HERP NEWS 253/2009
THE GAZETTE (Gaithersburg, Maryland) 10 September
09 Runaway
snake reunited with owner after a month on the run - Boa constrictor escaped
from its owner's Gaithersburg apartment July 24 (Meghan Tierney)
After more
than a month on the run, a pet snake that escaped from its owner's Gaithersburg
apartment is back home.
A friend
pet-sitting for Evie Crocker while she was on vacation noticed that the snake,
a 3- to 4-foot Columbian red-tailed boa, had gotten out of its cage July 24. It
exited the apartment, in Rosewood Condominiums on Streamside Drive, through a
sliding door left cracked for a cat, and neighbors snapped pictures as it
slithered out on a vacation of its own.
Crocker put up
flyers around the neighborhood when she got back and the reported sightings
started coming in. Someone called Saturday to say they spotted the boa, a
female named Eothen, crossing Emory Grove Road in Gaithersburg, and watched the
snake until Crocker came to capture it with a sleeping bag. Two days earlier
someone else reported seeing the snake sunning itself on their porch.
"She's
had quite an adventure and she's even grown," Crocker said, adding that
the snake did not have any signs of injury. "I was really worried, I've
had her for eight years."
Columbian
red-tailed boas are found in Central and South America and on average grow 6
feet to 9 feet long, according to the Oakland (Calif.) Zoo's Web site. They are
not venomous.
Crocker
advertised a $200 reward, but Eothen's rescuers said they didn't want to accept
the money.
"They
were really nice," she said.
http://www.gazette.net/stories/09102009/montnew163455_32540.shtml
DECATUR DAILY (Tennessee) 10 September 09 15-foot
python picks Tanner porch for Saturday relaxation (Holly Hollman)
Tanner: A Tanner woman walked onto her porch on
Nuclear Plant Road on Saturday morning and stepped over an object she thought
her children had left near the door.
The object was
a 14- to 15-foot python relaxing on her porch.
Raven Johns,
29, said her 3-year-old son was in her arms.
“I saw
something right at the door and was already stepping, so I stepped on over it
and ran off the porch,” she said. “I turned around and saw its head move and
knew it was real.”
She ran to her
10-year-old son’s bedroom window to knock and tell him not to come outside.
“He ran to the
door anyway and looked, and let out a bloodcurdling scream,” Johns said. “Then
he ran and told his grandmother an anaconda was on the front porch. My
brother-in-law tried to get it because we didn’t want the thing loose in the area.
It dragged him across the porch. That’s how strong it was.”
The family
called 911 at 8:27 a.m.
“I’m sure they
thought we were crazy when they got a call that an anaconda was on the porch,”
Johns said.
Called for
game warden
Deputies from
the Sheriff’s Department saw the size of the snake and called for a game
warden, said deputy Donnie Johns, no relation to the family.
Donnie Johns
said a local snake owner and wildlife officials captured the python, which
Donnie Johns estimated to weigh about 200 pounds.
“The snake guy
and game warden went under the porch and pulled him out,” Donnie Johns said.
“They told the rest of us to jump on him when they got him out. I said,
‘Somebody’s got to take pictures,’ so I volunteered for that.”
Donnie Johns
said authorities put the snake in a canvas bag.
“It looked
like a sack of bricks getting carried out,” he said.
Raven Johns
said the men struggled to pull the snake out.
“If they
couldn’t have pulled it out, they would have shot it, or I wouldn’t be staying here
anymore,” she said.
Sgt. Travis
Gray, the wildlife officer assigned to Limestone County, said someone likely
released the python. It could have been a pet someone no longer wanted, he
said.
“We let the
snake owner who helped us capture it keep it,” Gray said.
Raven Johns
said those who release pythons into the wild because they don’t want them for
pets anymore need to think about others’ safety.
“Thankfully, I
was carrying my 3-year-old in my arms, or he would have stepped right on it,”
Raven Johns said. “We were fixing to go to the store. But what if the kids had
gone out to play that morning, and my youngest isn’t scared of anything. He
would have been curious and would have touched it.”
http://decaturdaily.com/detail/42891.html
STANDARD-TIMES (New Bedford, Massachusetts)
10 September 09 Snake in the grass on the loose in Fairhaven
Fairhaven: Police are asking the public to be on the
lookout for a slimy character who made an escape from a Reynolds Drive backyard
sometime Sunday afternoon.
According to
Detective Sgt. Michael Botelho, a 4-foot-long ball python went missing when
owner Melissa Martin took it outside.
Martin
contacted police after she discovered it had slithered away while she was
letting it roam around her backyard.
According to
Martin, the snake is a family pet and is not aggressive.
But Botelho
warned that all wild animals can be unpredictable.
Residents in
the Reynolds Drive, Fort Street and Green Street areas are especially asked to
be on the lookout for the reptile.
Botelho said
in a press release that it is not illegal to buy or possess this type of python
in Massachusetts and the snakes can be purchased at specialty reptile stores.
Ball pythons
can grow to 5 feet in length and usually only eat small rats and mice, Botelho
said.
Police added
that the best chance of spotting the snake may be during the daylight hours
when it might be sunning itself.
He added that
if anyone sees the snake, that person should not try to catch it but rather
should call the Police Department at (508) 997-7421.
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090910/NEWS/909100370
WETM (Elmira, New York) 10 September 09 10 Foot Python Still on the Loose
(Camille Williams)
Elmira
Heights, (NY): A 10 foot Burmese Python
is still on the loose in Elmira Heights.
Police were
called to Horseheads Boulevard Wednesday for the missing python.
They say 20
year old Jarred Triesler is the pet owner.
This is the
second time in over a month one of Triesler's python escaped into the
neighborhood.
