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.

Monday's Specie in Peril---African Slender Snouted Crocodile

 The African Slender-Snouted Crocodiles (Crocodylus cataphractus) are native to fresh water habitats in Central and Western Africa. Their common name comes from their extremely long, slender mouth. They have many common names including Long-snouted West-African crocodile, African gharial, Panzer crocodile, Long-nosed crocodile, African sharp-nosed crocodile, Faux gavial africain, Loricate crocodile, Subwater crocodile, Khinh, Cabinda. This is a relatively small to medium sized crocodile reaching lengths up to 12 feet or a bit more.

They are generally a solitary species of crocodile and only come together during the rainy season for breeding purposes. After mating the female will build a nest of plant material on the banks of rivers. About one week after constructing the nest mound, the female will lay between 13 and 27 very large eggs within the nest. In approximately 3 1/2  months the young begin to hatch. Which is a much longer incubation period than most crocodilians. The young will chirp from within the nest inside the eggs, this is referred to as pipping. The female will help the young out of their eggs and out of the nest. This particular species does not defend the nest or young as aggressively as other female crocodilians.

Predation by other animals is probably not an issue with this species because of their long incubation process and the fact that they have very sharp teeth and will defend themselves. Although soft shell turtles are known to eat the young crocodiles. The litter sizes are usually small and very little is known about their range, even in areas where they are considered common not much is known about them. They are however believed to be in decline, primarily due to over hunting, and habitat loss is exacerbating the problem. Very little enforcement is used in protecting this species and many areas till allow the harvest of this species, despite its dwindling numbers.

Watersnake Rescue

The most incredible thing happened today. I got a phone call at work from a man who told me that his sister and her husband were clearing weeds and brush out of a ditch in front of their home. There was some water in the ditch at one end and they noticed  something under the ice. It looked snake-like. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed a SNAKE! It was suspended underneath two inches of ice and still alive!!! They broke the ice and tried to free the snake only to discover that its tail was encased in ice and it was stuck unable to move. So they continued to carefully chop ice until they managed to free the entire snake. They brought it inside so that it could gradually warm up. It began moving around. He was concerned about releasing it after everything it had been through only to die of exposure. So I assured him that if he brought it to me I would keep it until April. At 10:30 this morning he brought into my office. I was able to identify it as a Northern Watersnake, which is a very common and feisty snake in Missouri.

I was completely fascinated by this situation. A snake out in winter? A snake buried in ice and still alive? How long had it been there? How did it end up in this predicament? Will it ultimately succumb to death from the stress?

We figured the snake had to be under that ice for a minimum of 24 hours given the recent weather conditions. We've had unusual weather this winter, certainly not the typical cold that we generally have. Several days have topped out near 60 degrees and many more days in the 50's. Although the night time lows have been in the 20's or 30's for over a week now. How could this snake survive such extreme conditions? It must be a tribute to the hardiness of this species, or maybe this is a fluke.

I brought the snake home to photograph it. I took it out of the cloth bag I carried it home in and proceeded to show it to my daughter (who is used to me bringing all sorts of things home and shoving them in her face to see). The snake suddenly perked up and shot out of my hand onto the kitchen table and straight into my daughters lap! She shrieked, the snake hit the floor. I grabbed the snake up off the floor only to have it sling musk all over me and my daughter. She shrieked "MOM!!!!" and ran into the other room. I just shrugged and said "sorry." She started gagging at the smell, which made me laugh as I put the snake safely back into the cloth bag.
Never a dull moment around here!

If the snakes actions are anything to go by it should be fine and survive to be released. I am curious though if anyone else has found a snake in a similar situation.

Monday's Specie in Peril---San Francisco Garter Snake



This strikingly beautiful snake is the San Francisco Garter Snake (Thamnphis sirtalis tetrataenia) and is considered one of the most critically endangered animals in North America. They occur in a very small range in the San Francisco Peninsula and south near the San Francisco-San Mateo county border and along the eastern and western base of the Santa Cruz Mountains. In 1966 they became the first animal to be listed with the government enacted Federal Endangered Species Act. Several years later in 1971 they were listed on the California endangered species list.

