January 1993
Lost turtle update
The turtle found by Norwegian fishermen near the Arctic Circle was
tagged with a radio transmitter and released. Thor-Ivar Guldberg, of
the World Wildlife Fund in Norway, said, "The last time we saw her, she
was headed south." Plans to fly the animal back to the Gulf of Mexico
were abandoned when biologists pointed out that the turtle's internal
orientation could become disoriented as a result of the intended
kindness. [Orlando Sentinel, September 12, 1992 contributed by Bill
Burnett] Our editor, Mike Dloogatch, copied a few items which shows, as
he wrote, "The bottom line is that the sea turtle was where it belonged.
It was the zoologist who was confused." Herpetology 1989 for April had
a mention of work by Goff and Lien which reported 20 encounters with
leatherback sea turtles off Newfoundland and Labrador between July and
September from 1976 and 1985. In Herpetology 1990 from December, an
article by Paladino and cohorts was cited that reported that
leatherbacks range from the tropics to the Arctic Circle and that these
turtles can maintain their body temperatures 18 degrees Celsius higher
than the water in which they are swimming. The authors coined new word
for this extra heat in a "cold-blooded" reptile, gigantothermy. It
means the ability to maintain constantly high body temperatures because
the animal is big and has tissues that are being used as insulation but
has a low metabolic rate. It has been suggested that dinosaurs may have
been gigatothermic. Also P.C.H. Pritchard wrote in 1971 that
individual leatherback "are caught at sea in cold, northern waters more
frequently than any other species of sea turtle... [they] were active,
apparently in full control of their movements, and had stomachs full of
jellyfish."
Major reptile dealer to be jailed
According to an article faxed by Michael L. Rubinstein, the Deputy Chief
Major Crimes Section of the United States Attorney's Office in Tampa, FL
reptile dealer Thomas Crutchfield and his wife Penny Crutchfield, of
Bushnell, FL were sentenced on November 13, 1992 for their roles in the
illegal importation of endangered Fiji iguanas into the U.S.
Crutchfield was sentenced to 17 months in federal prison and fined
$10,000, Mrs. Crutchfield was sentenced to six months of house arrest,
and six months of probation and fined $2,000. Federal wildlife
officials have said that the Crutchfield arrests and convictions were a
major case in the multimillion-dollar trade in reptiles. Rubinstein
said, "We hope it's a real deterrent. It's been followed by dealers and
zoos all over the world." The World Wildlife Foundation urged tough
sentences for the Crutchfields and said that a light sentence would have
served as license for others to disregard international laws and
agreements intended to protect animals. Crutchfield was charged with
importing some Fiji banded iguanas from a Malaysian reptile exporter,
who hid them in a shipment of other animals in 1989. The only legal
Fiji iguanas live at San Diego Zoo and places where that zoo loans them.
Crutchfield has blamed the criminal charges against him as being caused
by disgruntled former business partners, whom, he claims turned records
over to federal wildlife investigators. [Article by Bruce Vielmetti,
Tampa Times, November 14, 1992]
Turtles teach patience
Second-grade students at Union Center Elementary School (near
Valparaiso, IN) waited and waited for snapping turtle eggs
to hatch since one of the class brought in eggs found by workmen on her
parents' property. Charles Keating, CHS member and herpetologist, went
to the class to teach the fundamental of caring for the tiny turtles until
they are released to survive on their own. The teacher said, "The
students really wanted to take care of the tiny turtles because they
were informed that if they were freed in the wild at this age, they
would probably wind up as food for another animal. Keating had the kids
put all the turtles in separate jars so they wouldn't compete with or
even eat each other. The turtles will be fed trout chow until they are
released in the spring. [Vidette Messenger, October 8, 1992, front
page, contributed by Jack Schoenfelder]
Dinosaur embryo found
Once upon a time, vertebrate paleontologists competed with each other to
collect the biggest dinosaurs. Now, it seems, they are all going for
the record of who found the smallest of the "giant reptiles." The most
recent report of tiny dinos is from the Dinosaur National Monument,
where Dan Chure has spent nearly a year scraping away at a 150
million year old fossil which appears to be the embryonic remains of a
Camptosaurus. The group of 30 tiny bones were found because workers
were searching for fossilized plants. [Grand Junction, CO, Daily
Sentinel, August 23, 1992, sent by Larry Valentine]
Elvis escaped!
A 5-foot, 30-pound alligator named Elvis escaped from his
home in the Southern Nevada Zoological Park in Las Vegas. The zoo's
director said, "I'm puzzled. There is a little opening through a thick
clump of bamboo, but I'm not convinced he could get out there. There's
a water turtle in the same exhibit and if there were any easy way out,
the turtle would have found it." He speculated that thieves could have
tried to steal the alligator, but released it when it proved to be "more
than they could handle." Also, zoo workers are in the zoo round the
clock, and some were as little as 30 feet from and in view of the
alligator enclosure. [Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 18, 1992,
contributed by Bob Pierson]
Photo proves giant snake not dangerous
Bob Pierson of Las Vegas sent in a clipping from the Las Vegas Review
Journal (September 11, 1992) which shows an event that occurred at the
Los Angeles Zoo. It seem that every year, zoo officials weigh their
Indian python. This year she weighs 212 pounds, a gain of 9 pounds in
the last year. Students from the animal studies program at North
Hollywood High School help the keepers weigh and measure the 9-year-old
snake. It took 28 students to uncoil the animal for the official
measurement, 15.5 feet. No one was injured, everyone is laughing in the
picture, and it sure puts to rest all the "dangerous snake" stories.
1993 Earthwatch expeditions announced
Five herp adventures are among the hundreds of Earthwatch expeditions
scheduled in 1993. You can tag turtles in either Costa Rica or St.
Croix, count lizards and spiders in Baja California, tag broad-nosed
caimans in Brazil, or count herps in Madagascar merely by signing up for
one of their projects. The payment you make to Earthwatch is tax
deductible and includes your food, lodging and scientific equipment.
Prices range from $800 to $2,200. You'll also need to pay the airfare
from where you are to where you want to be - that isn't deductible. For
further information, please write or call Earthwatch: Box 403N, 680
Mount Auburn Street, Watertown, MA 02272, phone 617-926-8200. Please
mention CHS when you contact them.
A way to get involved
People who like to write letters about environmental issues are urged to
contact Jeff Lippert, Editor of the Armchair Activist, at 1415 Braeburn,
Flossmoor, IL 60422. Please include a stamped, business
sized envelope. The Armchair Activist is usually a page or two of
fast-breaking environmental issues and the names and addresses of the
proper officials to write about them. Annually, they publish a list of
legislators and their voting records on various environmental issues.
If you're outside the Chicago region, ask Jeff to send your letter to
the Editor nearest your home.
Shocking treatment of hunting dogs
In an article from the Corsicana Daily Sun (October 11, 1992) sent by
Thomas Vance, the methods used by sportsmen to "snake-proof" their dogs
are discussed. One of the most popular ways, according to the article,
uses a defanged rattlesnake to get the dogs' interest - then by means of
electric shock collars, conditions the dogs to leave the snake alone. A
veterinarian in Corpus Christi was quoted as saying, "I don't like shock
collars for a lot of things. But it's better than a snake bite." He
warned that snake-proofing a dog by using a shock collar is for experts
only. It also doesn't guarantee a dog won't be bitten by a rattlesnake.
The dog might step on one before he saw it, or jump over something and
land on a snake by mistake. The article continues with dog remedies for
snake bite which are similar to those for humans: transport the victim
to medical help quickly, don't panic, don't cut, don't suck, and don't
use electric shocks from stun guns, car batteries or extension cords.
Deformed turtles will be studied
Scientists have known for 17 years that a population of turtles in Lake
Blackshear, GA suffers from horrid deformities including a "shell-rot"
that eats away at both the carapace and plastron, sometimes exposing
internal organs. Also, softball sized growths can form on the shells.
The disease has shown up in two species of plant-eating turtles, but has
not affected meat-eating turtles in the same waterways. Whit Gibbons,
a herpetologist at the Savannah River Ecology Lab near Aiken, SC said,
"I have never seen a population that is that sick and unhealthy. There
is some kind of impact on that aquatic system ... that is causing a
severe effect..." The state of Georgia has awarded a grant to Bob
Herrington, a biology professor at Georgia Southwestern College, and
another grant has been given to William Tietjen of the same school to
conduct a comprehensive water quality study. The U.S. Soil Conservation
Service is checking agricultural runoff in the area where the sick
turtles have been found. Another population of sick turtles was
reported two years ago in a small lake near Interlachen, FL. Ken Dodd,
a herpetologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Gainesville,
FL said, "There were gross deformities. Some areas [of shell] were
paper thin and next to them were big knobs and bumps." He added, "If
something is affecting the turtles, I think it has the potential to
affect people." He speculates that something is disrupting the turtles'
metabolism, permitting heavy calcium deposits on their shells. Gibbons
noted that he "would not personally be eating things out of that lake.
When you see something like that, it's an environmental indicator that
there is a problem." [Atlanta Journal and Constitution, November 4,
1992, contributed by Wally Wahlquist]
Humans more dangerous than snakes?
According to an article in Florida Wildlife Magazine (August 2, 1992),
Wayne Hill, editor of the Bulletin of the League of Florida Herp
Societies said, "I get jittery around people. Man is a much more
dangerous predator than a cobra. You can go to a football stadium with
50,000 people and you know strictly from statistics that out of that
50,000, you gotta have 10 that are completely wacko. I mean these guys
are just giggling and looking for somebody to shoot." Even so,
snakes have scared Hill. He told the reporter about an expedition
he went on in Thailand where a king cobra sprang up out of the grass
and looked Hill right in the eye. "He just stood there a minute and
dropped down. I think it was the smell of urine that put him off." The
article details Hill's involvement with reptiles, particularly venomous
reptiles, and points out that his two houses are unlikely to be featured
in a Parade of Homes since one is full of snakes, and the other full of
rats and mice. Hill can also be really pithy when people put down his
pets. One time at a show a lady said to him that she had just killed
a snake like his by chopping it up with a hoe. She was apparently a cat
lover, for Hill replied, "Cat's do have nine lives! I ran over this
cat last week. It looked just like [hers]... Then I'll say, `Lady I
just told you the same thing you told me about my animals. Now does it
come home?'"
Diamond in the rough in Discover
When my husband first brought home the December, 1992 Discover Magazine,
I was thrilled to see the cover "Dragon Island, Where 10-foot Reptiles
Rule," complete with an adorable Komodo dragon delicately tongue-flicking
the bar code box. However, after reading Jared Diamond's article, I was
much less pleased. Regular readers of Natural History Magazine will
recognize Diamond's name. He's a regular columnist known for
fascinating stories about animals that usually teach an evolutionary or
ecological point painlessly and with grace. However, in the Discover
piece, Diamond seems more interested in terrifying the audience about
Komodo Dragons in particular, and reptiles in general than in educating
the readers about their uniqueness in the natural world. O.K., so it was
interesting that there are fossil elephants which were probably dragon
chow long before there were German tourists, but where did he come up
with the data to state (twice) that reticulated pythons on the island of
Celebes are proven to have eaten humans? Here's a particularly
incendiary passage, "Should your toes curl when you see a photo of a
Komodo dragon, try running through your mind this even worse nightmare.
You're dozing peacefully in a forest clearing when you suddenly become
aware that you're not alone. You look up to see, to your horror, a
giant one-ton lizard advancing on you, rapidly flicking its forked
tongue in and out of its mouth. It lunges toward you. You jump up and
turn to flee. You trip over a vine. You feel the monster's breath
behind you, then an awful hot flash of pain --AAAARGHHH!" Aaaarghhh,
yourself Dr. Diamond! When I want cheap, flashy entertainment, I'll go
to a movie, not read an article by a respected member of the eastern
scientific community. Discover was recently purchased by the Walt
Disney Company. Perhaps the corporate philosophy is that if an animal
is known to eat cute, fuzzy stuff like Thumper and Bambi - it's bad and
must be shown to be bad to all those nice folks who read their mag.
Certainly the syllable count has been decreasing since they took over.
Apparently, the scientific nature of the content is going down, too. As
an interesting aside, reading this article makes me aware of just how
good the editors at Natural History must be. Diamond's prose in the
Discover article is overloaded with verb tense shifts and weak words
such as "it," "it's," "its," "they," "them," plenty of mid-sentence
parentheses, and "!" - all marks of careless editing.
Thanks to everybody who contributed this month. Make a New Year's
resolution to become a contributor, too. Send newspaper or magazine
clippings with the name and date of publication as well as your name
firmly attached to the clipping to me. Letters are also welcome. Please note
that due to the long lead time between when I write this column and when
it is published, if you send me something today, it will probably be in
the March or April issue.
February 1993
Let's break with tradition
Usually, I thank the contributors and tell you where to mail
contributions at the bottom of the column. However, many people are
still sending mail for me to the CHS address. Please send your clippings with the
date and name of publication, and your name firmly attached, to me
directly. My new schedule with work, school, family, home, and writing
many times does not permit me to attend CHS meetings and so your
contributions may not be received for months! Added to an approximate
45-60 day lead time, this can make items very, very old by the time they
appear in print. In any case, I'm heartened to receive some items from
people I haven't heard from in a while, plus we have a couple of first
time contributors' stuff in this column. So, read and enjoy. Please do
write letters, send photos, cards, clippings, articles. It is the
highlight of my day when the mail contains more than bills and
circulars. Cynthia Werner, Bruce Hannem, and Pattie Marrandino
contributed duplicates of articles previously used. Special thanks to
the Editor of the San Joaquin Herpetological Society Journal for the
nice comments about this publication.
Letter from founding member
Long-term CHS members will remember Esther Lewis, who regularly appeared
at CHS shows and events with the most marvelously tame alligators I've
ever seen. She sent me a Christmas card and a lovely note: "Sang the
`Messiah' with the Sarasota Choral Society... Standing and sitting on
cue from the director was the most difficult part. Now that I have two
new knee replacements, I should go faster in `93. Even when I had to
move slowly, I was able to catch black racers, red rats, and scarlet
kingsnakes. When snakes get into people's garages they [the people]
panic and I get called for help, which I enjoy since I no longer have
snakes as pets. I give the snakes I catch to a friend that has 8 acres.
Besides he likes snakes. If I left them near here, they'd just be
killed as people refuse to learn that s. kings aren't corals, and pine
snakes aren't rattlers. I love all reptiles and
they let me catch them, when others can't. I still have Zacky, the
redfooted tortoise which I've had for 34 years, and Snoopy, my yellow
foot tortoise, which I've had for 39 years. They used to be in shows at
the CHS many years ago. I think they'll outlast me. They have a great
variety of fruit and vegetables, plus trout chow... They don't go
swimming, but do prance around the pool getting exercise and sunshine
and stay in the laundry room when I'm not home... Though I'm 75 plus,
I want to be 25 again, but wishing can't make it so. I started with
reptiles when I was in 5th grade... Best wishes in `93. Esther Lewis"
More on the Arctic Turtle
Jens Petter Brastad, a veterinarian from Norway wrote a note about "What
happened to `Oddrun,' the leatherback turtle found in the Arctic... The
turtle made the headline news for more than a week. She (I do not know
how they decided it was a she) was brought into `custody' until the
Norwegian bureaucrats could make up their minds (which normally takes a
while) on how to handle this unfamiliar situation. Finally it was
decided to tag her with a radio transmitter glued to the dorsal side of
the plastron, and then to release her. You may already have guessed the
result. Nobody ever `got in touch' with her again. By now she is
probably dead. A sad ending. Any comments.?" He added a fascinating
postscript: "P.S. The attitudes towards reptiles in Norway is
absolutely `stone-age like.' Yes we do hunt whales, seals, sea otters,
and keep fur bearing animals, etc. But, the law
makes it illegal to keep any reptile without a special permission. Do
not talk about breeding; all offspring are to be euthanized. Needless to
say there is a secret movement, which is another long and sad story I do
not want to comment on - it just makes you cry."
Is there any difference?
Alan W. Zulich sent a note and an article from Reptile and Amphibian
Magazine, September/October 1992. The note reads: "As a follow-up to
your note on `pit' tags in your October [column]. Enclosed is an
article describing another system in use in a number of collections.
You may wish to mention this as well. It is certainly the way to go for
animal i.d." The article by Zulich, Donald Hamper, Bob Clark and Ted
Peitz, refers to the Trovan TM system developed by
Infopet Identification Systems, Inc., Westlake Village, CA. After a
careful reading of this article, I am unable to find much substantive
difference between this system and pit tags, except that the reader for
this system is about twice as expensive as the low-end pit tag reader.
The high-end pit tag reader will actually record numbers and is
comparable in price to this system's display-only reader. However, in
the interest of fairness and consumer choice, I'd suggest that if you'd
like to mark your collection with transponder chips, you might wish to
contact Zulich at Harford Reptile Breeding Center, P.O. Box 914, Bel
Air, MD 21014-0914 as well as the folks who make and sell pit tags.
Ground Iguanas?
John Phillips, a physiologist with the San Diego Zoo's Center for the
Reproduction of Endangered Species, will be going to the Guantanamo
Naval Base to study reproductive habits of Cyclura nubila, the Cuban
ground iguana. The land around the base is home to sizable populations
of this species which can grow to 2.5 feet from nose to tail and weigh
up to 20 pounds. The two-year project is being supported by a $120,000
grant from the National Science Foundation. Other species of ground
iguanas have become extinct on the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas. On
some islands where they still occur, populations may number less than
50. Part of the problem is that ground iguanas are used for food by
local people in much the same way that we in the States use ground
beef. [The San Diego Union-Tribune, November 8, 1992 - first
contribution from Dewey Ira Wallace, III]
CTC Renewals Due
People interested in receiving (or continuing to receive) the Chicago
Turtle Club Newsletter are urged to send a check for $5.00, payable to
Jan Spitzer, to: The Chicago Turtle Club, The Chicago Herpetological
Society, 2001 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60614. The CTC
meets the Sunday before the monthly CHS meeting at the Emmerson Park
Field House, 1820 West Granville Avenue. For first-timers, the Field
House is that little building at the top of the hill behind the
playground with no numbers on the outside. Just park anywhere
legal after you find the intersection of Granville and the viaduct. CTC
meetings are fun and informative. Their newsletter is a delight.
Box turtles redux
Six box turtles that had been collected in Florida, transported to New
York State, and offered for sale (illegally) in a pet shop, were
returned to Florida through the intercession of the Department of
Environmental Conservation and the largesse of the Upstate
Herpetological Association. [Schenectady Gazette, December 9, 1992;
Albany NY Times Union, December 9, 1992 - contributed by Sue Black]
The Show-me State will show us all
An unusual experiment undertaken by the Missouri Department of
Conservation and the University of Missouri will study how two
different logging practices affect life in an Ozark Forest. Two years
ago, scientist set aside nine similar 1,000-acre patches of forest in
the Ozark hills, in Carter, Shannon, and Reynolds counties in southern
Missouri. In fall, 1994, parts of three patches will be clear cut.
Three other patches will be cut leaving uneven age stands of trees. The
last three patches will not be cut at all and will serve as a control
group. The researchers are gathering baseline data up until the
chain saws arrive. The reptile and amphibian part of the project has
captured 5,500 critters at all nine sites. One-third were salamanders,
26 percent were frogs or toads, 26 percent were lizards, 15 percent were snakes, and the rest were turtles. By species, eight salamanders, 16 snakes, six lizards,
and six frogs/toads, were reported. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November
17, 1992 - contributed by K.S. Mierzwa]
Brilliant installation celebrates the serpent
A famous collage artist, Alexis Smith, has completed a monumental
560-foot long "Snake Path" on the campus of the University of California
- San Diego. Leah Ollman, of the Los Angeles Times [October 23, 1992],
wrote: "Like few other artworks in public places, Smith's `Snake Path'
deftly manages at once to be conceptually accessible, functional and
inspirational. It is flawlessly integrated with its site... and it
works as a visual spectacle as well as a prod to intellectual inquiry.