Police Chief
Rick Churches says Triesler has been cited for owning a Burmese python with out
a permit.
The police
chief says the snake will likely be in a dark secluded area, somewhere where it
feels safe.
He says if you
see it don't touch it and call police.
KHNL (Honolulu, Hawaii) 10 September
09 Volunteer
group working to protect Hawaiian sea turtles (Mari-Ela David)
North Shore,
Oahu: In this week's Earth and Sea
Project report, we take you to a beach on Oahu's North Shore where Hawaiian
green sea turtles love to hang out.
The've been
around since the dinosaur years, but are now threatened.
A citizen's
group called Malama Na Honu is determined to keep the ancient creatures from
dying out.
Native
Hawaiians regarded them as aumakua,
or family guardians.
They're
considered so sacred, touching them is forbidden.
"We ask
people not to touch them. We ask them to stay back five or six feet from the
turtles," said Alan Renninger, a volunteer with Malama Na Honu.
Renninger is a
Honu Guardian with Malama Na Honu, a non-profit that looks after the sunbathing
Hawaiian green sea turtles at Laniakea Beach.
It is illegal
to harrass the creatures, and touching, feeding, or teasing them is prohibited.
Though
protected by the Endangered Species Act, and Hawaii state law, these creatures
are still vulnerable.
The most
shocking case was in July of 2008. Honey Girl, a regular at Laniakea Beach, was
found buried in the sand, slaughtered, with her flipper and breast plate
maliciously removed.
Volunteers put
up a memorial. They say soon after, one of Honey Girl's turtle friends came out
of the water looking for her.
"He came
up along the beach and kind of went up right to where the memorial was and kind
of stayed there the whole afternoon," said Renninger.
Word has since
spread about this honu haven, attracting crowds. Honu Guardians educate
visitors, and collect data for the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA).
NOAA has
identified 20-plus sea turtles that frequently hang out at Laniakea Beach. On
the side of the shells of some of them, is a time depth recorder that NOAA puts
on to study how deep in the water they go. NOAA also puts on satellite antennas
on the creatures, to track their travels.
"It's
really rare to see some of these animals around. It's just really cool to get
up close to them and see them," said Christian Martin, a tourist who came
out to Laniakea Beach to see the green sea turtles.
Through Malama
Na Honu's work, people can get close enough to admire these ancient creatures,
but stay far enough to respect their space, and make sure they're around for
millions of more years to come.
On a global
scale, the population of sea turtles is declining.
But in Hawaii,
NOAA says their numbers have increased 53% over the last 25 years.
Malama Na Honu
says the Hawaiian green sea turtles at Laniakea Beach have been hanging out
there since 1999.
http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=11103654
WPTV (West Palm Beach, Florida) 10
September 09 17 foot python seized from Florida home
Lakeland, FL: A veteran wildlife officer, who thought he
had seen it all, was surprised by the discovery he made at a Polk County home.
Acting on an
anonymous tip, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigator
Daryl Amerson went in search of two illegally kept Burmese pythons at a
residence on Jupiter Street, in Lakeland.
The 24 year
veteran found an 11-foot-long male Burmese python, and, much to his surprise, a
17-foot Burmese python that weighed more than 150 pounds.
Michael T.
Hall owned the snakes but did not have the required state permit to keep them,
according to the FWC. Hall was charged with second-degree misdemeanors for not
having the required permit and not having a written and approved contingency
plan in case of escape or natural disaster, FWC said.
Hall also
received a warning for not having the animals micro-chipped, which is now
required by law.
The FWC says
the snakes were taken to a licensed facility.
HARWICH AND MANNINGTREE STANDARD (UK) 10
September 09 Gecko dumped by side of road (Caroline Tilley)
An owner of an
animal park has spoken of her disgust after a lizard was found by the side of
the road.
The Tokay
Gecko was discovered in a pot at a roundabout in Mistley by a group of
teenagers on Tuesday.
Mistley Place
Park took the gecko in after the group brought it in that night.
“I’m
absolutely disgusted,” said Maureen Taylor, who runs the park. “The lads
brought him in and said that he looked like he had been thrown out of a car.
“He was in an
appalling condition. He was dehydrated and skinny and he is skinning too which
makes him look like he’s wearing a mask.
“Maybe the
owners couldn’t handle him and that’s why they got rid of him.
“He wouldn’t
have survived the night without the lads.”
Tokay Geckos
are dark coloured and very aggressive so they require competent handlers.
“He was
snapping at me when I was feeding him last night,” said Mrs Taylor.
“But he’s
getting craftier now. When I stroke his back with a spoon to get him to open
his mouth you can see he is just waiting for his moment.”
The six-inch
gecko has red and blue flecks on his back and is being fed liquidised cat and
dog food to keep his strength up although he would usually be fed liquidised
mice.
But lizard
lovers will have to think again if they want to help rehome the little monster.
“He’s going
straight to a reptile centre. We’re not keeping him,” said Mrs Taylor.
DAILY EXAMINER (Northern Rivers, Australia) 10
September 09 Lawrence snake dines out on lorikeet
Snakes are on
the move and are hungry.
In an awesome
spectacle of natural predation, these images were captured over a two-hour
period at Richmond Street, Lawrence, this week by Aileen and Graham Wilson.
Often the
first indication of a snake close by is noisy birdlife.
Aileen first
noticed the coastal carpet python stealthily coiled around the gutter when she
heard the ruckus of the bird that would soon be paralysed by its grip.
Like a
mythological beast, half bird, half snake, the rainbow lorikeet was still
fluttering its colourful spray before falling silent.
“It was a bit
hard to watch but there was nothing we could do and we had to let nature take
its course,” Graham said.