Because of their limited range and low litter size they fell victim to population crashes due to pollution, habitat destruction by land development, agriculture, commercial building, residential building and recreational pursuits. Another factor that has hurt this species population is its preferred prey item. The Red-Legged Frog is the primary diet of these garter snakes and they are also listed as threatened or endangered in nearly all their range. So we have a case of an endangered species, feeding on an endangered species. They will also feed on other amphibians such as the non-native (To California) bullfrog....however, they are unable to swallow a fully grown bullfrog instead they may find themselves on the menu as bullfrogs often feed on small snakes. Unlike most animals this species of snake is even able to feed on the Pacific newt which is fatally toxic to other predators which may try to consume it. These snakes will also consume small birds, reptiles, slugs, earthworms, leeches and fish.

We also have the pet trade to thank for the descrease in numbers for this species. Many collectors in Europe have these snakes in their personal collections and there is even some speculation that there may be more in captivity in Europe than exist in their native range!

Mating occurs either in the fall or spring. If females are bred in autumn they will retain the males sperm until the following spring. Live young are born in the autumn. The juveniles are born looking nearly identical to the adults and measure up to 9 inches in length. The adults are capable of reaching lengths up to 51 inches. Like most garter snakes this species is most active during daylight hours where it may be seen on roadways basking. Please give them the right of way by slowing down and driving around them. There are an estimated 1,000-2,000 individual snakes in the wild.

They are a semi-aquatic species and can be found near ponds, marshes and sloughs. They are a secretive snake and quick to flee if approached. In the late summer or early fall they may head to higher elevations in search of prey items and hibernation locations. They will often utilize rodent burrows for hiding places and hibernation dens. 

Much research still needs to be done on this species as much of its habitat occurs on privately owned land and has not been fully studied. Anyone coming across this snake in its native home should leave it be. If you see one on the road, instead of running over it, drive around it. It would be a sad day indeed to lose such a gorgeous snake to extinction. 

There is breaking news about the Claxton Rattlesnake Roundup in Georgia. This is what Jim Ries of One More Generation and Rise Against Rattlesnake Roundups had to say:

"Beth Grant, Bill Matturro from PALS, Collette L. Adkins Giese from the Center for Biological Diversity, Dr. Lock from the ATL Zoo, Dr. Michael Black from GSU and the OMG Team just got off a conference call with many other folks about the Rattlesnake Round-ups, and we learned truly amazing news!

The Claxton group has decided to convert their March event to the Claxton Rattlesnake and Wildlife Festival without a round-up!!!!!! The folks at P.A.L.S, especially Bill, Carter and Olivia from One More Generation, as well as DNR staff all deserve big kudos for bringing the issues to the Claxton group's attention and helping them come to the conclusion to change their events!

We all need to support them in this for their own sake and also to serve as an example for Whigham. More ideas on this to follow, but to begin with, we all echo the Georgia DNR Chief, Non-game Conservation Section Wildlife Resources Division Georgia DNR, who writes:

I encourage you to contact Bruce Purcell and offer support for his work to change the event to the "Claxton Rattlesnake and Wildlife Festival".

Bruce Purcell 912-282-4052 qkutdist@bellsouth.net

Evans County Wildlife Club
P.O. Box 292
Claxton, Georgia 30417"

Deciding to confirm this, I called Bruce Purcell at the number listed. After a lengthy phone conversation Bruce confirmed that all of this is true. It should be noted that the festival did not have to change but it wanted to and they are hoping for a successful reformation. The last part of this message cannot be emphasized enough: call him, write to him and tell him that you fully support his decision! He is getting some negative feedback and it is the utmost importance that we counter this.