The path consists of hexagonal scale-like slate tiles in earthen tones
of gray, sand and rust, mounded slightly to suggest the snake's rounded
back... and extends its pink granite tongue toward a large
terrace..." For information on how to view the path, and for access to
the campus, call the Stuart Collection (619) 534-2117. For anyone who
does have the opportunity to visit, I'd love a photo of this thing. If
it were a black-and-white photo, I could even ask the editor to print
it. [Contributed by Donal Boyer]
Caymans inhospitable to snakes
L.W. Reed, D.V.M. from the Westchester Animal Clinic in Porter, IN sent
a clipping from the Caymanian Compass [November 3, 1992] which reads:
"In other police news, a seven-foot long `Cayman racer' snake was found
in the garden of a West Bay residence... The report said the snake was
believed to be one of the longest ever found in the Cayman Islands. The
snake was destroyed and taken to the Agriculture Department for
observation." Dr. Reed wrote: "This is what happens to any snake
caught there. These were once plentiful but may soon be as extinct/rare
as the epicrates now, maybe, only found on Cayman Brac." I find it
surprising that anyone would bother observing a dead snake, they're much
more interesting alive.
And then there were four...
Alvin George Keel, 49, of West Palm Beach, FL was sentenced to 30-months
in prison on six counts of turtle egg poaching. He has been arrested
six times since 1980, according to court records and U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Officer Terry English. The last time, he was arrested with 342
loggerhead turtle eggs in a sack tied to his bicycle while he was
leaving Palm Beach. He is alleged to be one of South Florida's top five
sea turtle egg poachers. [The Orlando Sentinel, November 18, 1992] The
state of Florida is also proposing a ban on night parking and driving on
beaches, including those in Daytona and Daytona Beach Shores, as well as
extending lighting bans in other sea side communities. Turtle experts
say lights may discourage nesting and send hatchlings in the wrong
direction. [Same paper, November 14, 1992 - both contributed by Bill
Burnett]
Those amazing salamanders!
Researchers into the genetic sequencing of mitachondrial DNA have
learned that some of North America's all-female salamander lineages have
existed for a record four million years. Single-sex lineages
studied before include fish, lizards, snakes and other salamanders have
existed from 10,000 to 100,000 years. S. Blair Hedges of Pennsylvania
State University said, "Sexual reproduction is supposed to be good in
nature because it encourages genetic variation, and that helps a species
adapt to a changing environment." [National Geographic, November 1992 -
contributed by Claus Sutor]
Don't float in the Ganges
A few years ago, this column reported on the release of lots and lots of
head-started young turtles into the Ganges River in India. The species
had been common in the river and had acted as a sort of littoral garbage
disposal for many centuries, but had been over-fished for the food trade
in Varanasi and other Indian cities, towns, and villages. The babies
are now big guys and an estimated 25,000 of them are on the job, eating
human corpses dumped into India's holiest river. Indra Prakash Yadav, a
range officer at the Indian government's turtle breeding farm outside
Varanasi said, "They eat everything... except the bones... They bite off
what they can chew and then chase after the body. For 10 adult turtles
it takes about two or three days to consume an entire body." At least
100 corpses are dumped into the river at day at Varanasi resulting in
what environmentalists call "necrotic pollutants." [Toronto Globe and
Mail, date unknown, from the League of FL Herp. Societies newsletter,
December 1992 - contributed by Mark Witwer]
Desert tortoise debate continues
Bob Pierson sent in a clipping from the Las Vegas Review-Journal
[December 18, 1992] which discusses the need for long-range planning to
protect desert tortoise habitat when the current conservation plant
expires in October 1994. The Sierra Club and some Indian tribes have
given the Department of the Interior a 60-day notice of their intent to
file a law suit against the department for failing to designate critical
habitat areas. If the suit succeeds, development might be banned in
large areas of Clark County.
Close encounter of the Komodo kind
The employee newsletter of Sargent and Lundy [Blueprint, Volume 26, Number
11, 1992] reports that one of their employees who lives with his family
in Jakarta, Indonesia recently visited various islands in the Java sea.
He wrote, "My fondest trip was to Pulan Pelangi... home of a relative of
the Komodo dragon. These big lizards, 3 feet to 5 feet in length,
wander the island freely but are quite harmless and skittish of people.
Unfortunately our three-year old daughter was the first to meet one.
They both scared each other and ran away." [Contributed by P.L. Beltz]
Bad site selection
The City Manager of Groveland, FL, Sayward Sherburn, jokingly described
the bad luck of his town in choosing a site for a new sewage treatment
plant. He said the site has "a sacred burial ground surrounded by
gopher tortoise holes." Well, the latter has been proven; at least 10
burrows were discovered on the site. The archaeological studies are not
final, but three probable sites of Indian burials have been found. The
city plans to move the tortoises to a buffer zone on the site and build
the plant. If the tortoises want to move back closer to the plant after
construction, nothing would be done to stop them. [Orlando Sentinel,
October 21, 1992 - Bill Burnett]
Desperately seeking customers
Alligator trappers and ranchers are teaming up with state agriculture
officers to try and figure out how to increase demand for their products
and rescue their industry from the jaws of the recession. Hide prices
have gone down 60 percent in the past two years. Twelve farms in Florida went
out of business, and several more are in trouble, according to the
president of the Florida Alligator Farmers Association. Some have
resorted to feeding their stock with roadkills and livestock leftovers
they get free for the hauling. Alligators are the success story of the
Endangered Species Act. Once on the verge of extinction, careful
management and protection increased their numbers to the point where
they were removed from the list in 1987. Now they are considered
nuisance animals in many parts of Florida by the millions of human
residents, many of whom have only inhabited the state for a few years.
[Orlando Sentinel, October 24, 1992 - contributed by Bill Burnett]
Plus ca change
Regular newspaper readers may remember a "Dear Abby" column of a couple
years ago wherein Abigail Van Buren derided the concept of snakes as
pets. On December 22, 1992 the Chicago Tribune printed one of her
columns headlined "Man sheds tears for pet snake." The letter writer
told of how his poor pet snake died because he didn't know how to keep
it warm enough in a 75-degree apartment in Oakland, CA. Unlike before,
Ms. Van Buren was positively supportive of the letter writer's grief and
made no negative comments about reptiles as pets! Way to go, Abby.
March 1993
Quote of the month
"I voted for the Endangered Species Act, but I thought it was about
grizzly bears and bald eagles, not little fish and frogs." Member of
Congress quoted in the January, 1993 WaterShedd. [Contributed by Karen
Furnweger]
Ecotour benefits Mexican herpetology
If rustic beach camping and sea turtles appeals to you, contact Javier
Alvarado a researcher at the University of Michoacan, Apartado Postal
2-35, 5800 Morelia 2, Michoacan, Mexico, or fax 011-52-451-45291. He
can provide information on the Sea Turtle Recovery program volunteer
program which takes place from late October to mid-December every year.
Only about 50-60 volunteers can be accommodated every year, so contact
him soon if you are interested. [San Diego Union-Tribune, November 15,
1992, contributed by Dewey Ira Wallace, III]
Sea turtle update
Help Endangered Animals - Ridley Turtles (HEART) reports "Good news from
National marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), again! After being delayed by
Dan Quayle's special committee, Dr. William Fox and NMFS were able to
push through the long-awaited Turtle Excluder Device (TED) regulations
requiring TEDs on all offshore shrimping vessels all year long!"
[January 1993 HEART newsletter, contributed by Carole Allen] The Marine
Turtle Newsletter [1993, number 60] adds, "As of 1 December 1992, U.S.
commercial shrimp trawls over 25-feet in length are required to use TEDs
in all offshore waters. The NMFS also announced that as of January
1993, all inshore shrimpers will be required to use TEDs unless
outfitted with a single net with footrope length less than 44 feet and a
headrope length less than 35 feet. All other inshore shrimp boats will
be required to use TEDs year round no later than December 1994. Full
implementation of these regulations should virtually eliminate the
largest source of human-caused mortality to sea turtles in U.S.
waters... The use of TEDs in the U.S. shrimp fishery can reduce turtle
mortality by as much as 97 percent." All five species of sea turtles using
U.S. waters are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered
Species Act. [Contributed by Karen Furnweger]
Don't use "real hops"
Early American Life Magazine, more noted for uncomfortable looking
furniture in bare blue rooms, recently published a recipe for molasses
cookies named "Joe Froggers." The legend is that they were first made
by an elderly Black man who lived near a frog pond in Marblehead, MA.
The shape and plumpness of the cookies resemble frogs. The recipe: 2
3/4 c. flour; 3 t. baking powder; 1/4 t. baking soda; 1 t. each
powdered cloves and ginger; 1 T. cinnamon; 1/2 c. butter, softened; 1 c.
brown sugar; and 2/3 c. molasses. Sift all dry ingredients; cream
butter and sugar `til smooth, stir in molasses. Add dry mixture to
creamed ingredients; use your hands to make a smooth dough. Roll out
1/2 dough at a time to 1/3 inch thick. Cut out in large circles and
back at 375 degrees F until light brown. Rack cool and store covered.
Chilling dough may make it easier to work.
Las Vegas Tortoise News Roundup
Regular contributor Bob Pierson keeps this column updated on just about
everything happening in Nevada about the desert tortoise. This month,
he's contributed several articles and one highly disturbing piece of
propaganda against the tortoise projects. This last appears to me to
border on libel and slander and so will not be repeated here. Let it
suffice to say that some people will twist anything around to their own
advantage. It would probably not be out of line to say that the
distributors of this scurrilous document are as anti-tortoise and
anti-conservation as supporters of the Klu Klux Klan are anti-Black. It
should be a warning, however, to supporters of the Endangered Species
Act that there are some people out there who DO NOT WANT species saved
and are willing to say just about anything in an effort to influence
others to their point of view.
- The Las Vegas Review-Journal [January 5, 1993] reports that Clark
County may be violating a permit issued to that county to remove desert
tortoises from lots for development. The Environmental Defense Fund
sent a letter to Manuel Lujan, Bush's Secretary of the Department of the
Interior which claimed that lots were bulldozed and graded before
experts could determine if the lots had been surveyed and cleared of
tortoises. County officials counterclaimed that some of the lots were
graded before the Habitat Conservation Plan took effect in 1991. Clark
County's operations services coordinator, Terry Murphy said that the
county lacks an effective means of enforcing its law for grading
without a permit and added, "Fines are relatively inconsequential."
- The Clark County Commission refused to award a contract to the
non-profit Tortoise Group which has promoted responsible care of captive
tortoises in the community for 20 years. According to a January 20,
1993 article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the commission voted 4-3
to award the contract to Southern Nevada Environmental Consultants to
operate a holding facility near Arden. The facility now holds about 100
tortoises, most found in urban areas. The contract was worth $50,000 in
fiscal 1992. The Tortoise Group lost out because of the appearance of
conflict of interest since the group helped define the scope of the
project and is represented on the advisory committee and had seen the
competing proposal.
- Seven conservation groups filed suit in the U.S. District Court in San
Francisco accusing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of violating the
Endangered Species Act by not designating "critical habitat" for the
desert tortoise. Deborah Reames, an attorney for the Sierra Club said,
"While we don't want to be a thorn in the side of the new
administration, we must get their attention. The tortoise cannot wait
any longer." [Las Vegas Review-Journal, January 29, 1993]
Giant controversy surrounds garter snake
In 1971, the giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas) was listed by the
state of California as a threatened species. In 1991, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) nominated it for federal endangered status and
was supposed to make a final decision on or around December 27, 1992.
However, the deadline appears to have been extended to allow the public
and federal officials to review a report by G.R. Leidy of Pacific
Environmental Consultants. Leidy used to be a biologist with USFWS.
The study was was paid for by developers in the North Natomas basin of
Northern California who felt that the feds had done a poor job or
research, according to Gregory Thatch, an attorney for the developers.
He added that they have spent about a half-million dollars on consulting
and legal work regarding the snake so far and think that the state
protection is adequate. According to Leidy's report, the state listed
11 known active populations in 1971 in Northern California. He says
there are actually 127 distinct localities of occurrence. Peter
Sorenson, a federal wildlife biologist, said the report drew inaccurate
conclusions and had repeat sightings listed as separate sites. [The
Sacramento Bee, December 15, 1992, contributed by Bruce Hannem]
Peas release me!
A family in Hamilton, Ontario Canada had started to prepare dinner when
they found a frozen frog in a kilo bag (2.24 pounds) of Libby's Canada
Grade A peas. Agriculture Canada will be investigating the incident,
which is apparently the first report of this type of "contaminant" in
their nation. [The Hamilton Spectator, January 19, 1993, contributed by
Brian Bankowski]
Iguana be free
According to an article contributed by L.W. Reed from the Caymanian
Compass [January 6, 1993], the Cayman Islands National Trust plans to
release sterilized hybrid blue iguanas into the wild. The captive
breeding program began in 1990, unfortunately, one of the founding
iguanas was not a pure-bred blue iguana. Her hybrid offspring will be
sterilized by a veterinarian, have radio devices implanted and be
released in what is presumed to be ideal habitat. If all goes well with
the release of these "guinea pigs," pure bred blue iguanas will be
released.
Watch out for the jaws...
Visitors to Berryton, Kansas might want to look out for the
dinosaur-shaped mailbox noted in a recent AP-wirephoto, contributed by
Mark Witwer [Daily Local News, West Chester, PA, December 17, 1992].
Mark notes that the possibilities for herp shaped mail boxes are
"endless." I suppose so, if you're really into snakes... However, I'd
like to see mailboxes in the shape of the logo of the Mail "Service," a
snail.
Primate group decrys snake care
The International Primate Protection League recently published an appeal
from one of their members to write letters protesting conditions at the
Thonburi Snake Farm in Thailand [News, Volume 19, Number 3, December,
1992]. The description of the captive snakes read: "Even the basic
necessities were not provided, the animals had no fresh water, their
water bowls contained a thick layer of algae, the water itself was
filthy." The member said that the snakes were handled cruelly, the
"venomous snakes being milked so roughly that their mouths were
bleeding." People wishing to write letters are urged to contact "The
Director, Tourist Authority of Thailand, Rachdamnoen Nok Avenue,
Bangkok, Thailand," or "H.E. Chuan Leekpai, Prime Minister, Government
House, Nakorn Pathom Road, Bangkok, Thailand," and "The Director,
American Society of Travel Agents, 1101 King Street, Alexandria, VA
22314." [Contributed by Clover Krajicek]
Indian snakes and lizards in decline
According to a report presented to the 80th Indian Science Congress in
Goa by Dr. T.S.N. Murthy of the Zoological Survey of India, nearly
one-fourth of the 238 species of snakes once found on the subcontinent
have not been seen in the last decade. Also, a survey last year failed
to find a type of gliding lizard that was a common sight in south Indian
forests, and Murthy reported that even common varieties of pythons and
boas are decreasing in number. Snake skin hunting has not ceased; but
instead of legal exports, the skins are smuggled out of India by
tourists and gangs. [The Houma, LA Courier, January 7, 1993,
contributed by Ernie Liner]
"Extinct" lizard found
An amateur herpetologist 100 miles north of Adelaide, Australia picked
up a road-killed brown snake and found a pygmy blue tongue lizard in the
dead snake's gut. The lizard was last seen (by science) in 1959. A
pink tongued colony of the apparently misnamed blue tongue lizards were
found under grass tussocks nearby. [All dated December 28, 1992:
Moline, IL Dispatch - Mark Seaholm; Sacramento Bee - Bruce Hannem; and
Daily Herald - Lawrence Akins]
Why not to release non-native animals
Two 10-pound snapping turtles were captured on a boat ramp in
California's Castaic Lake by animal control officers. The turtles were
scheduled to be destroyed because they pose a threat to native species.
However, at the last minute, a part-time officer with the Florida Game
and Freshwater Fish Commission stepped in and offered to transport the
turtles to a Florida science museum. [The Sacramento Bee, December 30,
1992 and January 1, 1993, contributed by Bruce Hannem] The question of
released animals is one of the most poignant to me personally. I have a
problem with keeping animals in captivity, since in no case is it
possible to duplicate the animal's native food, home, or life. However,
captivity does protect an animal from predation. On the other hand,
animals in captivity often suffer from conditions and diseases not
usually found in nature. Some people think that it is a good idea to
release captive animals without giving any attention to the
appropriateness of their actions. It is not correct to release animals,
under any circumstances, without the advise and consent of a state
conservation agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A quick
thought about what happened to populations of local peoples in the
Americas after contact with European diseases should convince even the
most die-hard release-freak to behave in a cautious manner.
Few herpetological releases have "taken." Unfortunately, the
translocated species which do well are usually "supertramps" to begin
with: e.g. brown tree snakes on Guam, bullfrogs all over the U.S.,
snapping turtles anywhere, red-eared sliders in England and Korea, and
so forth. If you are tired of your pet animals, give them to another
herpetoculturist - DO NOT RELEASE THEM INTO THE WILD. You are not doing
the local animals a favor, you are not doing your pet a favor, you are
only massaging your conscience.
Would it be Vipera berus+?
Two scientists from the former U.S.S.R. have asked foreign colleagues to
examine Russian snake venom to see if it is radioactive. Andrey
Nedospasov of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Alexandr Cherkasov of
the Kurchatov Institute, both in Moscow, wrote a letter to Nature
containing their request. Bill Haast, director of the Miami
Serpentarium Labs in Punta Gorda, FL said he did not know of any
domestic or foreign drug company using Russian snake venom in medicine.
The Russians wrote that because of the incredible environmental
contamination caused by careless release of radioactivity during the
Communist regime that, "it is highly likely that the snake venom is
contaminated with radioactivity." They cite at least one case where a
consignment of Russian snake venom was impounded by customs officials
because of radioactivity. [Daily Herald, February 5, 1993, contributed
by Lawrence Akins]
Why do newts cross roads?
"Love" said Ned MacKay, a spokesman for Tilden Park in northern Berkeley,
CA. For the last four years, park officials have closed a short cut
through the park on rainy days to permit newts to cross from their
hibernacula to Wildcat Creek where they breed. An absence of rainy days
forced the newts to cross on sunny days this year, and after scraping up
200 plus corpses a day, the park has decided to close the road for the
whole winter breeding season. [Sacramento Bee, December 17, 1992 -
Bruce Hannem; Daily Herald, December 18, 1992 - Lawrence Akins]
How not to behave with reptiles
According to an article in the New Scientist [January 2, 1993], half of
all victims of crocodile attacks in Australia had been drinking. Also
only 18 deaths were recorded between 1981 and 1991 in that nation. Four
people were bitten after picking up snakes. In 1992, a man who had been
drinking tried to grab a brown snake from behind in the Murray River in
South Australia, and another man was bitten by the same species while he
played with it in a bar in Queensland. Contributed by Rick Reifnyder,
who wrote, "Reading this article immediately reminded me of your
comments in the CHS Bulletin regarding the unfortunate death by
constriction of the gentleman from Ontario. As you stated, alcohol and
reptiles do not mix! ... It is obvious from the [New Scientist] piece
that alcohol induced carelessness or bravado (stupidity) contributed to
a majority of the reptile related fatalities that have occurred in
Australia over the past ten years. It seems common sense that one
should not play with brown snakes while enjoying a few a t the local
pub. Likewise, it is probably no a good idea to take a coupe of six
packs out with you when baiting the local croc, but alcohol's reputation
for interfering with normal though processes is well known. Aquatic
pursuits of venomous snakes should be avoided at all costs! Venomous
snakes, crocodiles and large constrictors all should be treated with a
great deal of respect whether they are wild animals or "pets." We all
know at least one reptile "enthusiast" that likes to pull out the hot
stuff after having a few, but thankfully [this type of person] only
represents a small portion of the herpetocultural community. Respect
and responsibility should go hand-in-hand with maintaining any animal in
captivity, especially potentially dangerous ones."
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this column. In addition to those
noted above, I'd like to thank Mark Miller of the Herpetology Network
and Donal Boyer for clippings I was not able to use this month. If you
find a reptile or amphibian related clipping in your local paper, please
attach the publication and date bar from the top of the page, and your
name and address (firmly) to the clipping and mail to me. The lead time for
this column varies between 30 and 60 days, so please - be patient. You
will eventually see your contribution!
April 1993
Don't suggest this to Hillary, ok?
Due to aging hospitals, a ratio of one Western trained doctor
for every 3,100 people, a lack of antibiotics and other
medicines, impoverished Vietnamese are turning to traditional
cures for illness and injuries. It is a good business for the
self-styled "richest snake man of the north," Tran Nhu Ban.
