Author: John Virata
Two Critically Endangered Bog Turtles Hatch at Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Atlanta announced March 9 that a pair of bog turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) have hatched at the zoo’s breeding facility in Atlanta. The turtles, [...]
Rosy Boa Care Sheet
The rosy boa is one of two boa constrictors native to the United States, the other being the rubber boa [...]
New Leaf-tailed Gecko Species Discovered in Australia
Researcher Conrad J. Hoskin of Australia's James Cook University has discovered a new leaf-tailed gecko species on Scawfell island in Queensland, Aust [...]
New Human Antibody May Result In Universal Antivenin For Venomous Snake Bites
International researchers working with scientists at The Technical University of Denmark recently published a paper detailing their discovery of a hum [...]
Hyloscirtus tolkieni, A New Stream Frog Species Named After J.R.R. Tolkien
A new species of stream frog from the Ecuadorian Andes has been named after J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The fr [...]
Contrary To Popular Belief, Snakes Can Hear Fairly Well
Snakes don't have external ears but that doesn't mean they cannot hear. In fact, a new study put out by the University of Queensland asserts that snak [...]
SIU Grad Student Opossum Study Inadvertently Tracks Pythons In Florida
Southern Illinois University graduate student Kelly Crandall was working on a study of raccoon and opossum movements in Florida’s Crocodile Lake Natio [...]
Snake Species New to Science Discovered In Central Panama
A snake that has been hiding in plain since 1977 since it was first documented in 1977 has been described as a species new to science. The new snake s [...]
Gene That Creates Piebald Ball Python Identified
The piebald ball python is arguably one of the most stunning ball python morphs, and until now, the gene that creates this pattern of coloration was n [...]
Reptile Smuggler Sentenced To 14 Months in Prison
Canadian national Ka Yeung Marvin Chan was sentenced to 14 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy ton smuggle reptiles from the United States t [...]
Zoo Miami’s Two Endangered Cuban Crocodiles Sedated To Determine If They Ate Plastic Bottle
Last week, Zoo Miami's pair of endangered Cuban crocodiles (Crocodylus rhombifer) were sedated after a report from patrons that a plastic bottle fell [...]
Leonardo DiCaprio Names New Snake Species After His Mother
Researchers have discovered five arboreal snake species in the jungles of South America and Leonardo DiCaprio and Brian Sheth of Nature and Culture In [...]
Two-Headed Snake Born In Australia Euthanized
A two-headed carpet python (Morelia sp) that hatched this week in Australia has been euthanized after an examination by a veterinarian at the The Unus [...]
California Desert Tortoise Mojave Maxine To Emerge From Burrow, Signaling Spring
Mojave Maxine, the California desert tortoise equivalent of groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, has not yet ended her brumation, but followers of her are eag [...]
FWC’s Operation Viper Leads To 8 Arrests For Prohibited And Venomous Snake Trafficking
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Division of Law Enforcement has filed charges against eight people for trafficking in venomous [...]
Evolutionary Tree Of Elapoidea Snakes Reconstructed
Researchers with the University of Helsinki have reconstructed the evolutionary tree of snakes of the superfamily Elapoidea.
"Snakes are not just d [...]
Toadzilla Cane Toad Found In Australia
Conway National Park rangers in Australia last week removed a massive cane toad from the wild that weighed an estimated 5 lbs. The rangers were conduc [...]
Venomous Coral Snake Successfully Operated for Pentastome Parasites Is OCIC Ambassador
The venomous coral snake that was operated on earlier this month to remove the parasitic pentastome Raillietiella orientalis is an ambassador to the O [...]
Ball Python Surrendered To Honolulu Zoo
A ball python (Python regius) was surrendered to the Honolulu Zoo January 11 by a person who says it was found in Kahalu’u, which is on the North Shor [...]
Emotional Support Boa Constrictor Denied Boarding On Airplane In Tampa, FL
A woman who last week tried to bring her boa constrictor onto a plane in her carry on baggage was flagged by the Transportation Security Administratio [...]
Gisele Bündchen Saves Sea Turtle Entangled In Ghost Fishing Net
Supermodel and environmental advocate Gisele Bündchen posted a video onto her Instagram account of a sea turtle entangled in a ghost fishing net on a [...]
Trial in Murder of Snake Breeder Begins Today
Opening statements began today in the trial of Lynlee Renick, the wife of renowned snake breeder Ben Renick, who was shot and killed in June 2017 on h [...]
One Sentence In 1944 Autobiography Leads To Rediscovery Of Montane Skink
A skink that has not been seen in the wild in Mozambique since 1918 has been rediscovered by Extinct or Just Shy, a project funded by the Rufford Foun [...]
Iguana Who Lost Front Legs Due To Being Hogtied Now Eating On His Own
The Carolina Waterfowl Rescue in Indian Trail, NC earlier this month took in a green iguana (Iguana iguana) that was found abandoned with its front le [...]