Over the two
hours, the couple watched and photographed the slow methodical devouring of the
helpless bird.
Nothing could
awake the reptile from its stupor while it feasted, not even a pesky kookaburra
that decided the snake was prime pickings.
“Once it was
committed to the kill it became vulnerable and not even the swooping kookaburra
could wake it,” Graham said.
“He didn't
move an inch,” Graham said.
Once fully
swallowed, the gluttonous snake could hardly lift its head to retreat to the
safety of the roof, where it had probably laid dormant for the winter.
“They are
harmless creatures and you need to expect them living near the everlasting
swamp like we do,” Graham said.
“He'll go back
to the roof and help keep the vermin down.”
http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/story/2009/09/10/snake-takes-time-to-dine-out-on-lorikeet/
L’ETOILE (Dieppe, Nouveau-Brunswick) 10 September 09 Une
tortue des bois, une espèce menacée, retrouvée sur le bord de la route (Jean-Paul
LeBlanc)
Plusieurs jeunes et adultes du Bouctouche Baie Chalets & Camping étaient
curieux de voir une tortue de près avant qu'elle soit remise en liberté près
d'une rivière dans la région de Bouctouche. Très peu se doutaient qu'ils
voyaient une tortue des bois qui se fait de plus en plus rare même si elle
avait été trouvée sur le bord de la route, entre Cocagne et Bouctouche, par un
résidant du terrain de camping. Eric Tremblay, biologiste au parc
Kouchibouguac, confirme que cette tortue, connue sous son nom scientifique
"Clemmys insculpa", est une
espèce menacée selon le Comité sur la situation des espèces en péril au Canada
(COSEPAC). Ce comité composé de spécialistes, évalue et désigne les espèces
sauvages qui risquent de disparaître du Canada.
La tortue des bois avait d'abord été identifiée comme une espèce «
préoccupante » en avril 1996 par le COSEPAC mais lors d'une réévaluation en
novembre 2007, on lui a conféré le statut de « menacée ». Selon le COSEPAC, «
la hausse du taux de mortalité découle d'une exposition accrue à la circulation
routière, à la machinerie agricole et aux véhicules hors route, de la collecte
comme animaux de compagnie, ainsi que de la collecte pour le commerce des
animaux de compagnie et peut-être pour la fabrication d'aliments exotiques et
de médicaments. Le degré de menace accru est associé à l'accès nouveau ou
croissant par les humains aux endroits où vit l'espèce. »
La présence de la tortue des bois est limitée à quatre provinces
canadiennes, le Nouveau-Brunswick, la Nouvelle-Écosse, le Québec et l'Ontario.
http://letoiledieppe.jminforme.ca/article/787239
OGLOBO (Brasil) 10 September 09 Internautas podem escolher nome que vai
batizar serpente no Rio de Janeiro
Rio : Os internautas poderão escolher o nome do raro
exemplar de serpente albina que chegou ao Instituto Vital Brazil (IVB), em
Niterói (RJ), há um mês. Michael, Rafael, Bill ou Sivuca são as opções. O
animal é uma píton da Birmânia, ou píton burmesa, espécie originária do sudeste
da Ásia que se enrola nas árvores e se estica para pegar suas presas. A votação
vai até o dia 24.
Para votar, basta acessar o Twitter do instituto
(www.twitter.com/vitalbrazil), o vote do site do Globo, ou ir pessoalmente à
urna, localizada no circuito de visitação do IVB que fica aberto de segunda a
sexta, das 8h30m às 16h30m, e nos fins de semana e feriados, das 8h30m ao
meio-dia. O endereço é Rua Maestro José Botelho 64, Niterói.
resultado será
divulgado no dia 25, às 10h, no Instituto Vital Brazil. Semanalmente, nesse horário, o público pode assistir o
trabalho de extração de veneno. Mais informações: 2711-9223, ramal
175, ou 0800 022 1036.
ORIGO (Budapest, Hungary) 10 September
09 Félszemű
tigrispitonok születtek a pécsi állatkertben
Érdekes és
ritka esemény türtént a pécsi állatkertben: mutáns tigrispitonok jöttek
világra.
Két
tigrispiton is egy szemmel született a pécsi állatkert akvárium-terráriumában a
napokban.. Szirtes Bálint biológus, az intézmény munkatársa csütörtökön elmondta
az MTI-nek, hogy a két héttel ezelőtti tigrispiton-szaporulat során
tizennyolc kígyó látta meg a napvilágot. Közülük egy elpusztult, kettőnek
pedig csak egy szeme lett, feltehetően beltenyészetből vagy más
genetikai problémából fakadó fejlődési rendellenesség következtében. A
szakember megjegyezte, hogy hasonlóval még nem találkozott munkája során, és
bár elképzelhető, hogy ezek az egyedek a vadonban elpusztulnának,
fogságban, a rendszeres etetésnek köszönhetően sokáig élhetnek.
A
félszemű tigrispitonok egyelőre az állatkert Munkácsy utcai
terráriumában maradnak, nem kizárt azonban, hogy később testvéreikkel
együtt értékesítik őket. A biológus utalt rá, hogy a tigrispiton az
anakonda és a kockás piton után a világ harmadik legnagyobb kígyója, 7-8 méter
hosszúra is megnőhet. Dél-Ázsiában honos, kis emlősállatokkal
táplálkozik.
http://www.origo.hu/tudomany/20090910-felszemu-tigrispitonok-szulettek-a-pecsi-allatkertben.html
KOMPAS (Jakarta, Indonesia) 10 September
09 Wah...
Kulit Ular Itu Dipajang di Pintu Ketua PN (Kamis)
Tembilahan: Sejumlah pengunjung Pengadilan Negeri
Tembilahan, Riau, Kamis (10/9), terkejut melihat kulit ular piton terpajang di
atas pintu masuk ruangan Kepala PN.