He sells the snakes from which are produced various tonics and
"cures," including python fat for asthma and python bile for
burns. The picture with the article shows Mr. Ban as he
"clutches a squirming tangle of deadly banded Kraits at his
snake farm near Hanoi as a customer watches from a distance."
[The Houma, LA Times-Picayune, September 20, 1992, contributed
by Ernie Liner]
A new way to lick cane toads
According to an article in the travel section of the Chicago
Tribune (March 14, 1993), residents on Magnetic Island in
Queensland, Australia created a popular event, which may even
be broadcast on sports TV soon. They race cane toads. Native
to Hawaii, cane toads were taken to other spots around the
world in the mistaken believe that they liked to eat cane
beetles. Unfortunately, the beetles live on the top of the
stalks, and the toads live on the ground. However, the cane
toad adapted to Australia and multiplied massively. Most
Australians regard the toads as an ugly plague, like rabbits.
The toad races began as a fundraiser to buy the Island an
ambulance. Since Australians reported will bet on anything
that moves and charitable contributions are regarded as
atonement for sins, the toad race hopped off to a good start.
The folks on the Island now play host to up to 500 bettors for
weekly toad races. Half the proceeds go to charity, the other
half is paid out to winning bettors.
Reptile people in the news:
- CHS member Chuck Keating leads a 4-H herpetology class as
the Indiana National Guard Armory. He said, "One of the
reasons I got into [this] is because, when I was growing up,
there was no one to answer my questions." Selly Strauch, 11,
of Hebron has had her eastern box turtles for nearly a year
and plans to show them at the Porter County Fair this summer.
She said, that fair Judges "look at the turtles' color and see
if they're clean. We try to keep ours people-friendly.
People say turtles go slow, but they can go really fast."
[Vidette Messenger, Valparaiso, February 15, 1993, contributed
by Jack Schoenfelder]
- According to an article in the South Bend (IN) Tribune,
January 11, 1993, Rose Mather has had the same "dime store
turtle" for 34 years. She said, "I started out with the
traditional plastic turtle bowl, complete with palm tree,
bridge and pool of water. I tried all the different types of
food, flies, commercial turtle food, worms." The turtle now
eats Quaker oat flakes and lettuce. [contributed by Garrett
Kazmierski]
- Paul E. Steffen of Milford, does school presentations on
local Indiana animals. Some students are surprised to find
that there are 30 different species of snakes and 300
varieties of birds found in the Hoosier state. [South Bend
Tribune, February 9, 1993, contributed by Garrett Kazmierski]
- Jack Cover, the curator of rain forest exhibits at the
National Aquarium in Baltimore described the exhibit that
opened in March featuring venomous snakes from the rain
forests of Costa Rica. He said, "We think that it's important
we show people that venomous snakes can be beautiful. They
deserve respect. They are part of the ecosystem and have
their place in it." [The Baltimore Sun, February 18, 1993,
contributed by Mark T. Witwer]
- Stephen Busack, the Chief of the Morphology Section at the
National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Lab gave two lectures in
connection with a new exhibit at the Shedd Aquarium in March.
The exhibit, "Silent Witness," introduces visitors to the work
of the forensics lab that is used to provide evidence against
poachers, smugglers, importers, and other animal exploiters.
Busack is known to readers of this column from his efforts to
include the amateur community in his work. He seeks donations
of deceased herps to add to his reference collection at the
lab. An example of how sample material helps nab baddies is
that from donated material, Busack has been able to determine
the differences in monitor (Varanus) skins by the shape and
composition of a single scale. If you would like "Fido" or
"Slimy" to serve law enforcement after his/her demise, you can
contact Busack by writing: N.F.W.F.L., 1490 E. Main Street,
Ashland, OR 97520. He will pay
shipping and can provide a "tax letter" for your donation.
Prepaid anonymous donations are also accepted. [Thanks to
Karen Furnweger for the WaterShedd issues.] [2003 Note: Steve has moved on to other duties in FWS.]
Horse-sensitive?
Wyeth-Ayerst labs and Ophidian Pharmaceuticals have teamed up
to make a new antivenom by producing toxin antibodies in egg
yolks instead of horse serum. They expect that fewer protein
impurities will be passed to the patient, reducing side
effects and danger. They say that the final product is about
20 times more pure than horse serum, and it's cheaper, too.
[Daily Local News, Chester County, PA, February 20, 1993,
contributed by Mark Witwer]
Komodo redux
Keepers at the Cincinnati Zoo's reptile house searched out
Komodo dragon eggs laid in a burrow in their exhibit. They
measured and weighed the eggs, then sent them to the National
Zoo in Washington, D.C. for incubation. This is the second
time that Indonesian dragon have reproduced in the Western
Hemisphere. [The Plain Dealer, January 20, 1993, contributed
by Jim Zimmerman]
Olfactory cues for pond selection
Researchers from Harvard and the Queen's University of Belfast
have found that frogs learn the unique odor of algae and
rotting vegetation in their natal pond as embryos. In an
experiment, researchers dipped eggs into lemon or orange
extract and found that tadpoles preferred to swim in water
flavored with the same odor to which they were exposed as
embryos. Adult frogs persisted in the behavior. According to
one researcher, the frogs may feel "if it's good enough for me
to survive, then it's probably good enough for my offspring."
[DVM, February, 1993, contributed by Sue Black.]
Sea turtle in Kansas?
Researchers who use satellites to track ocean going sea
turtles were confused when their signals definitely pinpointed
one of the giant reptiles in Salina, Kansas! An on-the-ground
search for the turtle turned up just the transmitter in a
farmer's back yard. He had found the device while on vacation
in Texas and taken it home. [Destination Discovery, February
1993, contributed by P.L. Beltz]
Animals rights activists protested at Epcot Center
Known for cute rodents, Walt Disney World recently penned up
dozens of gopher tortoises and bulldozed their dens for
development. Some tortoises may be resettled elsewhere on
Disney's 30,000 acres, some may be given to the University of
Florida, and some may be euthanized. The trade off of all
this is that Disney is giving $20 million to buy and protect
the 8,500-acre Walker Ranch, 17 miles to the south in Osceola
County. In exchange, wildlife officials gave Disney the right
to wipe out up to 2,300 tortoises during the next 20 years.
Disney executives say they will donate the tortoises to the
University of Florida along with $700,000 to study upper
respiratory disease. Central Florida's largest environmental
groups gave the deal support in a new approach to making
amends for ecological damage by protecting large areas of land
instead of setting aside small parcels that can't sustain a
species. Holly Jensen, a Gainesville environmentalist and
animal-rights activist said, "Disney has made billions off the
commercialization of wildlife and nature. They have a moral
obligation to go beyond the letter of the law." [Orlando, FL
Sentinel, February 1, 1993, contributed by Bill Burnett]
Desert tortoise news
In a 5-1 vote, the Clark County commissioners approved
acquisition of grazing rights for the last 93,000 acres of
federal land to be included in a desert tortoise sanctuary
near Searchlight, NV. The grazing rights were obtained for
$400,000 from a willing seller. Cattle grazing and off road
driving will be prevented on the land. In a legal decision
the same day, a judge ruled that ranchers may continue to
graze federal land while their case is considered by higher
authorities in the U.S. Department of the Interior. [Las
Vegas Review-Journal, March 3, 1993, contributed by Bob
Pierson]
Correction: The Ontario Herpetological Society wrote, "We at
the OHS enjoy your column very much and it was interesting
seeing the article `Results of Python's Fatal Squeeze' in Vol.
27(12): 259-260, 1992. We would like a correction in that
Mr. Nevilles was not a member of the OHS. The incident was
unfortunate and the backlash from the event affects all
responsible owners of the OHS to some extent, no to mention
the Public Relations job the club is facing. Best Regards,
OHS Secretary."
Thanks to everyone who contributed this month and to people
who sent duplicates of items previously used including: Sue
Black, Jack Schoenfelder, Bill Burnett, Brian Bankowski, Rick
Reifsnyder, Michael Burger, Anonymous, and P.L. Beltz. A
special thanks to Bob Pierson for the desert tortoise adoption
booklet from the Tortoise Group. You, too, can
be a highly appreciated contributor. Merely send clippings
about herps with the publication name, date of publication,
and your name (firmly attached) to me.
May 1993
Salamander pond may be developed
A pond on a wooded hilltop along U.S. 44 in southwest St. Louis County
is about to be destroyed to build a skeet shooting range. "[The pond] has
been studied for many years because of the peculiar combination of
spotted, tiger and marbled salamanders. There's only one other spot in
the world where the three species occur together, and that's in Nova
Scotia," said Richard W. Coles, a Washington University professor and
director of the Tyson Research Center across the highway from the pond.
The Missouri Department of Conservation [MDOC] owns the pond and
surrounding woodland, calling the site "Forest 44 Wildlife area," which
might lead some to believe that the salamanders can be left to breed as
they have for several thousands of years. However, the MDOC plans to
build one of three skeet shooting areas directly on top of the pond.
Jerry Presley, director of the MDOC Conservation Department was
approached by the Director of the St. Louis Zoo, Charlie Hoessle, in an
attempt to save the pond. According to Hoessle, Presley responded that
it was too late to save the pond. Chris Phillips, a CHS member and
Washington University postdoc, led a team of volunteers to the pond in
late March to try to collect thousands of salamanders before the
bulldozers moved in. Nearly every MDOC official in the St. Louis area
turned out to help. Don Henson, a department engineer showed up and
promised to hold off work around the pond to allow a second collection
of salamanders. The department also dug a second pond about 100 yards
away from the first, where the collected eggs and salamanders were
deposited. Phillips suggested that the translocation effort may not
take because of pond fidelity. He said, "The adults imprint on their
home pond and will return, even if it's asphalt, and mill around. We
might as well take them out on Interstate 44 and put them in front of a
truck." [St. Louis Post Dispatch, March 28, 1993] It occurs to this
writer that if the MDOC can dig a new pond 300 feet (100 meters) away
from the old pond that the skeet range could just as easily be placed
300 feet from the pond instead of smack dab on top of it. Contributor
Ann Hirschfeld wrote: "[I'd like] a call to action for a letter writing
campaign against the so-called `handling' of this wetland. It's up in
the air how much time the salamanders have left. Send letters to:
Jerry J. Presley, Director of the Conservation Department, Missouri
Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102."
Get out your airmail stationary
Harry Andrews of the Madras Crocodile Bank sent in some clippings from
Indian newspapers and a request for our readers' help. Years ago, the
Bhitarkanika Sanctuary for wildlife was established on the eastern coast
of that subcontinent. It provides a haven for many creatures, and has
the second largest nesting population of Olive Ridley Turtles
(Lepidochelys olivacea) in the world. In 1991, 610,000 adult females
came ashore to nest in only one week. In the same year about 3.5
million hatchlings walked into the surf. Harry wrote: "The area is
crossed by a network of rivers and has extensive tracts of mangrove. It
has survived severe cyclones, and a huge increase in fishing activity.
[Before the plans for a fish landing jetty] the greatest conservation
problem is trawlers using plastic gill nets that can be 2 kilometers
long. Turtles drown after being caught in the nets, others are fatally
injured by propellers and some are clubbed to death by fishermen.
Hawksbill and Leatherback turtles also occur here and the 672 square
kilometer sanctuary is home to a large population of saltwater crocs,
king cobras, pythons, 3 species of water monitors, a huge heronry,
nesting whitebreasted sea-eagles, 6 species of kingfishers, and numerous
other animals." The fish landing jetty which may be built in 1.5 years
will anchor over 500 mechanized boats and provide landing for 50 metric
tonnes of fish every day. The Calcutta, India Telegraph [December 29,
1992] wrote, "Sources point out that this large scale fishing operation
is bound to disturb the ecological balance of the region. The
Bhitarkanika sanctuary has already suffered a lot due to the
ever-increasing human settlements in nearby villages." Harry asks that
we write ("preferably on formal headed paper") to "The Honourable
Minister, Ministry of the Environment, Paryavaram Bhavan, B Block D.G.O.
Complex, Lodi Road, New Delhi 110003, India" and to "The Chief Minister
of Orissa, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa, India" asking them to continue to
protect the Sanctuary and reconsider plans for the jetty. My own
suggestion would be to point out that ecotourism is a never-ending
resource and that fishing out 50 metric tonnes of fish every day cannot
last long.
Can't please everybody department
Perhaps this paragraph should be titled, "At least someone reads this
column..." I've received a letter complaining about my complaining
about Dr. Jared Diamond's piece on Komodo dragons some time ago. As my
editor, Mike Dloogatch told me, "You don't have to like everything." I
guess that holds true for my readers, too. However, since complaints
about this column are so rare (is anyone out there?), I thought you
might like to read one: "I suspect that because there is so much
sensationalism and hatred in popular writing about reptiles, and you are
sick of it (as am I) and are used to seeing it written by and for
reptilophobiacs, you have overreacted to the sensationalism in this
popular writing, where it was just meant to make a story about, well,
dry bones less dry to the general reader....I hope you find that my
writing to you about it is a friendlier act than writing direct to `The
Tympanum.' Ann Drummond, Editor, Gainesville Herp. Society."
Turtle Conference Announced
We received a flyer the other day, addressed to my husband, but since it
said "turtles," I opened it to discover the announcement of
"Conservation, Restoration, and Management of Tortoises and Turtles - An
International Conference." It will be held July 11-16, 1992 at the State
University of New York, Purchase, NY and is being sponsored by the
Turtle Recovery Program, Conference Coordinator, American Museum of
Natural History, 79th Street and Central Park West, New York, NY
10024-5192, FAX (212) 769-5031. People having events are reminded that
papers on my husband's desk routinely turn to shale before being read
and that if you'd like timely publicity, please address your fliers to
me. I made an exception in this case since I am the "turtle-person" in
the house.
Quote of the month
George B. Schaller, author of "The Last Panda," 291 pages, University of
Chicago Press, "I was trained as a biologist. Research is fun and it's
easy. But no scientist can afford just to study. There's a moral
obligation to do more for conservation. If you only study, you might
get to write a beautiful obituary but you're not helping to perpetuate
the species." [New York Times Book Review, March 28, 1993, contributed
by P.L. Beltz]
New Year's Iguana
L.W. Reed, D.V.M. sent a clipping from the Caymanian Compass [December
31, 1992] which tells about an iguana captured by firefighters in West
Bay. It turned out that the iguana was an "illegal alien," a green
iguana native to Central America, not a blue iguana native to the
Caymans.
Tortoises may get more home on their range
Biologists with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service want Paradise Canyon
and other areas near St. George, Utah included in a proposed desert
tortoise preserve. Robert Benton, a biologist with the agency, said
there was no need for development in areas favored by the tortoise and
that the county's growth can be accommodated by expansion into farm lands
along the Virgin River. The decision was a set back for a citizens
committee working on a plan to protect the tortoise but which would have
allowed development north of St. George. Their proposal was
unacceptable to FWS which noted that all high-quality habitat remaining
should be preserved. A St. George developer, estimated the value of
private land in Paradise Canyon at $100 million. [Las Vegas
Review-Journal/Sun, March 27, 1993, contributed by Bob Pierson]
New rattlesnake laws in Kansas
A clipping from the Lawrence Journal-World [February 17, 1993] sent by
Hobart Smith describes proposed changes to the list of game that can be
harvested in Kansas. If passed, the bill would add the prairie
rattlesnake and permit the sale of meat, rattles and other parts bagged
in rattlesnake roundups, one of which was held for the first time last
year in Sharon Spring in Wallace County. A second roundup is scheduled
for May and promoters hope to make it an annual event. Kansas Senate
Majority Leader Sheila Frahm said, "It's economic development for that
county and that area. There are 1,841 people in Wallace County...there
are more rattlesnakes than people in Wallace County and prairie
rattlesnakes are not an endangered species."
Of special note to newsletter editors
Mark Witwer of West Chester, PA sent me some copies from a League of
Florida Herp Societies newsletter about gopher tortoises and indigo
snakes. I would have loved to use them and I did add them to my four
drawer file cabinet of herp clippings - however, the clippings were not
sourced, nor were dates given. I'm not sure what the copyright laws say
about photocopies and reprints of articles, but I'm positive that
the newspapers would be happier if their names were included. Clipping
collectors like myself both want and need publication names and dates
for future reference. One of these days, I'd like to get my files
transferred to CD-ROM and then lots of herpetologists will have access
to the stories I've used in my various columns as well as those that I
couldn't do anything with, but that were still interesting.
Thanks to everyone who contributed this month! If you would like to
contribute to this column, please send clippings with the source, the
date, and your name firmly attached to me.
June 1993
Squirming panda gets worldwide coverage
An alert airport baggage handler at Miami International Air-
port noticed a five-foot stuffed toy panda kinda writhing on the
conveyor. It was yanked and cut open and found to contain 13
live reptiles wrapped in cloth sacks including two Indian star
tortoises, three monitor lizards, a yellow-foot tortoise, a red-
foot tortoise, three Nile monitor lizards, two hingeback turtles,
and an elongated tortoise. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
agent Charles Bepler said, "He got suspicious when this big,
stuffed panda bear started moving on its own. Smugglers will
try anything. They think this is the last place we'd look. They
figure we won't cut up a kid's stuffed bear." [All March 2 1,
1993: Sandusky, OH Register, Matt Meade; Chicago Tribune,
Ilene Sievert; Leesburg, VA Daily Commercial and Orlando,
FL Sentinel, Bill Burnett; and Boston Sunday Globe, Renee
Lea Hoyle]
Another state gets snake roundups
Steve Jensen of Swartz, Louisiana, sent a clipping from the
Monroe, LA, News-Star. He asks that people write or call the
writer and voice their opinion on Mr. David Barham's piece
titled "Rodeo Helps to Control Snake Growth," at P.O. Box
1502, Monroe, LA 71201, (318) 728-0416. Letters are -of
course - much more effective than phone calls. Barham
wrote, "It didn't take the story of Adam and Eve to make me
hate snakes," and continues to describe being "chased across
our lawn" by a snake. "It was a nasty black thing. The only
other thing I remember was my mother freaking out." He
proceeds to describe the Lake Providence Snake Rodeo which
kills all snakes equally. Priss Bryant, the organizer said,
"Most people think a good snake is a dead snake." Barham
adds that "there may be a few biology teachers with different
opinions, but I think most people would agree." Financial
prizes are offered for the most dead snakes, the most dead
11 poisonous" snakes, and the longest snake. Participants are
required to use shotguns to kill the snakes. You know, some-
body should point out to this guy that if he had been chased
across the lawn by an ethnic human and his mother freaked
out, he would be highly unlikely to recommend murder of the
innocent 25 years later as a valid response. On the other hand,
perhaps biology teachers should organize red-neck roundups
instead?
Vogueing with serpents
If you have an April Vogue magazine available, check out the
Norma Kamali story and photo session. One photo shows 12
boas and five humans (top models) kinda intertwined. [USA
Today, April 7, 1993. Bill Burnett also sent a page from the
April 1993 Gentlemen's Quarterly magazine which has a
yellow and white boa wrapped around a guy in leopard boxer
shorts. It's in ad for "Joe Boxer" which says "Available at
better department and specialty stores nationwide." Do they
mean the snake, the guy, or the shorts?
Missouri Department responds to letter
Ann Hirschfeld received the following reply from Jerry J.
Presley, Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation,
to her letter protesting the destruction of a salamander pond to
build a skeet-shooting range in the Forest 44 area (see
HerPET-POURRI, Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 28(5):l 10 and
also see the Tympanum, this issue):
"The concerns you expressed, as a result of the article in the Post-
Dispatch, are understandable. However as is true with most
news" articles, the entire story is difficult to convey when one is
working with printing deadlines and limited column space. Let me
try to bring you the rest of the story.
In our efforts to provide a balanced conservation program, difficult
choices must be made if we are to serve a wide variety of public
interests. In addition, the term "conservation" means different
things to different people. To us it means wise use. One of the
uses we try to accommodate is target-shooting, because we receive
special tax monies that are directed toward building range facilities. Shooting enthusiasts are a large segment of the outdoor loving people in our state, and they have historically supported
general conservation activities in addition to their own sport.
The shooting facility at Forest 44 received strong public support,
and our view is that it will receive heavy use when it becomes
operational, and be very popular.
As for the salamanders at Forest 44, 1 would like to offer a few
facts for your information:
- None of the species are endangered or threatened. They are common in Missouri.
- Finding
all three species breeding in one pond is unusual, but not unique.
