Author: John Virata

Giant Chinese Salamander, Now Viewed As 5 Species Level Lineages, Faces Extinction
The Chinese giant salamander is five species level lineages and not just a single species, a new study says. [...]

Man Sentenced To 13 Years In Prison For Trafficking 48 Armadillo Girdled Lizards
The armadillo girdled lizard is known to roll into a ball as a defensive mechanism against predators. [...]

Los Angeles Zoo Hatches More Than 2,000 Southern Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs
The recovery plan for the endangered species was launched in 2014 and seems to be on track. [...]

Cuban Brown Anole No Longer Evolving, Scientists Say
The brown anole has essentially stopped evolving because it may not need to. [...]

Researchers Witness Cannibalistic Tendencies In Aegean Wall Lizard
This may be the first documented case of an Aegean wall lizard feeding on its own species. [...]

Bearded Dragon Looking For Its Owner At University Of Wisconsin, Madison
The bearded dragon may have escaped its enclosure or was left behind. [...]

Florida’s Python Elimination Program Removes 1,000 Snakes In 15 Months
The Burmese python has gained a foothold in the Everglades. [...]

Family Who Claimed Man Was Bitten By Rattlesnake That Fell In His Kayak Changes Story
It is unclear why the family changed their story, but at least the man is doing better. [...]

Oklahoma Man Hit By Car And Cited By Police For Trying To Save A Turtle
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation says drivers should not attempt to move a turtle off the road in heavy traffic if no shoulder to park [...]

New Frog Species Of The Genus Microhyla Discovered In India
Microhyla kodial is the 10th Microhyla species from India. [...]

Wisconsin DNR Seeks Citizen Help ID’ing Turtle Crossing Hotspots
The data will be used to help make it safer for turtles to cross roads in the state. [...]

Snake Fungal Disease Confirmed In Indiana
Species that tested positive for SFD in the state include the northern water snake, racer, milk snake, and queen snake. [...]

Man Who Shot And Killed Sulcata Tortoise Reaches Settlement With Owner
Merlin the sulcata tortoise was just 16 years old when he was shot and killed. [...]

Florida Woman Rescues Injured Turtle On Road, Which Promptly Lays Eggs In Her Car
The turtle was given antibiotics and will soon be released back into the wild. [...]

New Guinea Lizards Have Lime Green Blood And Toxic Bile
These green-blooded reptiles have high levels of green bile pigment and are resistant to bile pigment toxicity. [...]

Turtle And Tortoise Adoption Event In Southern California Takes Place May 19
The club will educate attendees of the event on how to keep chelonians. [...]

Florida Woman Finds Gopher Tortoise Someone Painted Blue
Paint on a tortoise's shell can cause significant health issues. [...]

Texas Residents Encouraged To Fill Out Texas Invasive Brown Anole Survey
The invasive brown anole competes with native green anoles for food and brown anoles are also known to eat young green anoles. [...]

Snake Makes Minor League Debut At San Antonio Missions Baseball Game
The snake was swarmed almost immediately after it took to the field. [...]

New Jersey Fourth Graders Testify In Favor Of Bog Turtle For State Reptile
The bog turtle is one of North America’s smallest turtle species and also one of its rarest. [...]

Origin Of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Came From Asian Amphibians, New Study Says
Researchers determined that based on DNA data, the fungus came out of Asia between 50 and 120 years ago.
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Politician In South Carolina Gets Flack For Shooting Snakes Ad
According to the South Carolina Fish and Wildlife Service, finding an eastern diamondback rattlesnake in Fair Play is highly unlikely. [...]

Alabama Man Fights For His Life After Coral Snake Bite
Jeffrey Phillips apparently thought the snake he picked up was a kingsnake. [...]

Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley Zoo Seeks Funds For Aldabra Tortoise Exhibit
The Lehigh Valley Zoo in Schnecksville, PA hopes to build a walk-thru Aldabra tortoise exhibit and is soliciting donations to help build it. [...]