Bukan hanya
karena bisa memicu masyarakat mencontoh dengan membunuhi ular, tetapi terlebih
karena kulit ular itu diduga berasal dari ular yang dijadikan barang bukti
hasil tangkapan Kepolisian Resor Indragiri Hilir.
"Seharusnya
kulit ular itu jangan dipajang di situlah, karena ini akan menjadi pemicu bagi
masyarakat untuk melakukan pembunuhan terhadap ular piton, karena jenis ini
juga masuk Indeks II binatang langka," kata seorang aktivis LSM Mitra
Satwa Jakarta, Budi.
Hari Kamis
siang tadi beberapa aktivis lingkungan hidup memang hadir di PN Tembilahan
untuk mengikuti sidang lanjutan kasus pembunuhan harimau. Mereka sangat
terkejut saat lewat di ruangan Kepala PN Tembilahan, karena kulit ular langka
yang bersisik bagus itu di pajang di atas pintu, tepatnya di bawah jam.
Kulit ular
yang panjangnya lebih dari tiga meter, lebar bagian tengah tubuhnya 30
sentimeter dan bagian ekor serta kepala 10 sentimeter itu sangat mencolok dan
menarik perhatian.
Kepada
wartawan, Budi mengaku heran kenapa barang bukti yang seharusnya disita untuk
negara atau dimusnahkan itu bisa menjadi pajangan pintu di pengadilan yang
menyidangkan kasusnya.
Aktivis
Kelompok Studi Lingkungan Hidup (KSLH) Riau, Heri, mengatakan, pemasangan
hiasan kulit ular itu seolah-olah menjadi upaya pembenaran terhadap ekspoitasi
kulit ular piton ditengah masyarakat. Ia khawatir, masyarakat akan memburu
binatang melata yang langka ini, karena dianggap memiliki nilai seni, seperti
yang sengaja dipajangkan di PN Tembilahan.
"Ular
piton merupakan bagian dari rantai makanan dalam ekosistem alam, sehingga kalau
ia musnah akan mengganggu kelangsungan ekosistem lainnya," kata Heri.
WJXT (Jacksonville, Florida) 09 September
09 Student
Finds Snake In Rental Car
Jacksonville,
Fla.: Imagine preparing to get in your
car and seeing a snake stretched out along the dashboard of the car.
That's exactly
what happened to a local college student Tuesday night.
Hours later,
an animal trapper removed a red rat snake from Brianna Young's rental car at
her downtown apartment.
Young said she
had just gotten into the rental car, and when she turned to the front there was
a 3 1/2-foot snake on the dashboard.
Young said she
discovered the snake after getting dropped off from a local Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
"I was
scared," she said. "I just hopped out and was like, 'Oh my God,' and
just stood behind the car."
Young said she
immediately called Enterprise, and Enterprise called Jeff Altman, with American
Trappers.
Altman said he
hardly ever sees snakes end up in cars, and he believes it likely got in
through the wheel and slithered around until it found a good hiding place.
"It's a
native snake to Florida," Altman said. "They're all around. If people
see these in their yards, don't kill 'em. They are very beneficial snakes. They
eat rodents and insects."
The good news
for Young is that the snake is not venomous. While it is about 3 1/2 feet long,
it gets even longer.
Altman said he
plans on releasing the snake back into the wild.
Young said
finding the snake was not only an experience she'll never forget, but one her
family won't let her live down.
"My
parents, they just found it real funny," Altman said.
Enterprise
Rent-A-Car gave Young another car to use after the snake sighting. But Young
said she was a little nervous getting in it right away. She said she's been
scarred by the whole experience.
http://www.news4jax.com/news/20816872/detail.html
KGBT (Harlingen, Texas) 09 September
09 Valley
Snakes Take To The Trees (Richard Moore)
First light
reveals a huge indigo snake ascending an ancient oak.
The shiny
black serpent is at least seven feet long and wonderfully adept at gliding its
impressive length up the tree.
The snake is
through in its inspection of hollows and even ventures out onto fragile
branches in search of nestlings or other potential prey.
Thin branches
are no impediment to this skilled climber who is intent on examining every inch
of its arboreal domain.
Finally, the
indigo snake daringly descends thru the branches and stretches down to the
ground where it resumes its hunt.
Bull snakes
are also accomplished climbers and readily take to the trees in search of a
meal.
The 6-foot
plus snake is as at home in an oak as on the ground.
This
exceptionally large specimen has undoubtedly explored many a cavity and raided
numerous nests.
Like the
indigo snake, the bullsnake doesn’t hesitate to venture out onto thin limbs as
it slips thru the uppermost branches of a tall oak.
It’s not at
all uncommon to find a large indigo or bull snake gliding thru the branches,
but occasionally a diamondback rattlesnake will also ascend a tree.
Coiled
motionless in the fork of venerable oak, this rattler waits patiently in ambush
for a meal to appear.
The deadly
snake’s rattles hang limp as it lurks in ambush for a scampering mouse or
squirrel to move within striking distance.
Eventually,
the diamondback abandons its post and glides down the thick trunk to hunt the
land below.
http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=348022
DAILY EXAMINER (Northern Rivers, Australia)
09 August 09 Gecko's tail stumps scientists
A gecko under
attack can famously discard its twitching tail to distract a predator. With a
little luck, the chirping, wall-walking lizard will make a clean getaway.
But what
happens to the tail?
The detached
member continues to leap, lurch and lunge - sometimes in intricate patterns
never before detected - for up to 30 minutes, according to a study released on
Wednesday.