We already have evidence that another pond in Forest 44 (which
will be retained) has all three species.
- We have worked
closely with local herpetologists, mostly from Washington University, to establish populations in 14 other shallow ponds in the area,
12 of which were constructed for that purpose, and 2 of which
were already established and already have populations of at least 2
of the species.
- Through the years, local herpetologists have
successfully moved populations of salamanders and other amphibians to other locations in the area, and they all agree that the overall
salamander populations will not be banned, whether we transfer
the eggs or not. In other words, the new ponds will be colonized
naturally, over time, as the habitat becomes suitable. Our current
efforts are simply intended to help speed up that colonizing process
as much as we can. We will do whatever habitat enhancement is
necessary to achieve that objective.
- In the long run, our
efforts to mitigate the loss of one pond will improve overall amphibian habitat at Forest 44 by ten-fold. We feel it is much more
significant to have broadly-dispersed healthy populations of all
three salamander species than it is to have all three simply represented in the same pond. That may be convenient for sampling
and collecting by people, but probably matters very little to salamanders.
In our overall plan at Forest 44, we tried to locate a shooting
facility where it would be the least disruptive to other uses. A
first, we thought this pond would not have to be disturbed. Unfortunately, our final engineering design showed that to be incorrect.
We had already begun to improve habitat on the area by building
the 12 shallow ponds. Fortunately, this allowed us another option
to help in handling an involved management situation in a more
timely and effective manner. I am pleased that our managers had
the foresight to anticipate the needs of animal species that not many
people even know about.
I trust that this rather detailed response is informative. We feel we
are doing our best for salamanders, not only to meet immediate
needs, but also (more importantly) for the long-term. Nature is
pretty resilient, and our native species of animals and plants usually respond very well to habitat changes when we provide the basic
means for them to do so. I think we have done that at Forest 44.
New approach to saving species
The Clinton administration proposes to adopt a new approach
to protecting threatened and endangered species that officials
hope will prevent bitter, protracted conflicts like the one that
erupted over the spotted owl and the logging of old growth
forests. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbit proposes to promote
regional conservation plans that would permit significant
development as long as developers set aside enough habitat to
guarantee the survival of all species that depend on that habitat. The first species to benefit from this program may be the
California gnatcatcher, a tiny songbird that lives in arid sage
and scrub along the Southern California coastline. The program is backed by environmental and real-estate groups and is
expected to protect an additional 40 to 50 species that are
candidates for extinction. The new program is known as
ecosystemwide planning and may pre-empt the battles and
eventual litigation that have occurred in the past. [Wall Street
Journal, March 26, 1993, contributed by P. L. Beltz] After
all these years of having an endangered species act, it is interesting to note just how far the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
has gotten with the process.
| January 31, 1993 - Endangered Species Technical Bulletin |
|---|
| Species | Endangered | Threatened | number with plans | percent with plans |
|---|
| Mammals | 56 | 9 | 33 | 50 |
| Birds | 73 | 13 | 67 | 77 |
| Reptiles | 16 | 18 | 26 | 76 |
| Amphibians | 6 | 5 | 8 | 72 |
| Fishes | 55 | 36 | 54 | 59 |
| Snails | 12 | 7 | 8 | 42 |
| Clams | 42 | 2 | 38 | 86 |
| Crustaceans | 9 | 2 | 5 | 45 |
| Insects | 15 | 9 | 13 | 54 |
| Arachnids | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Plants | 298 | 72 | 149 | 40 |
| TOTAL | 585 | 173 | 401 | 52 |
Before I read these figures, if anyone had asked, I would have
said that reptiles and amphibians (since they receive less funding than any other vertebrate groups) would probably not be as well done as mammals or birds. Surprisingly, with all the support given to mammal researchers, this class has the lowest percentage of species with recovery plans of any vertebrate group. [WaterShedd, April 1993, contributed by Karen Furnweger]
Snake man accused of cruelty
A witch doctor was arrested in London after draping two
pythons around his neck on a day when a wool scarf would
have been more appropriate. The witch doctor, known as
"Snakey Joe," denied causing suffering and cruelly mistreating
a royal python and an Indian python by unreasonably exposing
them in inclement weather. The prosecution was brought to
the English courts by the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals. Snakey Joe had an exotic snake dancing
act which was a hit in London clubs 20 years ago and is known
as a respected witch doctor in his native Ghana. The case was
adjourned for further deliberation and the doctor remanded on
unconditional bail. [A lovely piece from some English news-
paper, from around November, 1992, contributed by Kathy
Bricker. Does anybody know the end of this story?]
Thanks to everyone who contributed this month! Thanks also
to those readers who contributed articles previously used,
cartoons, postcards, etc., including Cynthia Johnson, Robert
Sprackland, Steve Spitzer, Harry Andrews, Bob Pierson, P. L.
Beltz, Eric Thiss, and Ernie Liner. To become a contributor,
send clippings with the date, name of publication, and your
name firmly attached (tape preferred to staples) to me.
Interesting letters are always appreciated.
July 1993
True story of "killer python"
This is one of those stories that was heard `round the world. And why
not? It has all the marks of a thriller, a dead body, an injured snake,
a locked room... The first clipping I received was from first time
contributor Gary R. Durkovitz [Amarillo Globe Daily News, May 18,
1993]: "(AP) A snake collector apparently was suffocated in his home by
his 200-pound pet python. William Bassett, 47, appeared to have
struggled with the 16-foot snake stabbing it several times with a knife
[Harahan, LA] Police Chief John Doyle said." Bassett's body was found on
Monday when he failed to show up for work, but it appeared he had died
on Saturday. He owned at least 11 other snakes, although Ebenezer, the
"200-pound python" was his favorite, according to Brian Mayeux, a member
of the Gulf Coast Herpetological Society. The snake was taken to the
Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter. Other May 18 papers carried the same
or similar stories "Python kills snake collector" The Houma, LA Courier,
and The Times-Picayune, contributed by Ernie Liner. By May 19, USA
Today had a "Killer Python" blurb, as did the Orlando Sentinel,
contributed by Bill Burnett.
The true story began to leak out on May 20 [Baton Rouge, LA
Advocate, contributed by Ernie Liner] when the Jefferson Parish
Coroner's Office said that Bassett died of cardiac arrest. There were
snake bites on Bassett's arm and knife wounds on the python, including
one that went through its open mouth and broke the outer skin. Bassett
apparently knew that it was illegal to keep the retic in the parish, but
refused to give him up, according to his secretary. Police believe that
Bassett was attacked by Ebenezer because the man had the scent of rabbit
on his skin. Ebenezer's wounds required 100 stitches and two hours of
veterinary attention.
The next day, The Times-Picayune had a story titled "Python becomes
a cause celebre." Apparently over 100 calls were received offering to
take the animal. Most of the callers urged the shelter not to destroy
Enabler who "apparently bit and wrapped himself around [his owner]
prompting the 47-year-old tree cutter to suffer a fatal heart attack."
Ernie Liner sent two other clippings with a note: "Dear Ellin,
wish I could lose weight as fast as this python... [He's dropped] from
200 pounds to 36 pounds [from May 21 to June 10]." Both articles are
dated June 10 [The Baton Rouge Advocate and the Houma, LA Courier] and
report that Ebenezer, and three of Bassett's other snakes, will be sent
to a licensed snake dealer in Mississippi as soon as the retic has
recovered from its wounds. The eight other snakes will be turned over
to Bassett's family since ownership thereof is not illegal in Jefferson
Parish.
Shedd foils turtlenapper
A shocking tale of six turtles was in the most recent edition of
WaterShedd [ June, 1993, contributed by Karen Furnweger]. Last
September, Mike Mulligan, the manager of the Fishes Department at
Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, received a phone call from a woman who claimed
she had a baby sea turtle from Florida and wanted to know how to take
care of it. Of course he told her that what she was doing was illegal
and in violation of the Endangered Species Act. The woman said she'd
keep the turtle, didn't leave her name, and hung up. The next day, a
man who identified himself as "Bob" called up about the same turtle
which he said he'd had for a few weeks. It had stopped eating and he
wanted to know what to feed it. Mulligan said, "I was firm in telling
him of the legal morass he was getting into by taking an endangered
species out of the wild and trying to raise it in his home, but the
individual was determined that he was going to take care of the turtle."
Dave Kirkby of the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Division of Law
Enforcement in Rosemont, IL was contacted by the Shedd to inform him of
the situation. The agent told Mulligan to try to get the turtle from
"Bob" any way that he could. When "Bob" called again, Mulligan
convinced him to bring in the turtle which was left with a security
guard before the Aquarium opened several days later. The loggerhead was
only a few weeks old, weak and dehydrated, and weighed less than an
ounce. Given proper care, it rallied and was soon thriving. In
January, the mystery man dropped off another turtle with the security
desk. This animal was in much worse shape. Staff veterinarian Marty
Greenwell said, "That little thing was just pitiful. In addition to
being weak and dehydrated, it had a shell deformity characteristic of
metabolic bone disease. That means the bone is soft, due to a chronic
[dietary] calcium deficiency." It took nearly 10 days of intensive care
before the turtle began eating on its own. By now, FWS was really
interested in meeting the mystery man with the turtles. In early April,
"Bob" called again. According to Mulligan, "Bob" said that "he hadn't
been quite honest with me in our previous conversation and that he had
four additional turtles." He claimed that he was going to drive them
back to Florida to let them go, and wanted to pick up the first two as
well. Arrangements were made, and Kirkby was notified.
"Bob" showed up and picked up the transport boxes which had been
prepared by Shedd staff, but was then blocked in by Kirkby. "Bob"
agreed to talk, and took Kirkby to his home where the four remaining
loggerheads were confiscated. They are at the Aquarium being held for
evidence and will eventually be set free on their native beach of
Venice, Florida.
"Bob" told authorities that he knew the turtles were endangered and
added "That's why I took them." He claimed that he would improve their
odds of survival by taking the animals into captivity. His husbandry
techniques, however, cost the Shedd about $500 per turtle according to
Curator of Fishes Roger Klocek, not counting the return trip to Florida
which will cost about $2,000. Regardless of cost, Klocek plans to give
the turtles the best of everything. He had harsh words for people who
"rescue" wildlife including baby see turtles and then expect zoological
institutions to fix their mistakes when the animals become sick, or too
much to care for.
If convicted of the Federal misdemeanor of possession of
endangered animals, "Bob" faces up to one year in prison and fines
of $20,000 or more. He may face additional penalties under the Federal
Lacey Act for transporting illegally obtained protected wildlife across
state lines. [An abbreviated version of this story was published in the
Orlando Sentinel, May 17, 1993, contributed by Bill Burnett] The
Rosemont office of FWS can be reached at 708-298-3250. Kirkby pointed
out that had "Bob" brought in all six turtles when he was first told to
do so by the Shedd that the case against him would have been much
weaker, and possibly no charges would have been brought against him.
Attitudes are changing
When I started with herpetology which wasn't really that long ago, few
of my friends and neighbors had much appreciation for herps. The news
media also had a thing against reptiles and usually ran what I call
"Ugh" stories about them. Here follows a few examples of a change in
attitudes:
- Bob Morris, Column World, Orlando Sentinel [May 14, 1993,
contributed by Bill Burnett]: "Confidential to the nice lady in the
white van on Howell Branch Road. I was the guy in the black Ford
Explorer who slammed on his brakes and skidded toward the curb trying to
miss that humongous soft-shell turtle the other day. It crawled out of
the right-of-way and I managed to dodge it, then turned on the flashers
hoping to alert the cars barreling up from behind. It was one of the
biggest soft-shells I've ever seen, the size of a manhole cover, with
its long neck and pointy snout poked out and aiming for a pond across
the road. The traffic was heavy and I thought for sure that turtle was
a goner. You were the next car along and I looked in the rear view
mirror, thinking, `Stop, stop please stop... I can't watch this...
don't run over the turtle!' But you stopped. I could tell that the
people in the cars behind us weren't happy with the holdup. A couple of
them honked. Others tried to weave their way around. I don't mind
admitting I would have been a little skittish picking up that turtle,
figuring it might flip around and grab me. But you didn't hesitate.
You reached down, grabbed it and carried it to the other side of the
road. And I just wanted to say `Way to go.' That was some turtle..."
- Dennis Ferraro, Douglas County Extension Service, Assistant for
Urban Pest Management [Omaha World-Herald, April 18, 1993, contributed
by Jeff Elting]: "This week's common pest problem - Garter snakes.
These cold-blooded animals are very common in urban gardens and
residential areas this time of year. They are attracted to warm
objects, which give them the heat they need for digestion and growth...
Garter snakes may frighten you, but they are actually harmless. They
feed on many insects and worms. Elimination of snakes in your yard is
almost impossible because they move in from surrounding areas. There
are no chemical sprays, poisons or fumigants registered for snake
control. While there are repellents on the market, most are ineffective
in deterring snakes... Remember that garter snakes are beneficial,
harmless to you and your pets and should not be killed. Snakes fear
humans and pets, and if left alone, they will make every attempt to
escape.
- Mark Di Vincenzo, Newport News Daily Press [Chicago
Tribune, June 17, 1993, contributed by Claus Sutor]: "Saving snakes -
someone's got to do it. Alan and Barbara Savitzky kneel on some high
ground in a swampy woods about two miles from the North Carolina line
[in Virginia]... The Savitzkys, both snake scientists, are studying
canebrake rattlesnakes, which live throughout the Southeast U.S. but
are endangered in Virginia... [They] concede that publicizing the
plight of the canebrake, a goal of the newly formed group of scientists
and game wardens called the Virginia Canebrake Rattlesnake Recovery
Team, probably won't generate too much sympathy for rattlers. After all
Virginia rattlesnakes - not canebrakes but their close cousins, timber
rattlesnakes - have killed five people since 1968, state Health
Department records show... Savitzky says people should care about
canebrakes because, like other snakes, they help control rodent
populations, and because, perhaps more important, the health of the
canebrake reflects the health of the forest."
On the other hand...
The Milwaukee Journal [June 16, 1993, contributed by Mike Zelenski]
wrote: "Did you know? Komodo dragons are among the largest
cold-blooded killers on land today. They kill by infectious slobber and
have been known to consume humans." Mike wrote a note on the clipping:
"A good example of how wording can create attitudes, even when it's not
strictly speaking, incorrect!"
TEDs now required on all shrimp boats
A letter received from Deborah Crouse, Director of the Species Recovery
Program, for the Center for Marine Conservation (CMC) reads: "Thanks to
help from thousands of sea turtle friends like yourself WE DID IT!!
After receiving some 15,000 cards and letters in support of expanded sea
turtle excluder device (TED) requirements, the National Marine
Fisheries Service filed final TED regulations December 1, 1992. These
regulations phase in the new TED requirements over a period of two
years, but as of January 1 of this year the majority of the shrimp trawl
vessels in southeastern U.S. waters, including inshore waters, are
required to use TEDs, year round! There is still much work to be done.
Without adequate enforcement these regulations will be ignored and the
victory will be only on paper. CMC plans to be there, watching the
agency's implementation of these regulations until we are convinced that
all shrimp vessels are using TEDs permanently. However, I did want to
say thank you all for your help, it was critical. We know that it
couldn't have happened without your letters. Without such a show of
public support for sea turtle conservation, it would have been very
tempting for the Administration to cave in to the industry's
objections."
But are they being used?
A report just in from H.E.A.R.T. in Texas includes a clipping from a
Louisiana paper by Bob Anderson which reads: "Numerous dead Kemp's
Ridley sea turtles, an endangered species, have washed ashore along a
20-mile stretch of the Louisiana coast. Fishery officials are puzzled
about the cause of the deaths of more than 70 sea turtles and why so
many had congregated in one area while alive... The first dead turtle
was found at Grand Isle... Necropsies are being performed to try to
determine the cause of death... the dead turtles all appear to have been
1 to 2 years old. The shells were all 9- to 11-inches long. An adult's
shell reaches 28 to 30 inches long." The folks at H.E.A.R.T. are
worried that Louisiana shrimpers are not complying with the TED laws and
ask how vigorously was the Coast Guard inspecting shrimp boats. Contact
H.E.A.R.T. for more information about these issues, their educational
video tape, hand made turtle fundraising items, and so on: P.O. Box
681231, Houston, TX 77268-1231.
More information about the turtle deaths was provided by the New
Orleans Times-Picayune [June 4, 1993]. Not only did dead turtles wash
up on Grand Isle, but so did over 300 tons of fish spilled in a
commercial fishing accident. None of the dead turtles were tagged, nor
were they considered to be part of this years headstart release
according to Charles Caillouet of the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration. The autopsies revealed the turtles' last
meals included crab, sea urchins, and various fish, but no shrimp. No
cause of death has been determined, but the head of the state Wildlife
and Fisheries sea turtle unit said that nothing could be ruled out at
present. [Also, Times-Picayune June 2 and 3, 1993; the Houma, LA
Courier, June 2 and 3, 1993: and the Baton Rouge, LA Advocate, June 3,
1993 - all contributed by Ernie Liner]
"Lost" sea turtle stories
A threatened loggerhead sea turtle, named Michelangelo by fans is one of
six sea turtles to be taken to Florida for release. They used to live
at the New England Aquarium. The move is being sponsored by Mirage
Studios, maker of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies. Way to go,
dudes! [Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN, April 1, 1993, contributed by
Bill Burnett] A Kemp's ridley sea turtle arrived in Dublin, Ireland
after a 5,000 mile swim from the Gulf of Mexico. He was found exhausted
on a beach in the southwestern part of the island in October and was
tagged by Texas researchers. Named Leonardo by his hosts at the Irish
national aquarium, he will be flown to Corpus Christi, TX by way of New
York. [February 1,, 1993: The Grand Junction, CO Daily Sentinel,
contributed by Larry Valentine; and The Houma, LA Courier, contributed
by Ernie Liner] A clipping received from Bill Burnett [Orlando FL
Sentinel, May 20, 1993] finishes the story: "Leonardo... has returned
to his native waters in excellent health, scientists said. The turtle
`swam bravely out to sea,' Tony Amos, an oceanographer with the
University of Texas Marine Science Institute, said shortly after
releasing the turtle from the [Port Aransas] island's south jetty."
Sea turtle program may be axed
If Florida legislators don't fund that state's Marine Turtle program,
the jobs of five turtle workers may be lost, as well as the ability to
monitor recovery plans, direct volunteers, and review coastal
construction and lighting. Unlike Florida's manatee program, the turtle
program was created without a recurring funding source. The manatee
program is funded by one-half millions dollars a year generated by
special license plates. The program costs $300,000 per year, and has
been left out of this years Department of Natural Resource budget due to
a snafu. [The Orlando Sentinel, March 8, 1993, contributed by Bill
Burnett]
Connecticut debates pet turtles
The General Assembly of Connecticut will vote on a bill to lift the
20-year ban on the sale of pet turtles in that state according to an
article in the Hartford Courant [May 2, 1993, contributed by Cynthia
Johnson]. Opposed by public health officials, animals rights activists
and environmentalists and supported by turtle fans and frustrated pets
sellers who argue that the risk of salmonella from domestic reptiles is
overstated. Environmentalists support continuing the ban since most of
the turtles sold in pet stores are wild caught.
No debate with these folks
Bryan Bird, editor of the Philadelphia Herp Society Newsletter wrote a
letter to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) "inquiring
their views of herpetology, captive husbandry, breeding animals
threatened by extinction, and the breeding of rodents for food." He
received a reply from Cristine Jackson, senior writer, and some
literature. According to Jackson's letter as quoted by Bird: "PETA
feels `there is no justification for captivity or captive breeding of
species threatened by extinction.' Their justification [is that]
`animal rights philosophy asks that you consider the rights of the
individual animal, not just the status of the species.' They point out
that they `do not object to respectful, noninvasive, on-site studies of
animals in their natural environments.' Lastly, they feel the use of
rodents as food is unethical. `By dropping a live mouse into a small
snake enclosure, one would condemn the mouse to imminent death; in the
wild, on the other hand, at least a mouse (or other animal) has a chance
for escape.'" Bryan concludes that based on the materials he was sent,
"they actively oppose zoos on similar reasoning." He wants to start a
dialog with herpetologists on the subject of animal rights. Write:
Bryan Bird, PHS Editor, 300 Carriage House Lane, Haddonfield, NJ 08033
to express your opinion. PETA's address is P.O. Box 42516, Washington,
DC 20015, fax (301) 770-8969.
