time coming even if it may be a little too late to help the issue in the everglades and those opposed to the ban refuse to see the implications these large snakes pose on the ecosystem. Especially those ecosystems as fragile as the everglades. They argue that it is a Florida problem and should remain a Florida problem and those living elsewhere in the country should not have to pay the price in the form of an importation ban. This ban is part of the Lacey act and also disallows individuals who possess these snakes, and breed these snakes to carry them across state lines or sell them across state lines. So.......if you are a breeder in Missouri, you have to keep your snakes in this state. That seems to be the biggest bone of contention among collectors and breeders. I've heard arguments stating that these snakes are not causing issues in other areas of the Country, yet there are known populations in Southern Texas. I've heard arguments stating that people are exaggerating the problem in Florida to serve their own agenda. Yet the research is there to show just how serious the problem is and how serious it has the potential to become. Can these snakes exist anywhere else in this country? Simply put yes. Any subtropical habitat has the potential to host these snakes should they be introduced. We all know how easy an introduction can be. Many argue that these snakes would not survive in cooler climates, but I for one prefer to never say never. Evolution has taught us that adaptations occur and all it takes is a few hardier individuals to develop adaptations that allows them to survive colder climates and viola, you have a snake that is going to pass those genetics along to their offspring and you are creating a snake that is more that capable of surviving most anywhere.  The breeders and collectors are even grasping at straws in stating that our rights are being taken away from us. What inaleinable right promises us the right to own invasive species? No one is going to take away our right to own a dog or a cat or any number and variety of other pets.

The following information was released Monday of this week, that gives evidence of the mounting problem being faced in the Everglades, and before we say "this is a Florida problem", keep in mind this could happen where you live. I for one am glad that the legislation banning these snakes from importation is being passed. This is a step in the right direction in protecting other ecosystems from the same fate as the Florida Everglades. Had this legislature been in place many years ago, perhaps the problem in Florida would not be as severe as it is. There needs to be more control over these animals. If humans cannot take responsibility and stop releasing these animals, then laws will be put in place to do it for them.

Science News

... from universities, journals, and other research organizations

Severe Declines in Everglades Mammals Linked to Invasive Pythons, Researchers Find

ScienceDaily (Jan. 31, 2012) — Collaborative research, led by Michael Dorcas of Davidson College and John "J.D." Willson of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment, has linked precipitous declines in formerly common mammals in Everglades National Park to the presence of invasive Burmese pythons.

The study, published on Jan 30, 2012, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to document the ecological impacts of this invasive species and strongly supports that animal communities in the 1.5-million-acre park have been markedly altered by the introduction of pythons within 11 years of their establishment as an invasive species. Mid-sized mammals are the most dramatically affected.

"Our research adds to the increasing evidence that predators, whether native or exotic, exert major influence on the structure of animal communities," said Willson. "The effects of declining mammal populations on the overall Everglades ecosystem, which extends well beyond the national park boundaries, are likely profound, but are probably complex and difficult to predict."

Willson is a post-doctoral researcher in the Wildlife Ecotoxicology and Physiological Ecology Program in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech and is a co-author of the book "Invasive Pythons in the United States."

"Dr. Willson's recent work on pythons provides significant insights into the important roles that reptiles can play in community structure and ecosystem processes," said Associate Professor Bill Hopkins, who directs the ecotoxicology program. "Understanding how introduced predators like pythons influence community structure will ultimately prove critical to conserving important ecological systems like the Everglades."

The most severe declines, including a nearly complete disappearance of raccoons, rabbits, and opossums, have occurred in the remote southernmost regions of the park, where pythons have been established the longest. In this area, populations of raccoons dropped 99.3 percent, opossums 98.9 percent, and bobcats 87.5 percent. Marsh and cottontail rabbits, as well as foxes, were not seen at all.

"Pythons are wreaking havoc on one of America's most beautiful, treasured, and naturally bountiful ecosystems," said U.S. Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt. "Right now, the only hope to halt further python invasion into new areas is swift, decisive, and deliberate human action."