The remarkable
ability of geckos to drop tail and run has been the object of scientific
scrutiny for over a century.
Earlier
experiments have shown that "lizard tail autonomy", in the lingo of
biologists, provides a visual decoy that entices an attacker to pounce on the
tail rather than the gecko.
In addition,
travelling light allows the lizard to run even faster, boosting its chances of
escape and survival.
On the down
side, a tail-less gecko is at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to jumping
and climbing. It may also find itself scrambling to find a suitable mate.
Anthony
Russell, a professor at the University of Calgary in Canada, and Timothy Higham
of Clemson University in South Carolina wanted to take things a step further by
analysing exactly how the severed tails move.
Using
electromyography (EMG) and high-speed video, they monitored tails from the
instant of separation from four specimens of Eublepharis macularius, a.k.a. the
leopard gecko.
EMG detects
the electric potential generated by muscle cells, both when they are active and
at rest, and is frequently used to analyse the biomechanics of movement.
Unlike most
animals or animal parts moving without the active control of a brain, the gecko
tails didn't simply jerk about in a regular pattern.
"We
discovered that the tail has an intricate repertoire of varied and highly
complex movements, including acrobatic flips up to three centimetres in
height," said Russell.
More than a
biological curiosity, the new findings could shed light on the functions of the
spinal cord and the effects of spinal cord injury, he said.
From an
evolutionary vantage point, rhythmic movements interlaced with sudden jumps and
flips enhances unpredictability, further distracting the predator, the study
conjectured.
Natural
selection may also have favoured sustained and complex movement so that the
tail can escape too: geckos have been known to return to the scene of their
dismemberment to eat their own tail, presumably to compensate for the loss of
the precious fats stored there.
More research
is needed to understand exactly how a bundle of nerves detached from a brain
can perform such complex behaviours, the researchers said.
"The most
plausible explanation is that the tail relies on sensory feedback from the
environment. Sensors on its surface may tell it to jump, pivot or travel in a
certain direction," Russell said in a statement.
While many of
the movements seemed to be self-initiated, the tails almost always lunged in a
certain way when they touched the edge of the enclosure in which the
experiments took place.
The study
shows that the signal triggering movement starting at the far tip of the tail,
the likely location of a control centre activated only after detachment from
the rest of the body - and the brain - has occurred.
The study was
published in Biology Letters, a journal of The Royal Society, Britain's
de facto academy of science.
http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/story/2009/09/09/scientists-still-stumped-on-geckos-tail/
7 DAYS (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) 09
September 09 The snake wranglers
Wading through
swampy marshlands, scanning moonlit waters and tramping through dense jungles,
a daring group of scientists is seeking out creatures most people try
desperately to avoid.
Fearsome fangs
and life-threatening bites are common occupational hazards for these ‘snake wranglers,’
all passionate animal experts whose work involves tracking, catching, and even
rescuing some of the world’s most venomous snakes.
Combining
scientific passion with nerves of steel, they risk their lives in the pursuit
of scientific knowledge, often collecting venom to aid in the production of
vital anti-venom and other medication. Although their jobs can be risky, for
the snake wranglers there is no substitute for the daily thrill of working with
snakes as fascinating as they are potentially deadly.
Husband and
wife team Craig and Jackie Adams-Maher work in the Australian Reptile Park in
Gosford, about an hour north of Sydney. Together, they share a passion for all
things cold-blooded - especially snakes. Craig oversees Australia’s largest collection
of native and exotic reptiles, while Jackie maintains the country’s most
extensive assortment of exotic spiders.
In addition,
both manage life-saving anti-venom programmes - work that includes the
difficult task of ‘milking’ snakes for their venom. Craig and Jackie must use
all their skill and agility to collect precious drops of venom from species
like the lightning-quick death adder without receiving a potentially
life-threatening
bite.
The perilous
pursuit of venomous snakes is also a central feature of married life for
internationally-renowned venom researcher Dr Bryan Fry and his wife, Alexia.
However, instead of tracking their slithery research subjects on land, this duo
often takes to the water in search of highly-toxic sea snakes.
Although all
snakes can swim, only certain species spend most or all of their lives in the
water. Some of these snakes can spread their ribs to inflate themselves, making
them more buoyant. The rarely-seen Stoke’s sea snake reaches lengths of up to
1.9 metres and swims by undulating its sleek, paddle-like tail.
Despite the
fact that its venom is extremely toxic, it is placid and not considered
dangerous unless handled or trapped.
Of course,
that’s no help to the snake-wrangling Frys, who often find themselves balancing
on the rocking deck of a boat, capturing sea snakes and milking them for
crucial venom for their research.
In fact, Dr
Fry’s constant contact with poisonous snakes has made him extremely allergic to
venom. He has been bitten more than 20 times, and recently suffered the worst
bite of his life - a near-fatal envenomisation by the super-toxic horned sea
snake.
Like
Australia, India has more than its share of venomous snakes. Indian
herpetologist Gerry Martin was particularly fascinated with these animals as a
child growing up in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
After handling
his first snake at the tender age of three, he went on to work at the Madras
Crocodile Bank Trust where he developed extensive knowledge of the dangerous,
but majestic king cobra.
Today, Martin
works to discourage snake charming, a practice that frequently involves
de-fanging snakes. De-fanging is a painful process that often leads to the
death of the animal.
As an
alternative, Martin encourages snake charmers to use their skills to safely
extract and sell snake venom for the production of anti-venom - an important
commodity in a country where many people die from snakebites every year.