To move or not to move
According to Joan Berish of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish
Commission several populations of gopher tortoise who died from exposure
to a bacterium named mycoplasma. The number that have died from the
bacteria is unknown, although veterinarians suspect it may be similar to
the organism which decimated the desert tortoise in the Southwest.
Moving the animals from place to place is believed to help spread the
bacteria. Berish said that tortoises are being moved by pet owners as
well as developers required to relocated tortoises prior to
construction. [Nature Conservancy, May/June 1993, contributed by Mark
Witwer]
Is we our brother's eater?
Tom Taylor sent an article from the Tempe edition of the Phoenix
Gazette [May 24, 1993] which details James Collins' studies on the
cannibalistic morph of the tiger salamander. Regular readers of
Newtline (elsewhere in this Bulletin) will recall that we had a program
about this recently. In brief, some larval tiger salamanders become
cannabalistic on other larval tiger salamanders, while some do not. A
cause, or causes, for this behavior is being studied. I just hope no
one tells PETA about this. Can you imagine the ethical dilemma caused
by some larvae eating their relatives? Perhaps we should try to teach
these salamanders to eat vegetarians...
Controversial road plan presented
There'll be no need to brake for snakes and other wildlife if a plan to
extend a road through the New Jersey Pinelands designed with the help of
CHS member Bob Zappalorti is approved by the Pinelands Commission. As
presented the plan includes 27 tunnels which would permit pine and corn
snakes to travel beneath it, and 84-inch culverts would permit deer and
other large animals passage. Some sections of the roadway would be
elevated 4 to 8 feet over the forest floor to accommodate the tunnels.
In the article from the Asbury Park Press [March 9, 1993, contributed by
Bruce Henderson, D.V.M.] Zappalorti is paraphrased implying that he is
opposed to the road project, but feels this design will prevent adverse
impact (good pun) on snakes. Opponents of the plan feel that the road
is unnecessary and will open areas of the Pinelands to further
development.
Thanks to all contributors and folks who sent interesting things
including Jack Schoenfelder, Sue Black, Robert Sliwinski, Eloise
Beltz-Decker, P.L. Beltz, Wayne Hill, and Rick Reifsnyder.
So many times I get clippings with notes that say something like,
"Just in case nobody else sent you this." 99 times out of 100, I've
never gotten that clipping from anybody else before. Also, I
acknowledge everybody (see the "killer python" story above. In general,
I receive few repeats. Just count up how many times I source more than
one person and you will realize that I rarely get the story from more
than one person, and even less often do I get the same clipping from the
same paper from more than one person. (All local, New York, and
California members should please consider this point.) Only one CHS
member, Claus Sutor, sends me stuff on a regular basis from the Chicago
papers; and no one regularly sends clippings from the Southtown
Economist or the Daily Herald even though an inner city dweller like
myself is unlikely to see either of those papers. What was most
surprising of all was that I was personally featured in an Associated
Press story which they told me was picked up in over 100 papers
nationwide in April. I have yet to receive one clipping of that story,
even though they said it was front page in several publications. I
ended up driving downstate and visiting several newspaper offices to
purchase back issues with the story!
I've said it before and I'm saying it again folks, this is a
reader-supported column, without contributors it will cease to
exist. The file folder is almost empty, so don't delay... Send
clippings with date and name of publication as well as your name (all
firmly attached) to me.
August 1993
Snake puts bite on long arm of law
A 10-inch long cottonmouth bit an Orange County, FL deputy sheriff on
the hand when he looked inside a bag on the front seat of a car.
Another deputy then killed the snake with a nightstick and transported
the bit-ee and the snake's corpse to Orlando Regional Medical Center
where it was determined that no venom had been injected by the snake.
The driver was to be charged with possession of a venomous snake without
a license which is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by 60 days in
jail and a $500 fine in addition to a citation for driving under the
influence. The driver claimed to have found the snake in the St.
John's River. [Orlando, FL Sentinel, April 1, 1993, contributed by Bill
Burnett]
An interesting fish tale
Jack Schoenfelder sent an article from the April, 1993 issue of Outdoor
Life which talks about using soft-plastic salamanders as bass bait:
"...what's so special about salamanders - real or plastic? While
prowling the shallows seeking spawning sites, do bass recognize and eat
salamanders, newts and young hellbenders or mudpuppies?... After all,
live salamanders and mud puppies have been favorite baits for both
largemouth and smallmouth bass in many parts of the country for years,
and certainly long before the soft-plastic versions appeared...
Amphibians eat fish eggs. Even if a bass isn't looking for a meal, it
may pick up a salamander...and carry it away from the spawning bed
simply to remove the threat. Then again, maybe the appeal of these
lures is simply superior action - the enticing combination of wiggling
legs and a fluttering tail." Does anybody out there have an opinion on
this?
Home alone, python style
At least 50 people called the humane society in Meadville, PA recently
offering to adopt a 3.5-foot python that was found under the
refrigerator in a home long after its owner had moved. Instead of
choosing between the callers, the society donated the python to a local
high school science teacher for educational purposes after being turned
down by three zoos. [Latrobe Bulletin, January 8, 1993, contributed by
Kathy Bricker]
Reelfoot turtle captures spark debate
Turtle catchers are reportedly taking so many turtles from Reelfoot
Lake, TN that state wildlife conservation officials have grown
concerned. The Memphis, TN Commercial Appeal [May 3, 1993] reported,
"[The collector] doesn't miss often, but the silver dollar size turtle
that had been sunning itself on sawgrass deftly scooted into the water a
split second before her dip net descended... Like scores of other
Reelfoot-area residents, [local people] supplement their incomes by
catching turtles for sale to the pet industry, for use in research
laboratories or for use as food." The paper reports that the Tennessee
Wildlife Resources Agency may subject Reelfoot Lake to the same
restrictions on turtle-harvesting as those imposed elsewhere in the
state. Three species, common snappers, midland smooth softshells, and
the eastern spiny softshell, can be taken statewide for resale as long
as the carapace is 9-inches or longer and the harvester has the proper
licenses and equipment. However, the counties encompassing Reelfoot
Lake were exempted from all rules, except for endangered, threatened, or
species "in need of management" and box turtles if taken by legal
methods. Small turtles are sold for up to 75 cents each, and turtle
catchers can take $35-40 per day in just these small reptiles.
Our tax dollars at work
Researchers at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ are
conducting advanced brain research to discover which portions
of the brain are responsible for human response to phobias. Researchers
use positron-emission tomography (PET) to produce a picture that
reflects the level of neurological activity in brain tissue. The
researchers sought
volunteers who were afraid of snakes, then put the person in the PET
machine, and suspend a 3-foot long python above the experimental subject
while they lay still. Each PET scan lasts 60 seconds and heart rate and
facial muscle movements are also measured. [The Arizona Republic, May
9, 1993, contributed by Tom Taylor] It is of course, a shame that the
researchers don't put the python in the PET scanner and suspend the
phobic humans above it to see how the python reacts.
Project snaps under pressure
Researchers in Kakadu National park in the Northern Territory of
Australia have had to stop their study of lead pollution following a
crocodile attack on a park ranger. It seems the researchers were trying
to remove an osteoderm, or small bony plate, from the back of the croc's
head, when the croc took exception to their ministrations and attacked
a ranger accompanying the scientists. The study was begun to see if the
crocs at Kakadu were accumulating excessive amounts of lead since they
eat birds and wild pigs that had been wounded or killed by hunters using
lead shot. Several dead crocs have been found to have large amounts of
lead in their gut. The final result might be found in the local
aborigines who eat crocodiles. [The New Scientist, May 15, 1993,
contributed by Rick Reifsnyder]
Value of one desert tortoise determined
A desert tortoise died during grading work at a subdivision in March.
The contractor had begun work before receiving a permit from the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service which would have done a survey to determine if
the reptiles were on the site or not. Representatives of the company
were charged in federal court and entered a plea agreement that resulted
in a $25,000 court fine and a $75,000 donation to the county. Their
attorney said that taking the plea was probably less costly than having
a jury trial. The $75,000 will go toward the county's desert tortoise
conservation fund. [The Las Vegas Review-Journal/Sun, June 5, 1993,
contributed by Bob Pierson]
The Swami does Snakes
Fellow readers of Chicago's New Age Magazine "The Monthly Aspectarian"
and other publications of its type in the U.S. may be familiar with the
work of Steve Bhaerman, also known as the Swami Beyondananda. In May,
1993, he "received a letter" which asked: "Was Eve really tempted by a
snake? If so, what implications does this have in our present
existence? Diane Gotuhevn, Zeeland, Michigan." The Swami replied: "I
wish I could give you a definitive answer on this, but the exact
circumstances of Eve's temptation is something that Biblical scholars
have been disagreeing about for centuries. Fortunately some Religious
Science practitioners recently conducted a scientific experiment to
determine once and for all the likelihood that Eve was actually tempted
by a snake. They took a group of 500 randomly-selected people from all
religions and all walks of life. In front of each person, they placed
two bowls. The first had honey-vanilla-walnut ice cream smothered in
rich dark chocolate fudge. The second had a snake. 99.8 percent of the group
found the ice cream more tempting. (The only one who actually chose the
snake was Bushman who mistook the fudge sundae for water buffalo
droppings.) From their collected data, the researchers drew three
possible conclusions:
- Eve was on a diet at the time.
- She had kinky tastes.
- The press agent for the Bible juiced up the story to
sell more Bibles.
As for the implications, I would say, `Beware of
snakes bearing gifts. Beware of salesmen bearing Bibles. Beware of
Bible salesmen bearing snakes. And be particularly wary of snakes
bearing hot fudge sundaes.'"
Smuggling reaches new depths
Workers at Miami International Airport discovered 312 drug-stuffed
boa constrictors after one inspector noted what he described as an
"unnatural" bulge in one of the larger specimens found in the 41 box
air cargo shipment. X-rays revealed two condoms, each containing about
four ounces of cocaine in each snake. DEA and Customs let the snakes
"go through" in hope of catching those responsible. An unidentified man
picked up the snakes, loaded the boxes into an enclosed delivery van and
drove to an apartment complex where he left the van which was kept under
surveillance for the rest of a day and a night. Finally, the agents got
a search warrant and found 202 dead boas and 110 survivors of heat which
had reached 95 degrees outside the van. The survivors were taken to
Miami Metrozoo, but soon died. Necropsy produced 80 pounds (36 kilos)
of cocaine from the corpses. No one has been arrrested or charged.
[Post-Tribune, July 3, 1993, contributed by Chuck Keating and Hamilton,
Ontario Spectator, July 9, 1993, contributed by Brian Bankowski]
Future not rosy for these snakes
The only species of boa constrictor native to Arizona may be in danger
of being hunted to death. The rosy boas can fetch up to $300 in
California pet stores and are reported to be "one of the most
sought-after animals for the pet trade," according to the Chief of
Research for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Since May,
researchers have fit tiny radio transmitters in some snakes, and others
with "electronic beads" to track them underground. The Department wants
to learn more about the habits of this animal before taking any action
towards legal protection. [The Arizona Republic, June 27, 1993,
contributed by Tom Taylor]
Illegal gator kills
Someone is killing alligators in a Terrebone Parish waterway, out of
season, and against the law. The owner of a swamp and marsh tour
company said she found three dead alligators with their tails cut off in
a canal in the Parish. She said, "People are out there killing ...
alligators for the tails. I think it's the frog hunters." She added
that the gators she found dead are not among those she regularly calls
and feeds from her tour boats. The tails are taken because they are the
best meat and can be hidden in an ice chest according to an enforcement
supervisor the the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. He
added that his agents are guarding the area day and night in an effort
to catch the perpetrators. Even though there is a 30-day open season on
gator in the state for those with the proper permits, the area where the
tours are held is off limits to alligator hunting year-round. [Houma,
LA Courier, June 27, 1993] An editorial in the same paper on June 29,
read in part: "These killings offend us not only because they are
illegal, but because they are immoral. These animals were slaughtered
for selfish, childish reasons by people who have little regard for other
living things. But this crime of nature carries another price. What
kind of image does it leave with the tourists on those boats? What will
they talk about when they return to their homes in other states or
countries? ... In that way, these actions hurt us all. Our marshes
and swamps are vast, and it would be naive to believe that patrols by
wildlife agents would stop every person who chooses to kill an animal
illegally. We hope people will assume that responsibility themselves,
that the killings will stop and that the parish's reputation as a
tourist spot won't suffer in the long run." [Both contributed by Ernie
Liner]
Toad may be listed as endangered
Researchers once considered the western or boreal toad so common in the
high country of Colorado that they were called "ubiquitous." However,
in the last decade, the state's only high-elevation toad has almost
disappeared. Biologists will present the findings of this apparent
decline to the State Wildlife Commission and ask that the toads be
listed as endangered. According to Cynthia Carey, a biology professor
at the University of Colorado at Boulder, the toads died from "red leg"
caused by a bacteria which attacked their circulatory system. They used
to be considered a very hardy species, forced to thrive in temperatures
which can shift 85 degrees Farenheit in a single summer day.
Environmental changes seem to be weakening the toads' immune systems,
making them more vulnerable to fatal diseases, said Carey. The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service has pledged the state Division of
Wildlife $15,000 a year for the next five years to reintroduce toads to
their old habitat. [The Grand Junction, CO Daily Sentinel,
July 4, 1993, contributed by Larry Valentine]
Stolen snake returned
An odd incident was reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer, July 8, 1993.
It seems as though two people stole a python from its cage in the back
of a pickup truck parked at a Kmart store while its owner was running an
errand. The theft was witnessed and reported to police. The suspects
returned it to the police three hours later because they thought it was
getting sick. Seems the snake got cold, and sluggish and they got (if
you'll pardon me the pun) cold feet about keeping it. [Contributed by
P.L. Beltz]
Is this the "killer bee" to come?
A judge is Osorio, Brazil in Rio Grande Do Sul Province lifted the ban
on breeding which had been imposed on a facility housing African Nile
crocodiles in May. The legal fight over crocodile sex in this small
town masks a serious environmental debate. Should a dangerous predatory
species from one continent be moved to an area where the habitat is just
what it likes at home? What started this all was efforts by local
entrepreneurs to start a climate-controlled crocodile farm. About 100
crocodiles were produced in the first commercial hatch of this species
in the Americas. Some ecologists fear a biological time bomb,
suggesting that the crocs will escape, and find suitable habitat in
South American waterways. If they did, the Nile crocs would be the
biggest, meanest crocodilian in those waters, and would probably be
expensive (if not impossible) to eradicate, according to experts. When
asked why the facility did not breed Melanosuchus niger, the indigenous
black caiman, the owners said that when they bought the Nile crocodiles,
they received a complete, off-the-shelf, technological package for
crocodile breeding that was developed over the last 30 years of
commercial breeding in Africa. Little is known about raising or keeping
the black caiman. [The New York Times, July 13, 1993]
Ancient amphibians sought
Want a glimpse of life 300 years ago? Want the thrill of discovering
soft-bodied fauna a short car trip from Chicago? You can join the ranks
of Mazon Creek collectors by writing a letter to Dr. Chris Ledvina,
Mazon Creek Project, N.E.I.U., 5500 N. St. Louis, Chicago, IL 60625 and
asking for a map and collectors permit. Don't forget to mention CHS
when you write. Only three sites in the world have been located which
preserve soft parts of plants and animals; Mazon's fossils have been
described as `unique, stupendous, and unbelievable.' The fossils are
found in concretions of iron and calcium rich rocks which look like
round, or oblong, red blobs - called "concretions." Unlike most fossils,
you just pick them up, but you still can't see them. The tricky part is
getting the concretions open. Beating on them with a hammer or chisel
will wreck the specimen. The preferred way is to put the concretions in
a bucket of water and put the bucket in the freezer. After a while,
take it out. Some of the concretions break along the plane of the
fossil after almost every freezing. Refreeze any that don't pop. I was
recently on a collecting trip sponsored by Ledvina and found it
fascinating. Plus, I've been told that filling your freezer is more
energy efficient that leaving it empty!
Thanks to this month's contributors! Ron Dykes, Terry Dedden, Ernie
Liner, Claus Sutor, Holly Collins, Mr. and Mrs. M.C. Zelenski, James W.
Hatfield, III, also sent in materials which I appreciated, but
had already used. You can contribute by sending clippings with date and
place of publication and your name (firmly attached) to me.
September 1993
Act now to save species
-
Americans are familiar with the smoke and mirrors act that passes
for cognitive thought in the U.S. Congress, however a recent article by
Representative Billy Tauzin (LA) in the Environment Policy Briefing Roll
Call [May 3, 1993] just about takes the cake. After citing why Turtle
Excluder Devices [TEDs] are ruining the lives of Louisiana shrimpers,
even, he claims leading to suicides among them, he urges the reader to
support his House Resolution #1490 "The Endangered Species Procedural
Reform Amendments of 1993." In a rebuttal in the May 13, 1993 issue of
the same journal, Deborah Crouse of the Center for Marine Conservation
states "Indeed, Mr. Tauzin seems to have forgotten that a 1990 report
of a National Academy of Sciences study panel, convened at the request
of TEDs opponents in Congress, determined that shrimp trawling `kills
more sea turtles than all other human activities combined' and estimated
the annual mortality due to shrimp trawling for Gulf and Atlantic waters
at 33,000 to 44,000 possibly even as high as 55,000 sea turtles. This
same Congressionally mandated panel found, however, that `shrimping can
be compatible with the conservation of sea turtles... especially with
the mandatory use of TEDs at most places at most times of the year.' She
also pointed out that "...last fall, when Mr. Tauzin obtained an
emergency waiver from TED requirements for Louisiana shrimpers due to
Hurricane Andrew, the majority of shrimpers checked by NMFS officers
continued to use their TEDs. Finally, we know of no documented suicides
that can be linked to TEDs. We believe Mr. Tauzin does his
constituents a disservice by continuing to focus his and their attention
on this non-issue, rather than addressing their real problems, such as
too many shrimpers, overcapitalization, and competition from cheaper
aquaculture shrimp." [Both articles contributed by Kathy Bricker]
- What we can do to help reauthorize a more sane Endangered
Species Act than the one proposed by Mr. Tauzin is to write our U.S.
Senators, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510 asking for their
cosponsorship and support of S 921, and our Representatives, U.S. House
of Reps., Washington, DC 20515, or call their offices 202-224-3121 and
ask them to cosponsor and support HR 2043. Both of these bills are
preferable to the other alternatives out there: 1.) don't reauthorize
the Endangered Species Act, or 2.) have Mr. Tauzin's law enacted with
its support of the rights of property owners over those of the
endangered species, among other anthropocentric clauses. If you live
in Illinois and don't know who your reps and senators are, call
312-939-INFO. Every phone call and letter counts. Please contribute a
few minutes of your time and a couple of 29 cent stamps to this valuable
cause today.
Is this a first for the U.S.?
A 15-year-old boy was apparently squeezed to death by "Sally," his
brother's pet python which he was snake sitting while his brother is in
jail. The python was kept loose in the house and was fed a rabbit every
month or so according to police authorities. Tom Boyer, a
veterinarian at the Deer Creek Animal Hospital in Littleton
said, "This obviously is a very tragic situation, but the family
made some basic mistakes that resulted in this death." Cited
were failure to comply with a local ordinance banning snakes
over 6-feet, failure to keep the animal caged and locked up,
and not having two people present to handle or feed a snake longer than
8 feet. Boyer said, "In case a snake wraps around you, you have
somebody there to uncoil it. You never want to let one of these snakes
coil around your head or chest, because they're massively strong."
Boyer added that snakes must be kept on a regular feeding schedule.
[Chicago Tribune, July 27, 1993 contributed by Ilene Sievert; all July
22, 1993 - AP online, contributed by Kathy Bricker; The New Orleans
Times-Picayune and The Baton Rouge Advocate, from Ernie Liner; The
Denver Rocky Mountain News, sent by Larry Valentine; Orlando Sentinel
and USA Today, contributed by Bill Burnett; The Akron Beacon, from Fred
Buettell; and the Boulder, CO Daily Camera, contributed by David
Chiszar]
Odd reptile snaps sought
CHS member Dr. Bernard Bechtel, is seeking photos of herps with aberrant
color or marking patterns for a new book planned for later this year or
early next year. He cannot guarantee publication of your pictures, but
if the editor chooses yours, you will receive a photo credit. Please
send color prints or color slides, carefully wrapped and braced to
prevent bending to: Bernard Bechtel, M.D., 208 East Brookwood Place,
Valdosta, GA 31602. Please be sure to write your name and address
gently on each photo or slide so that your images can be returned to
you and/or properly credited. Please, no two headed turtles or other
anatomical oddities.