I will also encourage people to visit this reformed festival if at all possible, this may be a victory for rattlesnakes but we cannot abandon the battlefield at such a critical hour! Roundup proponents will push back and it is our duty to stop them in their tracks.

Legendary Kansas herpetologist Joe Collins dies

By Stan Finger The Wichita Eagle

Joe Collins studies a 64-inch Western rat snake during the Kansas Herpetoligical Society's Spring 2003 Field Trip at the Wilson State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area. During the field trip, at least 35 species of snakes and reptiles were gathered. That is nearly a third of the 98 species found in Kansas.

As far as Joe Collins was concerned, snakes have had a bad rap ever since the Garden of Eden.
Mr. Collins’ passion for herpetology inspired generations of students and outdoors enthusiasts.
“For 60 years, I have been obsessed with herpetology,” Mr. Collins said in a video shot by Dan Krull. “I make no apologies for it ... the thrill of discovery just can’t be beat.”
Mr. Collins, who founded the Center for North American Herpetology and was a former instructor at the University of Kansas, died Saturday of a heart attack in Florida. He was 72.

Mr. Collins and his wife, Suzanne, were on their annual five-week trip to document wildlife – such as snakes, turtles and alligators – when he was stricken.“He was a great mentor to students of all ages, from the very smallest student who might come to him with a tiny little snake to Ph.D. students working on their dissertation,” Suzanne Collins said. As news of his death spread, many of those who considered Mr. Collins a mentor offered tributes to him on Facebook.

“I remember all these excited kids (including me) running up to Joe with pillow cases full of snakes and lizards, and Joe being equally excited to educate them about what they found,” Mike Zerwekh of San Diego wrote in a forum dedicated to Mr. Collins. “Since then, I’ve made a lot of friends and had some great adventures finding the animals I love. If it wasn’t for Joe, I’m not sure any of that would have happened. He was a true inspiration ... ”

Snakes have a reputation for being evil, which Mr. Collins blamed on the biblical story. But he loved telling audiences how beneficial snakes are to the environment, Suzanne Collins said. They eat enormous numbers of insects and disease-carrying, crop-eating rodents.“He considered reptiles and amphibians to be his animals,” she said. “He was so passionate and dedicated his life to it.”Travis W. Taggart, curator of herpetology at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History at Fort Hays State University, said Mr. Collins’ enthusiasm was infectious.“He really had an eye for people who were wide-eyed about herpetology,” Taggart said. “He was really good at nurturing it and feeding those interests.”


Joe Collins studies a lizard in his lab in the basement of his Lawrence, Kan., home.
The lizard, preserved in alcohol, was found in Topeka


Most people have hobbies, Taggart said, but Mr. Collins didn’t. He was focused at all times on herpetology.
“He woke up thinking about it, and he went to bed thinking about it,” Taggart said.
While Mr. Collins often said he disliked writing, he wrote numerous books. By his own count, he wrote more books about Kansas wildlife than anyone in the history of the state. That’s because he knew books were a vital way to convey information, said Bob Gress, director of the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita.
Perhaps Mr. Collins’ proudest writing accomplishment was serving as co-author for a Peterson Field Guide: “Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America.” Snake enthusiasts consider it the bible of herpetology.

“He was one of those special people that could bridge the academia world with the hobbyist,” Gress said. “He brought interest to the masses.”Taggart said he would talk to Mr. Collins frequently – about every other day – about one thing or another.“I’ll miss those conversations,” he said. “You tend to take it for granted. There was a whole lot of wisdom there to tap into.“It’s a little scary going forward not having that insight and that push.”Taggart said his herpetology decisions will be guided by a simple question going forward: What would Joe have done if he were still here? Mr. Collins’ legacy will continue to blossom in the years ahead, he said.“He’s touched so many people, it can’t help but go on,” Taggart said. “He had so many great ideas and got so many things started.”

A memorial service will be held in Lawrence, Suzanne Collins said, but details haven’t been finalized.