Romulus (Rom)
Whitaker, another snake wrangler who honed his skills during childhood years
spent in India, also works to protect beleaguered reptiles - including
crocodiles, sea turtles and many snake species. Joining forces with some of the
world’s most skillful snake trackers - the Irula tribespeople of southern India
- Whitaker goes out in search of highly venomous cobras, kraits, and vipers for
the purpose of venom extraction.
Near the top
of Whitaker’s most-wanted list is the Russell’s viper, a snake that accounts
for more human fatalities than almost any other species due to its particularly
lethal, hemotoxic venom that attacks the circulatory system.
Whitaker is
also keenly interested in king cobras, renowned for both their stunning
appearance and their venomous bite. At up to five metres long, these remarkable
animals are prodigious hunters and are considered by many to be the most
intelligent snake species.
In spite of a
fearful reputation, however, they rarely bite humans and prey almost
exclusively on other snakes.
From powerful
boa constrictors and pythons to fast-moving vipers and sea-snakes,
approximately 2,700 snake species inhabit every continent on Earth, except
Antarctica. Snakes have been found from below sea level to around 3,000 metres
above - vast territory for the snake-wranglers to explore as they work to
uncover the secrets of these largely misunderstood creatures.
Although the
dangers of a snake-wrangling career are many, the challenges and rewards of
scientific discovery makes every day an adventure. For these fearless
scientists, no other job could compare.
‘Snake Wranglers’
will be broadcast on National Geographic Abu Dhabi on September 11 at midday
http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id=83519
GHANA BROADCASTING CORPORATION (Accra) 09
September 09 Paga Crocodile Pond caretakers call for aid
Paga is a very
small town with its own market North of Navrongo right on the Ghana/Burkina
Faso border. It is noted for its sacred pond, which is a sanctuary for
crocodiles.
The crocodiles
are said to be totems for the people of Kassena who reside in Paga and the
surrounding communities. It is believed that each native of Paga has a
corresponding crocodile representing each person's soul.
To this day
there are plenty of crocodiles in the Paga pond and crocodile meat is
forbidden.
At the Paga
pond you can see people collecting water or doing their wash very close to
crocodiles. Local tradition THE SUN was told by a caretaker that, there
have been actual instances when deaths of important personalities in the
community coincided with that of some crocodiles.
The reptiles
are normally enticed out of the pond by the whistling of the caretaker and the
brandishing of a fowl, which the crocodiles quickly snatch with their snouts.
If you are courageous, you can sit on, or hold the beast's tail for a good
camera pose.
The caretaker
charges a fee for the fowl and basic interpretation.
On the more
commercial side of things the crocodiles have brought a sort of road-side
tourist attraction to Paga. The caretakers of the Paga crocodile pond have said
that if the place is not distilled it may ruin the existence of the tourist
attraction.
Speaking to THE
SUN in an interview one of the guards MR. Salifu Awewozem said that the
existence of the pond is because of the torrential rains experienced for the
past three years. One of the crocodiles which he said is ninety years old and
many other of it type needs special feeding to keep them alive.
Mr. Awewozem
said the only source of feeding the crocodiles is when visitors buy fowls to
attract them which he noted is not enough.
He therefore appealed
to government, friends of animals and other organizations to assist keep and
sustain the existence of the crocodile pond
http://gbcghana.com/news/28107detail.html
ZIMBABWE TELEGRAPH (Harare?) 09
September 09 Snake ‘border-jumps’ at Beitbridge post (Sarah Ncube)
Beitbridge: A huge mysterious snake caused a stir at
Beitbridge Border Post yesterday when it allegedly entered into a Kadoma bound
cross-border bus leaving the bus crew and passengers scurrying for cover.
The incident,
which occurred at around 3pm, left scores of travellers and residents of the
border town shell-shocked.
Business at
the country’s busiest border post was temporarily brought to a halt as Zimra
and immigration officers jostled to catch a glimpse of the snake.
According to
witnesses, the reptile measuring about 1,5 metres was allegedly seen coming out
of bag whose owner is unknown before it eventually sneaked got into a
cross-border bus, which was parked at the Zimra search bay.
The bus was
carrying passengers who had just gone through a customs formality.
The driver of
the bus belonging to Gettington Bus Company of Gweru who was visibly shocked
said the snake got into the engine where it sought refuge.
“I was shocked
when I saw a huge snake inside the bus as I was preparing to pull out of the
border post because our bus had already been searched by Zimra officers.
In fact, what
is really shocking is that it (snake) slid into the bonnet despite the heat
emanating from the engine,” said Ezekiel Makambwa, the driver.
South African
police had to be called to the scene and they used pepper spray in a bid to
force the snake to come out of the bus engine, but to no avail.
One of the
travellers then used a wire hook to fish the snake out after, which it was then
stoned to death.
The cross-bus
was by yesterday evening still stuck at the border after having developed a
mechanical fault soon after the incident.
When
zimGossip.com sources visited the border post, there was pandemonium as scores
of travellers shoved and pushed each to catch sight of the dead reptile.
http://www.zimtelegraph.com/?p=2863
CITIZEN-TIMES (Asheville, N Carolina) 09
September 09 Thieves hit Waynesville reptile shop (Jon Ostendorff)
Police charged
a Waynesville man and his nephew with stealing 16 snakes, 11 frogs and five
lizards from a reptile dealer after cutting a hole in the wall of a building
next door to get inside the shop.
Police were
called Sept. 1 to the Green Desert Reptiles on Haywood Street at 7:48 p.m.
because the door was unlocked and snakes were crawling around out of their
cages.
Officers
contacted the owner, Allen Rivera, who had discovered the thieves got in by
making a hole in a common wall his shop shared with the bathroom of the vacant
nightclub John Boys After Dark.
The old
nightclub building had been left unlocked, according to a police report.