McLizard leads to lawsuit
A Biloxi, MS woman who found half a lizard in her McDonalds chicken
fajitas is suing the local restaurant for a minimum of $30,000 plus
punitive damages and court costs. The owner of the restaurant is suing
the supplier who has denied responsibility. According to the complaint,
the lady received two chicken fajitas, a large drink, and fries. She
took out the meal and began to eat it at her job when the head and upper
part of a small lizard fell out of the sandwich. The complaint reads,
"the remainder of which [lizard] she had unwittingly, but indisputably,
devoured." The woman said, "The eyes and the mouth and the feet were
left. It had been fried." [The Seattle Times, August 15, 1993,
contributed by Lee W. Roof]
Chinese man eats mostly snakes
A Chinese farmer has reportedly subsisted on a diet of 10,000 live
snakes over the last 20 years. According to an edition of the Nanjing
Daily which was picked up by Reuters in early June, "When reporters got
to his home to interview him, they saw he was just eating a snake about
24-inches long. The snake's head was in his mouth, and its body was
twisting violently." [Arizona Republic, undated, contributed by John
Christianson; Memphis, TN Commercial Appeal, June 1, 1993, sent by Bill
Burnett]
Unbelievable tale from tabloid
According to a cover story from the July 13, 1993 Weekly World News
contributed by Bill Montgomery, a Chicago-based zoologist named Richard
Mears was killed and eaten by an 80-foot dinosaur. The photo reportedly
reproduced from a "dramatic videotape filmed by research team shows [the
victim] in the dinosaur's jaws, seconds before he was swallowed by the
giant creature. Surviving team members captured the creature the next
day." The animal in the photo appears to be a Cyclura - not a dinosaur.
At least the tabloid got the food item right side in this time. This
same paper once published a "photo" of a man was being eaten by a big
snake which showed the man's head still hanging out of the snake's
mouth!
Smuggler sentenced
Lucio Marcelo Coronel, 30, of Buenos Aires was sentenced to three
concurrent 15-month terms after he pleaded guilty to three counts of
smuggling endangered species and other protected wildlife. U.S. Customs
found 76 Tartaruga turtles, five Argentine boas, 107 Chaco
tortoises; 102 red-footed tortoises; 20 red tegus, and seven rainbow boas
inside his suitcase. Also found were more than 100 other animals not
listed as protected. Fish and Wildlife agent Charles Bepler said that
most of the animals arrived alive, but many died later although "we were
able to ship a good chunk of the animals back to Argentina, where they
were released in the wild." [Leesburg Daily Commercial, August 12 and
13, 1993, from Bill Burnett]
Sickos mutilate turtles
Teenaged skinheads are blamed by neighbors, one saying "This is total
sadism. There's a couple of sick kids running around... If you have no
respect for animal life, you have no respect for human life." The July
28, 1993 Stoney Creek News described the scene, "One [snapping turtle]
had a pitch fork still in its neck, to go along with gouged out eyes,
puncture holes on its back and belly, and severed toe nails. The other
was strung up by a wire, its eyes also gouged out." [Contributed by
Brian Bankowski]
Snake breeder drafted by Steelers
In what may be a National Football League first, snake breeder and
linebacker Chad Brown has signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers
after being drafted in the second round. Brown said, "I got my first
snake my freshman year. Pretty soon I had like 14. And I started
thinking, if I'm buying all these snakes for pets and my friends are
buying these snakes and all these other people are buying snakes, then
why shouldn't I be the one selling them." He and his partner have some
130 snakes of 30 species. "We can make $180,000 [this year], maybe
more. And once we have enough snakes at sexual maturity in three or
four years, we can make a lot more," added Brown. [USA Today, July 26,
1993, contributed by Bill Burnett]
Turtle Tales
- The Center for Marine Conservation and the Southeastern North
Carolina Waterman's Association are offering a reward of $2,000 for the
first person to provide information leading to the arrest and conviction
of anyone willfully killing sea turtles along North Carolina's
coastline. In the last week three mutilated sea turtles have stranded
along that state's shoreline. Eyewitness accounts state that one
leatherback had two flippers hacked off, one loggerhead was shot in the
head, and another turtle was chopped to pieces. Melvin Shepard, Jr.,
president of the Waterman's Association said, "This kind of behavior
gives commercial fishermen a bad reputation. True or not, the first
reaction of the public is to look to commercial fishermen." If you can
provide information, contact Deborah Crouse or Thomas Miller at
202-429-5609.
- After years of "lets watch the turtles lay eggs" walks on
eastern beaches, some naturalists are expressing concern that tourists
may be loving the turtles to death. "We were surprised to learn that no
one has done any work on whether this has an effect on the turtles,"
said Karen Bjorndal, director of the University of Florida's Archie Carr
Center for Sea Turtle Research. Florida officials say that some 12,000
people a year take part in official turtle walks, and many others watch
the egg-laying without the supervision of trained volunteer tour guides.
[The Leesburg, FL Daily Commercial, August 9, 1993, contributed by Bill
Burnett]
- Federal authorities are investigating the cause of death of 80
sea turtles that washed ashore in the Grand Isle area of Louisiana in
the last weeks of May and first weeks of June. More than 30 of the
turtles were Kemp's Ridleys. Experts feel it is unlikely that the
turtles drowned in shrimp nets or purse seines, since their stomachs are
not full of shrimp. Dissections have given no further clues to the
cause of death, however the dates of the washups coincide with the
opening of the shrimp season. [Houma, LA Courier, June 3, 1993,
contributed by Kathy Bricker]
- A 46-pound alligator snapping turtle was found and released
back into the murky waters of the Trinity River in Fort Worth, TX after
becoming the first of its species to be documented in Tarrant County.
[The Leesburg, FL Daily Commercial, July 18, 1993, contributed by Bill
Burnett; The Austin-American Statesman, July 15, 1993, from Bill
Montgomery]
- "Ducky," the injured sea turtle who was nursed back to health
after an accident which split his shell open was released at sea twice.
The first time, he hung around and was recognized by Ron Hardy, co-owner
of Gulf World where Ducky was rehabilitated. The second release took
place 3 miles out into the gulf over an old shipwreck. [Orlando
Sentinel, June 6, 1993, contributed by Bill Burnett]
- Two Kemp's ridley sea turtles were found suffering from
pneumonia in the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge last year. After
rehabilitation at the Aquarium of the Americas, they were released to
the wild in the Gulf of Mexico near Cocodrie, LA. [The Times-Picayune,
August 3, 1993, from Ernie Liner]
- A good Samaritan in Memphis bought a 101-pound alligator
snapping turtle for $89.89 from a fish market to save the reptile from
being butchered. He donated the snapper to the Memphis Zoo in the name
of his 15-month-old daughter Emily Chalmers. The zoo will most likely
release the turtle in the wild after studying it for a few days. [The
Memphis, TN Commercial, June 5, 1993, contributed by Bill Burnett]
- Two Cambodian men from Tacoma, WA were fined $5,000 each for
removing nine desert tortoises from the Mojave Desert to be eaten in a
wedding ceremony. The two were with four other Cambodian nationals when
their car was spotted driving slowly along the shoulder of a highway as
they looked for more tortoises. Three of the tortoises rescued by
police had painted marks on their shells indicating that they were part
of a study group of tortoises from a valley between Barstow and
Victoryville. [The Canton, OH Repository, July 22, 1993, contributed by
Fred Buettell]
- Officials said that a decline in the number of loggerhead sea
turtle nests on the Southeastern U.S. coast is not necessarily cause for
alarm. This year, nesting is down an average 43 percent in South Carolina and
from 30 percent to 50 percent on Georgia beaches. [USA Today, July 28, 1993, from
Bill Burnett]
Froglets from Bill Burnett
- Frog hunting in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee was
covered in the July 11, 1993 Commercial Appeal. In general, the article
was positive to frog-giggers who spear the amphibs with sharpened bamboo
poles from boats at night. Another side of the story came from the July
24 edition of the same paper... "A frog hunter tripped and impaled his
head on the pitchfork-like instrument he was using to spear the animals.
Jim Campbell, a 33-year-old lover of frog legs, was in fair condition
after two barbed prongs from the 6-foot-long gig were removed... As
Campbell was being prepared for surgery, a frog jumped out of his pouch
in the emergency room. `Here we had this frog hopping around in the ER,
and the doctors and techs hopping around after it," Dr. H. Stanley
Jenkins said. "It's the first time we've ever had a frog in the ER.'"
- According to a report from Reuters picked up by the Commercial
Appeal [July 19, 1993] a Maine entrepreneur has developed a vending
machine which sells worms, crayfish, small fish, and frogs.
- Far Rockaway Beach, a New York City community, is being
overrun by an invasion of thumb-sized green Fowler's toads. Rabbi
Shmuel Judowitz said, "You can't take a step without stepping on five or
six of them. At first I was afraid that they would come into the house,
because it reminded me of one of the 10 plagues of Egypt, but we were
told they couldn't jump up the steps. Robert Cook, a natural resources
management specialist from the U.S. Parks Service, said, "Sometimes
there are so many, it looks like the ground is moving." [June 24, 1993
The Leesburg Daily Commercial and USA Today]
Snake bits and bites
- A snake handler was bitten by a Celenese cobra during a tourist
show at the Everglades Alligator Farm. The handler put the animal back
in its cage after the bite and had workers rush him to the hospital.
Police ran a 250-mile relay to get antivenin from St. Cloud to
Homestead. Flying was out of the question due to stormy weather. This
is the 16th time Albert Kilian has been bitten. Of those, four were
cobra bites. The Alligator Farm announced plans to devenom the
remaining snakes at their facility. [Sun-Sentinel, July 27, 1993, from
Jerry Dotson; Leesburg Daily Commercial, July 28, 1993, sent by Bill
Burnett]
- Three amateur handlers were bitten by rattlesnakes at a western
Pennsylvania Rattlesnake Roundup. One man was treated and released
quickly, but two others were taken to the University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center where doctors scrambled to locate enough vials of
antivenin to treat them. [The Orlando Sentinel, July 27, 1993, from
Bill Burnett]
- A San Francisco judge was reprimanded by California's judicial
discipline agency for sending a rattlesnake head to an inmate who was
known to fear snakes. [The Memphis Commercial Appeal, June 22, 1993,
contributed by Bill Burnett]
- A Malabar, FL man was bitten on his left ankle by a coral
snake when he stepped out onto his darkened front porch. He killed the
3.5 foot reptile and called 911. Emergency room doctors determined
Downs had not received enough venom from the snake to require antivenin.
[The Orlando Sentinel, July 9, 1993, from Bill Burnett]
- A 43-year-old resident of Elkton, VA was in intensive care at
the local hospital for five rattlesnake bites including several on his
tongue and lip which occurred when he bit off the head of a three-foot
rattlesnake which he had seen while he was riding his bicycle near
Shenandoah National Park. [Chicago Tribune, August 1, 1993, contributed
by Roberta Schmitt and Claus Sutor]
- Readers of the New York Times responded to an article in the
Letters to the Editors section [Sunday August 22, 1993] by explaining
that the "Swept Yards" featured on the front page of the August 8 issue
were not cleaned and raked daily from a neatness compulsion, but rather
to determine if snakes were in or near the houses. Apparently a
tradition brought by West African slaves, it became customary in the old
South to surround a house with raked sand which was inspected for wavy
snake trails every morning. If a trail was found, the house was
searched for the serpent. Vegetable gardens were also surrounded with
swept sand for the same reason. [Contributed by P.L. Beltz]
- Several Milwaukee men who threatened to turn a pet snake into a
belt started a fight that resulted in a friend of the snake's owner
being shot in the leg. According to police, the incident began when a
man carrying a snake arrived at his job to provide security at a
rock concert. [Milwaukee Journal, July 27, 1993. Contributor Mike
Zelenski wrote "This could be a new movie... Boas `n' the Hoods!"]
- Fortunately 21 reptiles were rescued from a fire at the Racine,
WI Zoo Reptile Hut. Zookeepers, maintenance, and construction workers
broke windows and transferred the animals into crates. The fire started
when a zoo worker accidentally turned on a burner beneath a plastic cage
with a snake inside. Racine Fire Department Lt. John Hilmer said,
"Believe it or not the snake came out of the door," after the cage
melted and created a hole for the snake to escape. Damage was estimated
at $5,000. [Racine Journal-Times, July 24, 1993, contributed by Mike
Zelenski]
- An 11-foot Burmese Python missing in Springfield, MO was found
three or four houses down the street. He was apparently the only thing
taken during a residential burglary and it is surmised that he was
taken by person(s) angry at his owner. [News-Header, July 7, 1993, from
Mr. Laverne A. Copeland]
- The Toledo Zoo is directing the first reintroduction of 30
Virgin Islands Boas into the wild on a small atoll near the U.S.
territory as part of their "Species Survival Plan." Dr. Peter Tolson, a
zoo conservation biologist, said "I believe and a lot of other
conservationists believe these animals have a right to survive outside
the rights of man. This is our effort to undo some of the damage these
creatures have suffered at our hands." [The Dallas Morning News, July
28, 1993, contributed by Bill Montgomery]
- Hunter Tylo, who plays "Taylor" on the soap opera " The Bold
and the Beautiful," was awaiting the day when her pet boa constrictor
would give birth, but unfortunately the babies died and the snake is
fighting for her own life. Hunter said, "Pregnancy is a really tough
time for snakes. They become very susceptible to all sorts of sickness.
She's doing poorly, but I'm hoping she gets better." [Soap Opera
Magazine, August 10, 1993, contributed by Marcia Rybak]
Reader replies to Typanum
"Keep up the excellent work with the column - it's one of my favorite
Bulletin features. I couldn't agree less with Tom Keefer's opinion of
HerPet-Pourri (and cartoons, too) in the July Tympanum. Of course some
of these articles are abysmal garbage; that's precisely why we must
publicize them - as such. `Know your enemy' is a pretty fundamental
principle; taking the ostrich stance will not do us any good, however it
may soothe us in the short run. Seeing this stuff keeps my missionary
urge sharp. Happy herping! Mike Zelenski"
Thanks to this month's contributors and to Jack Schoenfelder, Bruce
Hannem, Jill Horwich, Bob Pierson and the great unknown "J.O.R." who
sent clippings for items previously used. You can become a contributor,
too. Merely send clippings with date and name of publication as well as
your name (firmly attached with tape or glue) to me. NEXT MONTH: Gator
tales.. what a croc!
October 1993
A few get caught ...
- Two New Smryna Beach, Florida, men were charged in mid-
August with illegally possessing turtle eggs and alligator skins
on the Merrill Island National Wildlife Refuge. The men had
been held over the weekend at the Brevard County jail, turned
over to federal authorities, appeared before a judge on charges
of possessing endangered species on a federal wildlife preserve, and were released on $25,000 bail apiece. Assistant
U.S. Attorney Randy Gold said the men had 200 gopher tortoise and sea turtle eggs when they were arrested. Alligator
skins and parts were found in the van of one of the suspects
who told investigators they planned to sell the items to a customer expected to arrive by boat. [Orlando, FL Sentinel,
August 17, 1993, contributed by Bill Burnett]
- Law-enforcement officials raided a secret distribution center
for baby turtles in the heart of New York City's Chinatown
and confiscated 2,612 red-eared sliders. Two unidentified men
were charged with cruelty to animals. Further charges may
come from the federal Food and Drug Administration. [Reading, PA Eagle, August 19, 1993, from Brett DePoister.
Cobra bite story continues
Tuned in reptile readers may remember the horrifying tale of
Drew Yeager, 34, of Haymarket, Virginia, who was bitten
between the left thumb and forefinger by a forest cobra at his
home. Doctors scrambled to get enough antivenin to save his
life, and had to go as far as Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, to get it. By the time Yeager was conscious and
breathing on his own, he'd taken 35 vials. [Orlando, FL Sentinel, August 21, 1993, from Bill Burnett] The story doesn't
end here, however since the law in Prince William County
prevents possession of poisonous reptiles. County officials
planned to seize and destroy the other 41 venomous snakes
found in Yeager's home. The County animal control warden
planned to kill the reptiles by putting them, cages and all, into
a refrigerator truck and freezing diem. Officials raised concerns about the dangers of seizing the snakes after the first bite
had depleted the region's supply of antivenin. [Washington
Post, August 25, 1993, from Kathy Bricker]
Next it is reported that Yeager had moved the 43 venomous snakes (note
change in quantity) to a rented warehouse in Stafford County
which has no law banning possession. Yeager said that a
friend of his will look after his vipers, rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cobras until his is better. His other 12 snakes, of
the nonvenomous kind, will remain in his home. Yeager said
that he had been bitten many times before this incident which
occurred as he was helping his eight-foot forest cobra to shed
its skin in the bathtub at 1:00 A.M. The snake turned and bit
him and he said he knew he was in trouble. He put the snake
back in its cage, put his hand in a bucket of ice, and called 911
before getting his two vials of antivenin and waiting for the
ambulance. He said this was the worst bite he had ever received. He also said that his most prized animal is a 12-foot
king cobra for which he paid $500 to the wife of a friend who
was killed by its bite. [Richmond, VA Times Dispatch, August 28, 1993, from Mr. Laverne Copeland]
Next a second
man was bitten in Prince William County on August 31! The
41-year-old victim, William Blakeslee, was bitten by his pet
cobra which was destroyed by authorities immediately.
Blakeslee's life was saved after 28 vials of antivenin were
flown to the hospital from the Bronx Zoo. Meanwhile,
Stafford County authorities were trying to find out just where
in their area Yeager had taken his 41 or 43 venomous snakes.
They said they want to be sure the snakes are being kept safely
and under humane conditions. Stafford officials are considering adopting an emergency ban on the ownership of wild and
exotic animals. [Richmond, VA Times Dispatch, August 31,
1993, from Laverne Copeland]
Meanwhile, the same paper
[August 21, 1993] ran a feature piece about the first Richmond
All Captive Bred Herpetological Exhibition and Trade Show
put on by the Herpetoculture Society and Tony Dongarra who
said that the reptiles in the show were bred all over the world.
Another bite story
A 35-year-old Tucson, Arizona, man was bitten by a 10-inch
puff adder. Antivenin specific to the adder was flown in from
a Dallas zoo for his treatment. Although he remained conscious, he may lose a finger, and has already lost 38 snakes
including the puff adder, 19 diamondback rattlesnakes, 16
Mojave rattlers, a saw-scaled viper and a Scolecophis snake in
addition to 52 Colorado River toads. An Arizona Game and
Fish Department spokesman was uncertain if charges might be
filed against the man, although the investigation is continuing.
The victim owns and auto paint and body shop describes him self as an "amateur herpetologist" who keeps and breeds
snakes (mostly venomous) as a hobby. He said he had never
been bitten by a venomous snake before and that he had bought
the puff adder at a swap meet. [Mesa, AZ Tribune, September
19, 1993, from Tom Taylor]
Lizard Land
Hours after Lancaster, Pennsylvania, police shot and killed
one fugitive buffalo and tranquilized another, the quiet community was shocked by the discovery of a 2-foot lizard in
Virginia Bare's bathtub in a nearby suburb. Police said
they're convinced the creature emerged through the tub's
drain. [Reading, PA Eagle, August 23, 1993] Contributor
Brett DePoister wrote: "[This] shows how smart people are
today. It would be impossible for a 2-foot (unless it is very
sick and thin) Iguana to come through a hole with the diameter
of a golf bail. When my Iguana was only 10 inches long, he
was in the bathtub for an hour once a week, and would not be
able to go through the drain."