The researchers collected their information via repeated systematic nighttime road surveys within Everglades National Park, counting both live and road-killed animals. Researchers traveled a total of nearly 39,000 miles from 2003 to 2011 and compared their findings with similar surveys conducted along the same roadways in 1996 and 1997 before pythons were recognized as established in the park.

The study's authors noted that the timing and geographic patterns of the documented mammal declines are consistent with the timing and geographic spread of pythons.

The authors also conducted surveys in ecologically similar areas north of the park where pythons have not yet been discovered. In those areas, mammal abundances were similar to those in the park before pythons proliferated. At sites where pythons have only recently been documented, however, mammal populations were reduced, though not to the dramatic extent observed within the park where pythons are well established.

"The magnitude of these declines underscores the apparent incredible density of pythons in Everglades National Park and justifies the argument for more intensive investigation into their ecological effects, as well as the development of effective control methods," said lead author Michael Dorcas, a professor in the Department of Biology at Davidson College in North Carolina, who co-authored "Invasive Pythons in the United States" with Willson. "Such severe declines in easily seen mammals bode poorly for the many species of conservation concern that are more difficult to sample but that may also be vulnerable to python predation."

The mammals that have declined most significantly have been regularly found in the stomachs of Burmese pythons removed from Everglades National Park and elsewhere in Florida. The authors noted that raccoons and opossums often forage for food near the water's edge, a habitat frequented by pythons in search of prey.

The authors suggested that one reason for such dramatic declines in such a short time is that these prey species are "naive" since such large snakes have not existed in the eastern United States for millions of years. Burmese pythons over 16 feet long have been found in the Everglades. In addition, some of the declining species could be both victims of being eaten by pythons and of having to compete with pythons for food.

"It took 30 years for the brown tree snake to be implicated in the nearly complete disappearance of mammals and birds on Guam; it has apparently taken only 11 years since pythons were recognized as being established in the Everglades for researchers to implicate pythons in the same kind of severe mammal declines," said Robert Reed, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist and a co-author of the paper. "It is possible that other mammal species, including at-risk ones, have declined as well because of python predation, but at this time, the status of those species is unknown."

The scientists noted that in their native range in Asia, pythons have been documented to consume leopards. Consequently, even large animals, including top predators, are susceptible to python predation. For example, pythons in the Everglades have been documented consuming alligators and full-grown deer. Likewise, the authors state that birds, including highly secretive birds such as rails, make up about a fourth of the diet of Everglades pythons, and declines in these species could be occurring without managers realizing it.

The authors found little support for alternative explanations for the mammal declines, such as disease or changes in habitat structure or water management regimes.

"This severe decline in mammals is of significant concern to the overall health of the park's large and complex ecosystem," said Everglades National Park Superintendent Dan Kimball. "We will continue to enhance our efforts to control and manage the non-native python and to better understand the impacts on the park."

"No incidents involving visitor safety and pythons have occurred in the park," Kimball continued. "Encounters with pythons are very rare; that said, visitors should be vigilant and report all python sightings to park rangers."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a rule in the Federal Register on Jan. 23, 2012, that will ban the importation and interstate transportation of four non-native constrictor snakes (Burmese python, yellow anaconda, and northern and southern African pythons) that threaten the Everglades and other sensitive ecosystems. These snakes are being listed as injurious species under the Lacey Act. In addition, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to consider listing as injurious five other species of nonnative snakes (reticulated python, boa constrictor, DeSchauensee's anaconda, green anaconda, and Beni anaconda).

The authors of the research paper, "Severe mammal declines coincide with proliferation of invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park," are Michael E. Dorcas, Davidson College; John D. Willson, Virginia Tech; Robert N. Reed, U.S. Geological Survey; Ray W. Snow, National Park Service; Michael R. Rochford, University of Florida; Melissa A. Miller, Auburn University; Walter E. Meshaka Jr., State Museum of Pennsylvania; Paul T. Andreadis, Denison University; Frank J. Mazzotti, University of Florida; Christina M. Romagosa, Auburn University; and Kristen M. Hart, U.S. Geological Survey.