Author: John Virata
Baby Dies After Feeder Rat Bites Him On Finger
A rat that was being kept to feed a family’s pet snake bit a six month old baby, which later died from disease that the rat transmitted to the b [...]
Certain Panamanian Golden Frogs Survive Exposure To Chytrid
Scientists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute who set out to determine if an anti-fungal probiotic treatment could stop the chytridiomy [...]
Scientists Show How Water Bounces Off Gecko Skin Like Popcorn
Did you know that certain geckos have skin that naturally repels water? Scientists have determined that the box-patterned gecko (Diplodactylus steinda [...]
Petland Will No Longer Sell Large Constricting Snakes
For those who shop at Petland, the company announced March 16 that it will no longer offer constricting snakes for sale larger than a ball python [...]
Did St. Patrick Really Banish Snakes From Ireland?
Today is St. Patrick’s Day, named in honor of the 5th century man, Patrick, who was known more than anything for banishing all snakes from Ireland.
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California’s Desert Tortoise Gains 11 Square Miles Of Habitat
The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in California has had 11 square miles of habitat on private land set aside in an effort to offset the i [...]
Flat-tailed Horned Lizard Stops Construction Of Solar Energy Facility In California
The flat-tailed horned lizard (Phrynosoma mcallii), a candidate for listing under California’s Endangered Species Act has stopped a solar energy [...]
Video: See The Building Of The Titanoboa Replica in 36 Seconds
Florida's Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has a 65-foot replica of Titanoboa, the world’s largest snake (to date) to ever crawl the e [...]
Black Pine Snake Habitat Protections Proposed By USFWS
More than 330,000 acres of critical habitat for the black pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi) in Mississippi and Alabama has been proposed for [...]
Andinobates geminisae Dart Frog Successfully Bred In Captivity
A small dart frog that can fit on a dime has been successfully bred in captivity for the first time by scientists working with the Smithsonian Conserv [...]
Reticulated Python, 3 Anacondas Added To Injurious Species List As Boa Constrictor Is Spared
THE USFWS has added the reticulated python and three anacondas to the list of banned snakes. [...]
Chytrid Fungus Confirmed On Madagascar Yet No Frogs Have Died From It
The chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) which has been killing off amphibian populations around the world for decades has now been discove [...]
Herpetologist Photographs Male Black And White Tegus Trying To Mate With Dead Female
Necrophilia often occurs in certain reptiles. In September 2013, herpetologist Ivan Sazima witnessed not one but two male black and white tegus attemp [...]
RSPCA In The UK Investigating Abandoned Beardie, Savannah Monitor Crime
Some people. Jeez. Here is a sad story from across the pond. A driver alerted the UK’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ab [...]
Coyotes Devouring Loggerhead Sea Turtle Eggs On South Carolina Barrier Islands
Feral hogs that decimated loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests on an island off South Carolina have been replaced by coyotes after a fairly [...]
Snake Fungal Disease Found in Michigan Rattlesnakes
Some sad news coming out of Michigan as the snake fungal disease has been confirmed in eastern massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) [...]
Frozen Ball Python Found On NYC Street
What is it with New Yorkers and escaped snakes? Two weeks ago we reported on a corn snake that survived eight months on the loose in Br [...]
Relict Leopard Frog Conservation Efforts Experiences Challenges In Nevada
The relict leopard frog (Rana onca) has been the subject of conservation efforts by citizens of the state of Nevada to save the threatened specie [...]
Tiger Snake With Charcot’s Disease Stolen From Keeper’s Home
Rocky, the tiger snake (Notechis sp.) with Charcot’s disease that became a media sensation earlier this month, has been stolen from her caretaker.
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Pennsylvania Home Builder Sells Land Easement To Feds To Protect Bog Turtle
When you hear about land developers and reptiles in the news, it is usually about the developer building on sensitive habitat of an endangered reptile [...]
California Protects the Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard
The California Fish and Game Commission, responding to a Center for Biological Diversity petition, today made the flat-tailed horned lizard (Phrynosom [...]
First Case Of Siamese Twins In Varanus Melinus Reported
Siamese twinning has occurred in the quince monitor lizard, according to a paper published in Herpetological Notes. According to the authors of the pa [...]
Theft Or Escape? Brazilian Rainbow Boa Missing From College In Vermont
Rainbow boas grow to five to six feet in length and have a beautiful sheen.
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20 Critically Endangered Ploughshare Tortoises Released On Madagascar
Jersey’s Durell Conservation Trust in Europe has released 20 ploughshare tortoises (Astrochelys ynophora) on Madagascar in hopes of bolstering their p [...]