A new book, 0 Ye Legendary Texas Horned Frog! (Yellow
Rose Press; $10.95), by June Rayfield Welch, a professor of
history at the University of Dallas, describes the natural history and personal history of Texas' homed "toads." Both fact
and folktales are featured, including a story about how some
Laredo companies went too far -producing souvenir jewelry
by putting baby horned lizards into a substance to form a
mold, burning the lizards to ashes, and then pouring metal into
the mold to make the finished product. This is now illegal
under Texas law. A group called the Horned Lizard Conservation Society has been founded in Austin. They plan to
study, relocate and even breed the lizards in the hopes of
restoring them to the Texas rangelands from which they've
pretty much vanished in the last 25 years. [Orlando, FL
Sentinel, August 22, 1993, from Bill Burnett]
Letters to the editor in the Wall Street Journal [August 17,
1993, from P. L. Beltz] mention writers' experiences with
homed toads. One read: "Recently I took my new stepchildren back to my roots in Abilene .... When we arrived, I
told them that it would take me only seconds to find one.
After over an hour of fruitless searching, I gave up and asked
neighbors why there were none. They told me what they have
known locally for several years - that when the imported fire
ant arrived in Abilene it all but wiped out the horned lizard
population .... Patrick Batts" Another read: "Your reported
obviously never kept a horned toad as a pet. He never held
one in his hand and rubbed its tummy till it fell asleep. He
never tied a string around its neck and took it for a walk. He
surely never braved the perils of a red ant bed to capture food
for that wonderful creature. He never let one go at the end of
the day wondering how many hours he'd have to look to find it
again when the urge to walk a horny toad reappeared. Those
of us who have do miss diem. For years we've wondered
where they went. I hope those who take the time to care find a
way to bring them back. Sheri Russell"
Protection sought for tortoise
The U.S. Interior Department proposed protecting 6.2 million
acres of mostly federal land in California, Nevada and Utah as
habitat for the threatened desert tortoise. If the proposal is
finalized, activities deemed harmful to the habitat could be
prohibited. The action stems from the settlement this week of
two federal lawsuits filed by environmental groups to force the
government to protect the tortoises from extinction. Hearings
will be held during October in Riverside, Las Vegas, and St.
George, Utah, before the proposal will become final. [Marin,
CA Independent Journal, August 28, 1993, from first time
contributor Malina S. Carlson. Hope your broken arm heals
ok!]
Unemployment up by one
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources eliminated the job of
the state's only full-time herpetologist. Dave Ross had just
completed a report indicating the Wasatch Front population of
spotted frogs is fragmented and well on its way to extinction.
Ross said he doesn't know if his dismissal was related to his
conclusions on this project, and on a desert tortoise study he
had done for the Division. "I was told I was being fired due to
politics and budget cuts, rather than job performance," he
said, "I got the feeling politics played a main role." Bob
Williams, state director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
in Utah, called Ross' firing "really unfortunate." He said,
"We rely so much on DWR biologists to give us on-the-ground
decisions on herp animals, and without that resource it will be
more difficult to make good decisions. It would appear they
[DWRI don't have much concern for snakes or frogs or other
herps that don't bring in the money." Game species including
fish, deer and elk bring license revenues to the state. [Las
Vegas Review Journal, July 18, 1993, from Bob Pierson]
Wanted: A Wied Piper
The Health Department of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is trying to catch at least 200 white, domestic rats they believe were released in a residential neighborhood by a pet wholesaler who was arrested on animal abuse charges. A resident said, "The other day, I saw a bunch sitting in the yard, but they look like pets. They look more cute than anything." Officials put out poison and collected dozens of rats the next day. [Racine Journal-Times, September 4, 1993, from Mike Zelenski.]
Chinese who worship snakes
An article by Chen Weigang, in China and World Cultural Exchange [No. 3, 1993, from P. L. Beltz], describes snake worship by one of China's cultural minorities, the Dong. Living
in the Zhuang Autonomous Region, one of the remotest places
on earth, the group "formed its own notions own nature over the
centuries. The Dong ancestors worshiped snakes, a tradition
that has not entirely died out today. In the traditional concept
of the Dong people, snakes are not ordinary reptiles but supernatural beings .... It is taboo for the Dong people to catch
and eat snakes since snake gods protect them and give them
good harvests. If someone happens to break the taboo, he has
to burn joss sticks and offer wine to the snake gods to beg forgiveness; otherwise his family members might contract strange
diseases or his domestic animals might die. If people see
someone killing a snake (to get its gall bladder for medicine or
its skin for musical instruments), they immediately have to
take off their hats and belts and run away as fast as they can to
avoid witnessing such a terrible deed. Snake holes on family
tombs are a bad sign for the family, who must repair the tomb
at once to escape misfortune. In dry summers Dong villagers
make snakes with straw and rattan and take them out into the
fields to do a 'snake dance,' imitating a snake crawling, looking for food, lifting its head, coiling and swaying its body.
This shows their respect toward the snake gods and is a means
of begging for rain and good harvests. On the ninth day of the
ninth lunar month, all Dong families make glutinous rice cakes
called 'snake cakes,' and offer them to the snake gods before
eating them themselves .... Since 1949 when the People's
Republic of China was founded, economic and social changes
have caused a decline in the tradition of snake worship and
eradicated many snake taboos. However, the tradition still
lives on in certain remote areas." "Bad luck" from snakes
includes loss of harvest and strange diseases. Perhaps snakes'
"good luck" primarily consists of eating rodents!
Realtor Tales
Lois E. Geer of Century 21-Big State Real Estate in Lubbock,
Texas, sent a letter to the September issue of Real Estate
Today [September, 1993] which read: "A couple came into
my office to pre-qualify for a home purchase. While trying to
determine their house needs, I asked whether they kept any
pets. 'Yes,' the wife replied. 'We have two boas and one
python.' I was at a loss for words. Her husband added, 'They
make wonderful pets. You don't have to exercise them, they
don't mess up the house, and they're marvelous house guards.'
'Really?' I managed to say. 'Our house has been broken into
twice,' he explained. 'We came home and found the front
door wide open on both occasions, The intruders must have left in a big hurry, because nothing was ever taken."' [Sorry
to not be able to source this great piece, but the sender didn't
write their name on it, and I didn't catch that when I took it
out of the envelope,]
Croc-tails
The American Crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, is undergoing a
baby boom at the Turkey Point nuclear power plant belonging
to the Florida Power and Light Company. Last year was a
record year with 12 nests and 155 hatchlings found, but this
year will be better, with nine nests and 153 hatchlings discovered less than a month into hatching time. FPL apparently
created ideal croc nesting sites when they excavated the salt
water cooling pond for the plant. Researchers collect the
hatchlings and transfer them by airboat in the waterways south
of the plant. [Orlando, FL Sentinel, July 20, 1993, and August 15, 1993; Leesburg, FL Daily Commercial July 18, 1993,
from Bill Burnett; Chicago Tribune, September 5, 1993, from
Debi Hatchett and Claus Sutor; and the Palm Beach County,
FL Sun-Sentinel, July 29, 1993, from Jerry Dotson]
Gator bites and bite reactions
A rescuer called a 10-year-old boy who survived an alligator
attack, "The bravest little kid I ever met." The victim and
three playmates saw an 8-foot gator while swimming in a
canal, got out and threw rocks to scare the gator away and
went back in. Next, the alligator bit the child on the arm and
began to jerked him around. The boy escaped with a compound fracture and bone-deep tears in his left arm. [Orlando,
FL Sentinel, August 8, 1993, from Bill Burnett]
A Fort Lauderdale man could face a fine of up to $500 and a
60-day jail term for keeping a 6-foot alligator and a 4-foot
caiman in a concrete fish pond behind his house. He was cited
by wildlife officials for lack of a permit after his pet alligator
escaped and caused an uproar in the neighborhood. Wildlife
officials said both animals would probably be destroyed.
[Leesburg, FL, Daily Commercial, July 16, 1993, from Bill
Burnett]
The 30-acre St. Augustine Alligator Farm is celebrating its
100di anniversary as Florida's oldest continuously operating
attraction. The farm has 2,700 alligators and crocodiles,
including "the world's largest crocodile," 17.5 feet long and
1,700 pounds. [Chicago Tribune Travel Section, August 22,
1993, from Eloise Beltz-Deckerl
Orlando residents have written their paper, the Sentinel, about
the unfortunate death of a 10-year-old who was attacked by an
alligator on a canoe trip earlier this year. One letter read:
"Although this is a tremendous tragedy for the family and
friends of this young boy, it is also a tragedy for the noble
alligator. This alligator had obviously mastered survival of the
fittest, being 11.5 feet long and 400 pounds and living many
decades in the wild. Unfortunately, he was in the wrong place
at the wrong time when Bradley meandered off-course into the
river. This gator acted out of instinct. After all, humans were
the ones invading his home and possibly his nest. I pity mankind for killing this innocent and beautiful gift from God.
what right do we have? Besides, why kill an animal that was
acting on instinct, and not kill humans who murder for no
reason? This is not moral and not ethically correct. Celeste
Brotherson" Another read: "Listening to comments on the
radio and television the day the boy was killed ... I was appalled. One man even said they should have killed the parents
instead of the gator because they had the child in the water.
More comments were for the gator than for the child. When
did gators become more important than children? When did
the lakes and rivers become the alligators' and not the children's? The parents and the children were not in the wrong
place; the alligator was in the wrong place. I believe gators
should be in zoos or only remote locations and people should
reclaim their rights to our land. Who cares if the gators become extinct? These little children are gone forever. Beverly
C. Pyles" [June 30, 1993] The debate continued, week after
week. Other letters supported the alligators. One read: "I am
constantly amazed at the blithe ignorance of Florida natural
history exhibited by so many who sally forth into Florida's
wild places. Many are newcomers to our state and most haven't invested a modicum of time learning 'what's out there.'
... [I have] a great respect for the capabilities of Florida's
flora and fauna - a respect that is manifested as alertness and
caution while in nature's house. Douglas H. Sphar"
People in Florida are more likely to die from an insect sting or
bit than from an alligator attack according to state records.
Four Floridians died of insect stings in 1992. Three people
died from animal bites -all from dogs. [Orlando, FL Sentinel, June 26, 1993, from Bill Burnett] In addition, more foreign tourists are shot and killed in South Florida than people
are killed by alligators in the whole state, too.
Holiday gift idea
The Marine Manunal Stranding Center in Brigantine, New
Jersey, rehabilitates injured sea life (including turtles) as well
as picking up and reporting strandings along a section of New
Jersey coast better known for gambling palaces and the fading
Boardwalk. Their most recent newsletter contains an appeal
for help: "We do not know why we are suddenly seeing so
many more animals stranding than in the past. We do know
that more animals mean more costs for transportation, food,
medicine, lab tests, and pool maintenance. We need your
help .... The MMSC relies solely on memberships donations
and gift sales for operating funds." Individual membership is
$15. Donations of any size would, of course, be welcome.
Their address is P.O. Box 773, 3625 Brigantine Boulevard,
Brigantine, NJ 08203. The facility is open to the public, so
don't forget to visit if you go to Atlantic City.
Thanks to everyone who contributed this month, and to Claus
Sutor, Debi Hatchett (a.k.a. "Newt"), Tom Keefer, Ernie
Liner, David Hardy, Mark Witwer, Holly Carter, Larry Valentine, and Brian Bankowski for the clippings, notes, and
letters they sent. You, too can become a contributor. Send
clippings with the publication name and date slug firmly attached (tape preferred) as well as your name clearly written on
each clipping to me. Extra special thanks to folks like Bill
Burnett, who clip everything they see, persuade their family to
do likewise, photocopy everything so it all fits on one page,
and send cute envelopes, notes, etc. along with it. Give yourself a big squeeze for me, Bill!
November 1993
Lost and found
- Winnipeg, Canada is not exactly what one might consider prime
snake habitat, but animal-control workers say they're being plagued by
loose and exotic snakes. Over 20 calls have been received this year. A
homeowner found a snake sloshing around in the toilet. A woman in a new
apartment found a boa constrictor. A four-foot python was sunbathing by
the local river. Officials opened a home for orphaned snakes and
suspended its exotic animals control bylaw for two weeks in the hopes
people would turn in illegal reptiles without facing $1,000 per diem
fines. They now have a couple of big Burmese, a boa constrictor and a
royal python. [The Spectator, September 15, 1993, from Brian Bankowski]
- Singapore's former discus and shot put champion Fok Keng Choy
sustained injuries in a freak accident earlier this year. He must also
have had some trouble explaining it to the authorities. Seems Mr. Choy
was sitting on the toilet when he was bitten on the testicles by a
python which he had failed to notice when he sat down [Malaysian New
Straits Times, picked up by The New Scientist, August 21, 1993, sent by
rick Reifsnyder]
- A 24-year-old Washington, PA woman found a 30-inch
"green-spotted python" in her toilet. The Owensboro, PA Messenger
Inquirer reports [September 20, 1993, from Bryan Elwood] that the lady
thought the bright colors in the toilet bowl were from a necktie, or
scarf that had fallen in. A police officer fished the snake out with a
clothes hanger. Four people claimed ownership of the animal later the
same day at the pet store where it was taken.
- CHS member and Bartlett, TN animal control officer Tom Moxley
found a 10-foot Burmese python at a gas station in town. He said that
it appears as though someone may have put the snake in a dumpster.
Naturally, he plans to keep it! [The Express, Bartlett, TN, September
22, 1993, contributed by Bill Burnett]
Is Virginia for reptile lovers?
A scintilla of articles were generated recently when police found more
than 100 snakes and as many as a dozen alligators at a Norfolk, VA
residence. The owner of the house, Robert Parks who is retired from
the CandP Telephone Company, was charged with
cruelty to animals and failure to perform duties of ownership according
to a city police spokesman. Parks had several city permits to keep
alligators and snakes, so police were trying to match permits and
reptiles to see which were being kept legally. Many of the snakes were
venomous including African and Asian pit vipers, African cobras, puff vipers,
rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths.
Many of the animals were found in cages or tanks outside the
home, while the house was filled with dozens of snake aquariums stacked
in every room of the house except the kitchen. The alligator pit was
about four-feet deep covered
with chain-link fencing and providing the primary housing for the
alligators, five of which were at least eight feet long. Parks
said he was collecting the reptiles in the hopes of moving to
Florida and opening a reptile zoo. Neighbors
reported hearing strange noises from the property. Animal control
officers relocated non-venomous animals to the Virginia Zoological Park
in Norfolk. Police refused to say where the venomous animals were
taken. Police were unsure if all the animals were out of the house,
since no one volunteered to explore a narrow crawl space under the
house. Now starts the legal battle. Parks' lawyer said that the search
was illegal; if so, the whole case would be thrown out. The hearing
raised issues ranging from the sanctity of a person's home to how one
can tell if a snake is skinny. [Richmond Times Dispatch, September 19,
22, and 25, 1993 from Mr. Laverne A. Copeland; September 18, 1993
Washington Post from Kathy Bricker; September 22, 1993 USA Today from
Bill Burnett]
Kids got a "snake day"
Students in Haakon County, S.D. have had "snow days" off before, but
this was their first day off on account of snakes. The incident started
when a girl reaching for her shoes in a school cloakroom came nose to
Jacobsen's organ with a full-grown rattlesnake. Some older boys beat
the snake to death with baseball bats, a shovel, and a broom. Next the
boys went into the schoolyard and killed four more rattlers. A teacher
said, "They are really brave little guys, they really are." Classes
were called off and a sidewalk in front of the school was dug up
revealing more than 30 bull snakes, rattlesnakes, and snake eggs.
[September 26, 1993: Reading Eagle, from Brett
DePoister; Ann Arbor News, from Carl Gans; Owensboro, KY
Messenger-Inquirer from Bryan Elwood]
Endangered Species Act Update
Endangered Species Act reauthorization bills are on the table in both
houses of the U.S. Congress, but need massive public support to pass -
or even survive. I urge all CHS members to write their senators and
congress people to support the House Resolution 2043/Senate Bill 921
combination which supports the recovery of Endangered Species on a
multispecies or ecosystem approach instead of the critter by critter
method which has caused so much ill will (see "tiny toad" story below).
This pair of bills has been endorsed by over 70 environmental,
zoological and civic organizations, including Chicago's Shedd Aquarium.
The addresses are: U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510; and U.S. House
of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 HR 2043
Tiny toad halts road
Even though the Eastern narrow-mouthed toad has not been seen in the
road corridor area since one was sighted in 1986, and even though the
species is doing well further south in its range, plans to widen 3.6
miles of road in St. Mary's County in southern Maryland ground to a
halt while a solution is sought. [Reading Times, September 16, 1993,
contributed by Brett DePoister]
Frog virus found
In May 1992, researchers in England set up the Frog Mortality Project [FMP
Tel: 098-684-518] to look into the large number of reported frog deaths.
Since then they have been notified of more than 300 cases of dead adult
frogs by members of the public. Strange lesions on the frogs, or large
numbers of dead animals were found in 222 of the cases. Researchers
examined 50 frog skins under an electron microscope and found a
poxvirus-like particle in 96 percent of them. They believe the particle could
explain the rise in unusual frog deaths. [New Scientist, August 14, 1993,
MAD and Rick Reifsnyder]
Turdally awesome?
George Balazs of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu, HI
and associates published a report in this summer's issue of the Marine
Pollution Bulletin of how for forty days and forty nights four years ago
thousands of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) turds washed up on a beach in
western Oahu. Usually, of course, turtle poop sinks. Researchers noted
that turtles at a nearby colony in Kaneohe Bay were suffering from an
unexplained disease which left animals covered in tumors and suggest the
disease may have made the turds float. However, the colony still has
disease problems, but their poop doesn't float ashore any more making
this one of the shittier problems for biologists in a long time. [New
Scientist, August 14, 1993, MAD and Rick Reifsnyder]
Flying tortoises
Two dozen desert tortoises evicted from Las Vegas by construction of new
casinos and condos were flown to Carson City in Operation Desert
Tortoise. Cheryl Darnell of the Reno Turtle and Tortoise Club said, "As
the tortoise goes, so goes Nevada. We are all in this together." So
far, there have been eight airlifts, sparing more than 200 tortoises
euthanasia. Not just anyone can adopt a tortoise. First their home and
yard are inspected, contracts signed, and documents approved. There is
an 18-point Tortoise Adoption Readiness Checklist which has tripped up
more than one potential adopter. Darnell said that the relationship
between tortoise and human is "a slower, quieter relationship. It's
more subtle. When a tortoise has enough trust in you to fall asleep in
your lap, it's a beautiful thing." [San Francisco Chronicle, October 6,
1993, from Bob Pierson]
Snakes find unfriendly skies
A Taiwanese man was caught on July 5 at Los Angeles International
Airport while trying to smuggle 52 snakes out of the U.S., apparently to
Taiwan. Most of the snakes were in nylon bags in a brown paper sack,
but 18 were strapped to the mans biceps and ankles. The man could
receive five years in jail and $250,000 in fines. [Leesburg, FL Daily
Commercial September 3, 1993, from Bill Burnett]
Range extension riles French
French scientists are worried about the so-called "Great American Turtle
Invasion" brought about by the mass release of pet turtles into lakes
and rivers. Fishermen have complained that freshwater turtles, mostly
imported from Florida and Louisiana, have proliferated wildly in French
rivers and eat native species. Scientists fear an ecological nightmare.
The whole situation began when France banned the sale of native turtles
to prevent their extinction for the food and pet trades. More than
1,000,000 U.S. turtles have been imported in the last five years
according to officials from the Environmental Ministry. A French
biologist said," They feed and breed like crazy, and they can live
dozens of years. The young ones with the biggest appetites are eating
up everything from insects to mollusks. More important, they are
endangering fish populations because they go after eggs and small fish."
Ben Tata, a biologist at France's Ministry of Agriculture pointed out
that the introduction of other North American animals has occurred
without too much damage in most cases. The muskrat, the mink and the
beaver have meshed into Continental ecosystems, although North American
gray squirrels pushed the native red European squirrel into extinction.
Tata points out that the North American Turtle Invasion may not be the
worst that could happen saying, "You cannot eliminate it by banning it
and, besides, it would only be replaced by some other variety that could
prove much worse." [Seattle Times, September 26, 1993, from Lee W.
Roof]
"Mutant Turtle Terror Threatens Riviera Beaches"
Tabloid headlines are fueling a "turtle terror" of carnivorous terrapins
which have reported mutated into monsters and even are reported to have
attacked humans. The newspaper Nice-Matin reported that a bather at Lac
Saint-Cassien near the Riviera coast had been bitten "by one of these
strange creatures weighing nine to 11 pounds." The London Guardian
said, "The little green terrapins only a few inches long are mutating
into carnivorous creatures weighing up to 10 pounds and over one foot
long." The turtle under scrutiny is (please do not die laughing here
folks) Chrysemys scripta elegans. Young sliders are sold in pet shops
to satisfy the demand of French children for "Mutant Ninja Turtles."