Monday's Species in Peril

Since this blog was created to provide education to our readers about the plight of Herps. throughout the World, I thought it only appropriate that we dedicate one day a week to an Amphibian or Reptile that is classified as threatened, endangered or extinct in the wild. Unfortunately there will be plenty to choose from. Many of us do not think of Herps. when we think of endangered animals, instead our thoughts turn to animals such as Bald Eagles, Manatees or Tigers. Each of these animals are facing challenges to be sure, but because of their over all human appeal they have a dedicated following of people trying to help their plight. Herps. on the other hand are often overlooked by the average person. I cannot tell you how many times I've heard people make comments like "the only good snake is a dead snake" or another "I wish all snakes were dead." What these people do not realize or seem to care about, is that these snakes that they fear or hate so much are an important component in their varied habitats. Snakes are excellent at controlling over population of rodents, and they are also an important food source for many predators. Frogs are often over looked as anything more than just a cute little inhabitant of pond and lakes. The truth is, frogs are an indicator of the over all health of an ecosystem. Scientist often rely on frogs to help them solve any number of environmental mystery's concerning pollution and other contaminants. We need to change our attitudes about these often misunderstood and overlooked creatures. We should respect their role in the environment and do our best to understand and tolerate their presence.

Today's first featured species in peril is the Kihansi Spray Toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis) which was found and first described in 1998 and subsequently declared extinct 14 short years later in 2012.

This tiny toad has been declared extinct in the wild on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This species had a very limited and specific habitat in the spray runoff and nearby wetland of  Kihansi Falls in the Kihansi Gorge in the Udzungwa Mountains of eastern Tanzania. With approximately a 5 acre area to inhabit it was very restricted and became victim to habitat loss and destruction. This often happens to animals with very specified habitat needs. They do not have the ability to readily adapt to a new or altered environment and often become critically endangered or in the case of this little toad they become a thing of the past in the wild. At one point in time this toad had as many as 17,000-20,000 individuals in its 5 acre range. These toads are truly small at only 3/4 of an inch as adults. This species has no tadpole stage, instead the female gives birth to 3-15 tiny toadlets. They will gain the adult coloring as they age, but otherwise look almost identical to their adult counterparts.

Animals with reduced habitats often fall victim to parasites, diseases or other health related issues. If these diseases are brought into a given environment, a species that is as fragile as a toad would stand very little chance of having adequate resources to fight it. This toad was exposed to a fungal disease called chytridiomycosis which is known to affect at least 30% of the amphibian species worldwide. In the wild this fungus cannot be controlled and often wipes out a 100% of a frog or toad population in a given area. Then in the year 2000 a dam was built on the Kihansi river which reduced water flow by 90% to the gorge where this toad is native. These frogs rely on the spray given off by the water falls of this area, with the building of the dam and the resulting  flow restriction of the river, the falls no longer create significant spray. This affects the vegetation around the falls which in turn affects the toad. This little toad was dealt a double whammy with the loss of habitat and a fungal disease it had no ability to fight off. The tiny 5 acre area that was home to this toad was so severely altered that the toad gave way to the challenges of a newly formed habitat. It could no longer survive in the wild. The only hope this toad has as a species is in captive breeding programs that are under way at the Toledo and New York Bronx Zoos. Educational programs are in place and the people of Tanzania are being taught proper husbandry techniques in order to rebuild a sustainable habitat for these toads with the hope of being able to begin releasing them back to their natural habitat.

Fun Fact Friday

I thought it might be fun to feature a fun fact or bit of trivia about the wonderful world of Amphibians and Reptiles. So each Friday is now Fun Fact Friday.


Your first fun fact is...................

The male Mallorcan Midwife Toad (Alytes muletensis) Carries its eggs wrapped around its hind legs. Once in awhile he will hop in the water to wet them.

If you would like to learn more about these interesting frogs visit Mallorcan Midwife Toady