Police took
photographs and collected a white plastic container lid that had a shoe print
on it.
The next day,
Det. Tamara Vander Molen met with the shop owner and the owner of the nearby
Tropical Shop, which also snakes in addition to fish and aquarium supplies.
During the
meeting, a customer came to the store and returned a false-water cobra and a
Boiga vine snake to Rivera. The man said he got the snakes from 27-year-old
Terry Carver.
The owner of the
Tropical Shop told Vander Molen he had purchased snakes from Carver and Rivera
told the detective that Carver and his nephews had been in his shop several
times in the last few weeks.
“Mr. Rivera
said that (Carver) has a tattoo of pink cobra on his shoulder and had bragged
about having an albino cobra for a pet,” Vander Molen wrote in her report.
She got a
search warrant for Carver’s home, outbuildings and vehicles on Ray Street.
There she
found some of the missing snakes and all of the lizards. The Malaysian leaf
frogs were never found. She also found an albino cobra and an emerald tree boa
constrictor
Carver arrived
while police were searching the property.
He had keys on
his key ring to a locking aquarium he was using to house his cobra. The
aquarium had been stolen from Rivera’s shop, according to the police report.
He was
arrested on charges of felony breaking and entering, obtaining property by
false pretense, larceny and possession of stolen property.
His bond was
set at $20,000.
Vander Molen
said in her report that Carver, while he was before the magistrate, continually
asked about getting his cobra back, which he said he had owned 3 years. The
detective said she told him that the snake wasn’t legal in North Carolina and
he would have to talk to an attorney.
She said she
asked Carver if the snake was tame.
“It’s mean has
hell,” she recalled him replying.
The detective
then asked if he knew where the closest anti-venom was located in case someone
was bitten. Carver told her he thought there might be some in Charlotte.
Vander Molen
then asked why he didn’t have the snake’s venom sacs removed.
“Carver said
he would never do that to the snake,” she wrote in her report.
Carver’s
18-year-old nephew, Isaac Wayne Carver Sheehan, was also arrested. Police believe
he helped with the break-in.
He was
released on a $5,000 bond, and according to Vander Molen’s report, cooperated
with police.
Shortly after
he was released, while police were still questioning his uncle, he returned to
the magistrate’s office with three pillow cases containing some of the missing
reptiles.
At one point
in his interview with police Sheehan asked about the value of one of the
snakes, a rare and specially bred variety worth about $200.
“He asked if
the California King snake was really worth $4 million,” Vander Molen said.
Most of the
snakes have been returned to Rivera, who was ticketed for having venomous
snakes Aug. 12 in violation of Haywood County’s Animal Control law.
He paid a fine
and moved his venomous snakes to a business in South Carolina. An alligator he
had was taken to the state zoo.
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090909/NEWS01/90909072
TROUW (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 09 September
09 Rattenslang
ontsnapt in Ovezande
Uit een woning
in het Zeeuwse Ovezande is woensdag een rattenslang ontsnapt. De slang, een vrouwtje, is oranje van kleur en zo'n
twee meter lang, meldt de politie. Rattenslangen zijn wurgslangen. Volgens een
politiewoordvoerder kunnen mannetjes nog wel eens agressief zijn. Vrouwtjes zijn
veelal wat braver.
Het dier wist
vermoedelijk via de verwarmingsbuizen van een woning aan de Mauritsstraat te
ontsnappen. Omwonenden zijn volgens de woordvoerder ook al gewaarschuwd goed
uit te kijken dat ze niet gezellig met de slang in bed stappen. Hoe de slang
precies in de verwarmingsbuizen wist te komen, is onduidelijk. De politie vraagt mensen haar te bellen als ze het
dier zien.
http://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2858154.ece/Rattenslang_ontsnapt_in_Ovezande.html
GAZETA (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 09 September 09 Matou
jacarés em Vitória e foi para a cadeia
Um homem foi preso, na noite desta terça-feira (8), no Parque Botânico
da Vale, em Vitória, com dois jacarés. Ele estava acompanhado de um outro homem
que conseguiu fugir da polícia. Os dois jacarés estavam mortos quando a polícia
ambiental chegou ao local. Os animais são da espécie papo-amarelo.
Segundo a polícia, este tipo de crime ambiental acontece com frequência.
Com o homem foi encontrado redes de pesca e um facão usado para matar animais.
O caçador foi preso em flagrante e levado para o DPJ de Vitória. A fiança foi
estipulada em R$ 100,00.
jacaré-do-papo amarelo é classificado como de porte médio. As fêmeas são
menores que os machos. Estes, em condições naturais, nunca excedem 2 m de
comprimento total. Os adultos geralmente
tendem a uma coloração verde-oliva pálida.
Esta espécie apresenta ampla distribuição, habitando ambientes
distintos, tais como lagoas marginais, várzeas, mangues e banhados. Sua
distribuição compreende a região sudeste da América do Sul, incluindo
Argentina, Bolívia, Brasil, Paraguai e Uruguai. No Brasil, ele é encontrado na
região costeira desde o Rio Grande do Norte e Recife até a Lagoa dos Patos e
Mirim, no Rio Grande do Sul. Está presente também nas bacias do São Francisco e
Paraná até o Rio Paraguai, no extremo oeste de sua distribuição.
De modo geral, o Caiman latirostris é um predador oportunista, cuja
alimentação inclui desde insetos, crustáceos e moluscos (nas fases mais
juvenis) até vertebrados. Grandes indivíduos podem consumir grandes presas.