Imports are reported to be between 300,000 and one million turtles per
year. As the pet turtles grow too big, some French are releasing the
animals. The media reports have created a fictional "terror." [from
Reuter's, The Spectator, September 8, 1993, sent by Brian Bankowski]
Disney shells out for turtle disease
Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL has provided University of
Florida researchers with a $750,000 grant to develop a screening test
for the devastating upper respiratory disease found in Florida gopher
tortoises. Researchers will examine how captive and free-ranging gopher
tortoise populations are affected in Florida and examine a similar
disease which decimated the Southwestern desert tortoise. Both are
cause by a mycoplasma bacteria. [Orlando Sentinel, September 9, 1993,
from Bill Burnett] In a related story, the Leesburg, FL Commercial
[August 30, 1993] reported that the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish
Commission staff is considering asking for a requirement that developers
seeking permits to relocate gopher tortoises test the animals for the
respiratory syndrome.
Snake bite update
Drew Yeager received a lot of attention back in August when he was
bitten by his pet Forest Cobra. The Western Maryland Herpetological
Society newsletter (Volume 3, Issue 9) reports, "He is now at home
resting. He does not know the whereabouts of his venomous collection.
He instructed Mike Hardesty and Ross Poole to pack up his collection and
ship it to Bill Haast in Florida. Mr. Haast never received the animals.
According to Drew, Mike Hardesty is keeping the collection as payment
for his efforts in saving Drew's life. Drew Yeager will be suing Mike
Hardesty for the return of his animals."
Mexican restoration to benefit salamander
When the Spanish first arrived at the Aztec capital which later became
Mexico City in 1519, they found it the seat of a highly civilized
nation, surviving in an essentially hostile environment by means of
specialized agricultural adaptations. One of these was the "Floating
Gardens of Xochimilco" which provided much of the food consumed by the
city's 200,000 inhabitants. Unfortunately, the increase in Mexico
City's population has led to a decline in Xochimilco, since raw sewerage
was dumped into the formerly pristine waterways surrounding the raised,
floating beds which formerly were so productive. A $2 million plan now
seeks to reverse the neglect of the floating gardens. First 2,200 acres
were appropriated from peasants uphill from the garden. More than
40,000 yards of runoff collectors were built and the local sewage
treatment plant was updated. Another plant was built, providing the
city with a tertiary treatment capacity of 568 gallons a second. The
Xochimilco area will be restored to support axolotls (called ajolotes in
Spanish) as well as other reptiles, fish, and birds which have been
pushed to the brink by pollution. Over 20,000 visitors a weekend flock
to the area, and Mexican authorities are hopeful that their pesos and
dollars will contribute to the continuation of the project. [New York
Times, September 14, 1993, found by me!]
Indian poachers threaten species
According to a special feature in India Today, May 31, 1993 sent by
Harry Andrews of the Madras Crocodile Bank, "lucrative prices, lax
enforcement and a growing international demand have caused an alarming
resurgence in poaching, pushing Indian wildlife to the brink." Chinese
medical uses are one major cause of wildlife exploitation, but so are
tanners, who skin lizards and snakes to make belts and purses for
Italian and Greek traders. "Even Star tortoises and falcons are being
flown off to meet the new flourishing illegal pet trade in the [Persian]
Gulf and the U.S... In February, a consignment of 16 large wooden crates
containing over 500 Star tortoises was discovered by accident in the
Kutch area of Guajarat. It was to be transshipped by dhows to Dubai and
then flow to the U.S. Only last October, customs officials at
Amsterdam's Schiphol airport seized a consignment which had come in
from Dubai carrying 300 Star tortoises of Indian origin. Traffic
India's programme officer reported over 2,000 snake skins confiscated
and that it is estimated that 50,000 Star tortoises have been exported
in the last five years. Frog legs, turtle meat and live birds are being
smuggled out as well.
Wanted: Alligator Snappers
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) scheduled a search for
Alligator Snappers in the state because little was known about the
animal's number, size, distribution or habitat in southeastern counties
of the state. It has been listed as rare in Missouri since 1974.
Results are expected in December 1993. [Conservation Federation of
Missouri Newsletter, May 1993 from Ann Hirschfeld]
Wal-Mart hopping to please neighbors
Westford, Massachusetts is the next site for a Wal-Mart, as the giant
retailer moves into New England. Westford is also the home of pools of
wood frogs, and 4,000 town residents signed petitions opposing
Wal-Mart's planned construction next to the frog pond. Construction is
expected to begin next year if Wal-Mart gets the necessary permits.
Opponents hope to persuade the town Planning Board to reject the
project, even though Wal-Mart changed its original plans and now
proposes a buffer zone of trees and maintain a normal level of drainage
into the pool. The developer also offered to station a biologist at the
site to monitor migrating frogs during the breeding season.
[Albuquerque Journal, September 7, 1993, from James N. Stuart]
Poachers zapped in Florida
Three suspects were arrested in Dayton Beach in connection with a
poaching operation that tried to sell sea turtle eggs, gopher tortoises,
and alligators. Two suspects were arrested last month on Merrit Island
National Wildlife Refuge while carrying 200 loggerhead turtle eggs,
eight dead gopher tortoises, and nine dead alligators in their van. The
ringleader faces 18 counts of violating wildlife laws, including nine
counts of possessing American alligators; one count of destruction of a
threatened sea turtle nest; and eight counts of killing gopher
tortoises. He is being held in the county jail with a $54,000 bond. He
faces up to 50 years in prison and more than $50,000 in fines according
to an Assistant State's Attorney. [Orlando, FL Sentinel, September 3,
1993 from Bill Burnett]
Adopt a reptile
The Centre for Endangered Reptiles which used to be in Picton, Canada
has moved to 347 rue Bourget, Granby, Quebec Canada. David Galbraith,
Executive Director and Curator urges CHS member to help conserve
endangered reptiles and amphibians by supporting their conservation
programme. Please contact the Centre for more information.
OHS alive again?
The latest reincarnation of the Oregon Herpetological Society can be
found at P.O. Box 1518, Eugene, OR 97440-1518. Oregonians interested
in sending articles, ads, anecdotes, and etc. for their newsletter are
urged to contact Rick and Siri Forsman Simms.
Thanks to everyone who contributed this month! In addition, some
members sent materials previously used: Mike Dloogatch, Larry
Valentine, Kathy Bricker, Bill Burnett, and P.L. Beltz. You can
contribute to HerPET-Pourri, too! Send clippings with name of
publication, date slug, and your name firmly attached (tape preferred)
to me.
December 1993
Guess who came for breakfast?
When Mary Wilding of Griffith, IN went into her kitchen at 6:30 a.m.
recently, she found a python (ball from the photo) curled up on top of
her daughter's guinea pig cage. The guinea pig was "cowering in the
corner of the cage," according to Wilding. She picked up the snake
(reported to be either a boa or a python in the article) and let it curl
around her arm while she tried to figure out who to call. Building
management finally took the animal away in a box until animal control
could be summoned. Wilding expressed hope that the snake would be
reunited with its real owners "so it can get a real meal," she said.
[The Tri-Town Times, September 30, 1993 from Gail Swanson] I wish more
snake finders were as cool as Ms. Wilding!
Scaly dilemma
An Associated Press report reprinted by The Times-Picayune
reports that a peasant in Brazzaville, Congo found 50 snake
eggs which he took home. Shortly thereafter he came home to
find 50 infant pythons crawling around his house. He's been
trying to sell the animals for three weeks - to a zoo, to a
ministry, to wallet makers - without success. He says he may
have to let the snakes go if he can't find anybody to buy them.
[November 4, 1993, from Ernie Liner] American python owners please
note that in Africa you can't even get rid of small ones!
The Prez's new shoes
A "friend of Bill's" recently ordered a pair of python-skin boots from
master cobbler Dave Gardner of Pearl, MS. Although Gardner's cowhide
boots cost about $375, he's not saying how much he'll get for the exotic
pair for Mr. Clinton. [Dallas Morning News, November 6, 1993, from Bob
Sears]
Lost and found department
A 10- to 12-foot long Burmese python was found in a backyard in
Clermont, FL by Sharon Dent who had stepped outside to move the
sprinker. She summoned her 19-year old son who said, "It scared the
hell out of me. I don't like snakes." Lake County Animal Control
officials said that this is the second time this year they have been
summoned to remove large exotic snakes. A local pet shop owner said
that owners sometimes let big snakes loose when they get tired of them
or can no longer take care of them and added that a large python can eat
a rabbit or a chicken once a week. [Leesburg, FL Daily Commercial,
September 28, 1993 from Bill Burnett]
Sickos attack pet shop
Vandals broke into the TLC Pet Shop and Aquariums in Rochester, NH and
slaughtered about 3,000 fish, numerous rabbits, rats, snakes, turtles,
and iguanas. The owner said, "What kills me is that they stole nothing,
they just destroyed. This is pretty sick stuff." He said that he found
the carnage when he opened the door Thursday morning. Four inches of
water covered the store's six rooms filled with hundreds of fish dead or
dying in it. He found other animals with broken backs; some had up
to 20 stab wounds. Two Burmese pythons were stabbed with a screwdriver.
The vandals smashed between 30 and 40 fish tanks and poured chemicals
into the other tanks. Police say they have leads and evidence. The
owner and his family planned to work through the weekend cleaning up and
other pet store owners and suppliers have offered help to get his
business going again. [The Times-Picayune, October 2, 1993, from Ernie
Liner]
Interesting observation
J.D. Gillett of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, England wrote a letter to
the editor of New Scientist [October 30, 1993, from MAD] which told of
his own experiences with pythons. "I well remember, when isolated on
[an island] in Lake Victoria for over a year, some of the [locals]
coming to tell me that my cat was being eaten by a python. We rushed to
the scene ... [to find] only the hind paws and tip of its tail were
showing. Together we `beat up' the huge snake whereupon it regurgitated
the cat... What seemed of great interest to me was that my cat - except
for the tips of its hind extremities - was encapsulated in a sort of
gel...The cat survived. As my cook ... pointed out when I was
laboriously and anxiously cleaning the gelatinous muck off the
unfortunate cat, `Usifikiri, paka ana roho saba' - which may be
translated as `Dinna fash yoursel', a cat has seven hearts.' It's
perhaps not surprising that in the tropics a cat has two less than we in
the west are accustomed to think... I would be most grateful if anyone
will let me know whether this encapsulation before swallowing is a usual
procedure. [Write to: Letters to the Editor, New Scientist, King's
Reach Tower, Stamford Street, London SE1 9LS, United Kingdom or fax to
071 261 6464.]
Geckos in Vegas
Researcher Mary B. Saethre of the University of California at Los
Angeles, reports finding a breeding population of 12 adults in a trailer
park in Las Vegas, NV. This is the first known locality in Nevada and
extends the known range of this species about 370 kilometers (1.6 km/1
mi) from Phoenix-Tempe in Arizona. She writes, "Establishment of the
species in Las Vegas is not surprising; it appears to be dispersed via
travelers and Las Vegas has a high volume of traffic moving through the
area. These lizards were found in a long-standing trailer park, and the
population is likely to have been in this area for a number of years."
[Herpetological Review 24(4), 1993, from Bob Hansen]
How many mistakes can you find?
The Weekly World News of November 9, 1993 (contributor appreciated, but
will not be acknowledged since you wouldn't want anybody to know you
read these things!) reports "Inch-long frog ready for the big time - as
a singer! Animal crazy Helmut Rickendel has dozens of pets, but his
favorite is Renate - a singing tree frog barely an inch long! Helmut
found the pip-squeak critter in his backyard in Burstadt, Germany,
brought it in and quickly discovered that the little gal loved to croak
along with the music on his radio. `She turned out to be so musical
that within a month or two I'd taught her to sing four or five songs all
by herself,' the German adman told reporters. `And when she learns a
couple more, I'm going to see if I can get her a recording contract.'
His bug-eyed buddy's favorite tune: Froggie Went A-Courtin',
of course.
Some people will sell anything
Real Goods most recent catalog has a gift suggestion for all your
gardening friends: "Biodegradable Poo Pets provide sustained delivery of
nature's finest fertilizer for your plants... Baked like the dung bricks
of antiquity, these germ free cow manure figurines are made by a unique
process which sanitizes and removes odors. Hand-molded by Amish
craftspeople these animal figures offer an easy way to have a green
thumb... Each enriched sculpture will last two years out-of-doors and
much longer indoors. Stool toad $12.00" I guess this would be a good
idea for anyone on your shit list.
Dave Barry on Frogs
Alert reader Kathy Bricker sent in a Dave Barry column from the
Washington-Post Magazine, November 7, 1993 wherein the renowned humorist
tells two frog tales: 1.) From an article in the September 2 Times of
India... "`Villagers of Khajuria in Ganjam district worshiped a frog on
Monday to please the rain god Indra, as the dry spell continued to delay
cultivation.' The article further states that `a big live frog tied
with a bamboo stick was carried by villagers who roamed in and around
the village chanting couplets in honor of the wife of Lord Indra.' The
article does not give the exact wording of the couplets... The article
also doesn't state whether this effort resulted in rain, but I'm sure it
did. If you're a rain god, and you have people waving a frog around and
chanting about your wife, you're definitely going to dump something on
them." 2.) "Speaking of frogs, many alert readers sent in an Associated
Press report concerning an incident in Manchester, NH... a woman ...
opened a bag of pretzels and pulled out a pretzel with a one-inch frog
baked onto it. The AP sent out a photograph showing the actual pretzel,
and, sure enough, there's a frog sort of welded onto it, looking
crouched and ready to hop away, except of course that frogs become very
poor hoppers after being subjected to the pretzel-baking process... It's
entirely possible that marketing experts at the pretzel company were
simply enhancing their product line (`Now With Frogs!'). But
apparently that was not the case with these pretzels, so the woman took
them back to the food store, which gave her a handsome baked prince.
No, seriously, the store gave her a refund..."
Maybe Chinese would like baked frogs
A report in the Shanghai Star [October 22, 1993 from P.L. Beltz] reports
that a 1.5 million yuan ($263,000) bullfrog farm has been established in
Jiangsu Province. It is the largest frog plant in East China and is
expected to increase China's frogmeat exports and supply frogs for the
domestic market where demand outstrips supply. Ernie Liner sent in an
article from The Times-Picayune [November 10, 1993] which points out
that Chinese people use many kinds of animals as food and medicine. The
article says that turtle shell is used to treat fever and that snake
blood is good for backaches. A single restaurant in Canton served 183
monkeys, 112 hawks and 8.73 tons of pangolins, boas, pythons and giant
lizards in a six-month period. Inspectors who visited 136 hotels and
restaurants in Canton found that nearly half served endangered wild
animals. In September, the United Nations agency which regulates trade
in wildlife recommended sanctions against China for its failure to end
the smuggling of rhinoceros horn.
Alarming results from Lake Apopka
A study of alligators in Florida's Lake Apopka has shown that pesticides
may cause reproductive problems and be the root cause of the noted
population decline there. Louis Guillette of the University of Florida
(UF) said that current pesticide testing only shows whether the
substances cause cancer or death. He found that pesticides can act as
synthetic sex hormones which are the same in animals and humans. He
said, "Now there is a major question that is broader than cancer. We
need to be more concerned about reproduction, the immune system,
metabolism - the effects of these contaminants on the growth and
viability of animals and humans." Guillette found that the alligator
population in Lake Apopka which was once as plentiful as those in other
Floridian locations declined rapidly since 1980 when a spill of the
pesticide Kethane reached the lake from the Tower Chemical Company.
Research showed that ingredients in the pesticide which include DDT and
its derivative DDE can act like synthetic estrogens. This causes
hormonal imbalances that result in reproductive problems in gators and
turtles according to UF zoologist Tim Gross who said, "We're seeing
demasculinization of male alligators and turtles in the wild populations
on Lake Apopka, and our data strongly suggest that ... DDT and DDE
could be causing these reproductive abnormalities." [The Sentinel,
Orlando, FL, October 22, 1993 from Bill Burnett]
Good Housekeeping suggests...
A well-known national ladies magazine made some suggestions for
residents of and visitors to Florida about the most exciting mega-fauna
in that state: "Never feed them... Keep your distance... When cleaning
fish, don't discard parts in the water... Don't use your hands or feet
to fish golf balls out of the water... Don't swim in waters that might
contain alligators (especially at dusk, when gators feed). [October,
1993, Bill Burnett's mom]
Gators killed after old lady eaten
All the newspaper accounts agree that a 70-year-old woman was killed in
Wildwood, FL by alligators, but they disagree on how she came to be in
the water at all. Contributor Bill Burnett wrote: "Mom reports lots of
local rumors as to how the lady got into the water... (fainted, suicide,
etc.) No one is even hinting that the gators came up on the land,
grabbed her, and pulled her into the lake. We will never know the
answer." According to a Orlando Sentinel story [October 6, 1993], the
retired typist may have passed out or tipped and then fallen into the
lake. No one saw the woman go into the water. One of her white sandals
was found on the shore near an area that wildlife officials found was
churned up. The autopsy showed the was killed when an alligator bit her
head, breaking her neck and jaw. The gators also tore off her arms.
Authorities have killed six alligators in a rather grisly search for the
woman's arms. Two residents had been having breakfast when they noticed
gators splashing at 7:40 a.m. Beverly and Jack Horrocks first
speculated the animals were mating, then changed their minds after
Beverly used her binoculars to see that what they had thought was a
pillow was really a body. They called security who called the sheriff's
department. The son of the woman was out looking for her and had
enlisted the help of other neighbors. They soon found a shaken Jack
Horrocks who said, "I can't believe what I just saw." The son is
concealing the nature of his mother's death from his father who believes
that his wife of 37 years merely drowned. They had moved to Florida
from New Jersey about seven years ago. [Also October 5 and 7 as well as
articles in the Leesburg, FL Daily Commercial, October 5 and 6, 1993 and
USA Today, October 5, 1993]
Not accidental tourists
Two Palm Beach County, FL residents were hospitalized after their car
struck a 10-foot alligator and became airborne for 94 feet on old State
Road 80 according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The
gator was killed on impact and was estimated to weigh 250 to 300 pounds.
The injured driver told a hospital nurse that he walked about a half a
mile to get help. It was unclear whether he swam across the canal where
the gator is believed to have come from. An emergency helicopter then
transported the couple to a hospital in West Palm Beach. The passenger
was listed as critical. [Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach edition, October 8,
1993] Contributor Jerry Dotson writes: "Poor gator!"
Local news
- CHS member, cartoonist, and wildlife biologist Robert Sliwinski
was recently featured on the front page of the Chicago Tribune (November
9, 1993). It wasn't because he draws such cute stuff to go with
NEWTLINE but because he is the animal damage control officer at O'Hare
International Airport. Writer Gary Washburn wrote: "To airport
staffers, the soft-spoken 27-year-old is known as The Birdman, though
Sliwinski also concerns himself with deer, coyotes, and other
four-legged interlopers that make their way onto the sprawling
8,000-acre complex."
- The Chicago Tribune also reported on some other local reptile
fanciers: "Conservation officers also inspect pet shops and the
occasional reptile swap. Essentially a flea market for live animals the
reptile swap, held monthly in northwest suburban Streamwood, has
sometimes attracted unlawful peddlers of things green and scaly.
Recently.. conservation officers helped federal agents arrest several
lizard merchants. Among the reptiles confiscated by U.S. Fish and
Wildlife agents were Galapagos turtles crammed into tight wooden crates,
and blue racer snakes." [November 9, 1993 contributed by an extremely
sharp-eyed Claus Sutor]
Thanks to everyone who contributed clippings this month! And also
thanks to people who sent copies of things I'd already used including
Mark Witwer, Mike Zelenski, Jack Schoenfelder, Cindy Sprigg, Ann
Hirschfeld, Jerry Dotson, Mr. Laverne Copeland, and James Stuart. You
can become a contributor, too. Just send clippings with your name and
the date slug firmly attached with tape to me. Long-term readers will recall that this month marks the seventh anniversary of this column, since it started in December, 1986. I must admit, of course, there were a few
months hiatus.
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