Count reptiles and amphibians in Pennsylvania and submit your data to the survey.
If I lived in Pennsylvania, I would be counting reptiles and amphibians for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Center for Herpetology and Conservation this summer, but I don't so it’s up to you, herp lovers of the Keystone State.
The commission and the center have joined forces in an effort to build what they hope is the most comprehensive atlas of reptiles and amphibians in the state's history, according to the Times-Tribune. Available to all volunteers who will count the various reptiles and amphibians of the state is an online database and mobile application that has been nicknamed the Facebook for herpers in the state.
Pennsylvania Amphibian & Reptile Survey
Called the Pennsylvania Amphibian & Reptile Survey (and online at Paherpsurvey.org), the database is a repository where herpers can submit data on herp sightings, including when and where, time of sighting, how many, approximate age (juvenile, adult), sex, air temperature, habitat, weather conditions and elevation if known.
The database has so far collected 3846 records in 2014 and more than 51,000 records since the database was launched last summer. About 800 reptile lovers have contributed data to the survey.
This is a really cost-effective way to find out what critters are truly rare and what critters are truly more common than we thought, Brandon Ruhe, president of the Mid-Atlantic Center for Herpetology and Conservation said.
If you are in the state of Pennsylvania, or are going this summer for a herping adventure, don't forget to upload your data to Paherpsurvey.org. You can also download the mobile app for your smartphone, which will sync automatically to the database as you upload your data and photographs. For more information, download the survey flyer here.
Have fun counting all those reptiles and amphibians and be safe!
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