Depositam de 20 a 60 ovos. A construção dos ninhos ocorre durante a
estação chuvosa e pode ser assistida pelo macho. Os ovos são depositados em
duas camadas. O período de incubação é de aproximadamente 70 dias. As fêmeas
têm sido observadas abrindo o ninho durante a eclosão e permanecendo com os
filhotes na água, onde eles serão protegidos por um ou ambos os pais por
período indeterminado.
АРГУМЕНТЫ
В ИЖЕВСКЕ / ARGUMENTS IN
IZHEVSK (Udmurt Republic, Russia)
09 September 09 У
гигантского
питона
ветеринары
Удмуртии
удалили
злокачественную
опухоль (Алиса
Звонкая)
На стол к
ветеринарам
из Ижевска
попал необычный
пациент -
80-килограммовый
питон,
который едва
не умер от
голода.
За помощью к
специалистам
из
Удмуртской Республики
обратились
работники
Белгородского
передвижного
цирка. Они
были не на шутку
встревожены
тем, что их
любимец,
настоящая
звезда
зверинца —
8-летний
тигровый
питон Мотя
перестал есть
и пить, более
того, стал
необычно
агрессивным,
передает Life.
Ветеринары
Удмуртии
приступили к
немедленному
обследованию
и вскоре
выяснили, что
змей
страдает от
злокачественной
опухоли,
которая
образовалось
у него прямо
во рту.
Естественно,
пациент был
немедленно
прооперирован,
ведь Мотя мог
умереть
прямо у них
на руках.
Более двух
часов на
ногах
провели
врачи, оперируя
питона.
Для этого им
пришлось
сначала
заморозить область
пореза, а уж
потом
удалить с помощью
электрического
ножа
страшную
опухоль. В
цирке
признаются,
что уже на
следующий
день после
того, как
Мотя
вернулся,
питон стал
покладистым
и у него
обнаружился
отличный
аппетит.
http://aifudm.net/news/news3600.html
WHIG-STANDARD (Kingston, Ontario) 08
September 09 Blanding's turtle gets a rough ride from
vehicle traffic (Lacy Atalick)
Talk about a
bad break for a hard-luck species.
Blanding's
turtles are considered a threatened species, one step away from endangered, in
large part because of the impact of vehicle traffic in Ontario.
"The most
common reason turtles are brought into us (is) being hit by a car. And that
happens a lot with turtles, it happens a lot with a lot of wildlife, but
turtles can often survive it because of their shell, although the shell is
often terribly injured when they come in," said Nathalie Karvonen,
executive director of the Toronto Wildlife Centre.
The centre
itself was recently rescued -- financially -- when a generous corporate sponsor
came up money to muzzle its financial concerns.
In the wake of
economic downturn, the centre was very worried it wasn't going to get the
corporate funding it needs, but is pleased it will be able to continue the
program thanks to a generous corporate sponsor.
When the
turtles are rescued, they are in shock and a lot of pain, and once given
fluids, antibiotics, or painkillers, the veterinary team can begin to repair
the shell.
In some cases,
all that is needed is a fibreglass patch, but in the case of one turtle who was
at the centre this week, extensive repair was needed.
Maureen
Lilley, a veterinary technician at Toronto Wildlife Centre, said the turtle had
to have a galvanized metal bridge support because he has a crack on the bridge,
between his top and bottom shells, and, like a jigsaw puzzle, he has galvanized
wire drilled into his shell to hold the pieces together.
The Blanding's
turtle will be in the centre over the winter, until he is healed.
Karvonen said
once turtles are hit by a car, because of the trauma, they will start laying
eggs. Most often, they are crossing the road because they are on their way to
lay eggs, which is why the centre is currently incubating eggs from three
species of turtles.
This year they
have gotten about 50 turtles into the centre and expect more in the next month,
until they go into hibernation.
"I think
I'm pretty confident in saying that what we're seeing is just the tip of the
iceberg though," Karvonen said. "I'm sure there are a lot of turtles
that get badly injured and then just crawl off into the nearby marsh area and
just die, unfortunately."
There are
obvious ways to save turtle populations, such as reducing the speed limit in
marsh areas where there is a sensitive turtle habitat, between May and Sept.,
which is being done across the continent, Karvonen said.
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1732694
ORLANDO SENTINEL (Florida) 08 September 09 Sen.
Constantine: Only 10 percent of exotic pet owners obey the law (Gary
Taylor)
A move is
under way to strengthen laws that govern buying, selling and possession of
exotic animals and it will begin with an attempt to limit sales over the
Internet, state legislators and wildlife officials said this morning.
State Sen. Lee
Constantine said there is a good law in place, requiring permits and
registration, but studies show only 10 percent of exotic animal owners obey it.
"We believe it is a good law," he said.
Changes will
include enhancing penalties for repeat offenses, officials said. A first-time
offense is a misdemeanor with a relatively small fine, but repeat offenders
could face prison time and see the fine grow to as much as $10,000.
Ken Wright, a
commissioner with the Florida and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,
said the goal is compliance so that owners of the animals don't release them
into the wild. The licensing fee will remain at $100, so as not to become a
burden for owners, he said.
An amnesty day
will be held around the state Oct. 3. Locally, it will be from 10 a.m. to 2
p.m. at Gatorland, between Orlando and Kissimmee. Any exotic animal can be
surrendered, no questions asked, commission spokeswoman Joy Hill said.
Officials have
identified six species of interest, strictly because of the size to which they
grow. They are Burmese, African rock, scrub and reticulated pythons, the green
anaconda and the Nile monitor lizard.
Hunters this
fall will be encouraged to kill any of these reptiles they encounter, Wright
said. But any citizen can kill them without fear or repercussion, he said.
The commission
will hold a two-day meeting beginning at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday and one of the
first items to be discussed will be this issue, Wright said. The public is
invited to attend and discuss the issue, he said.
PHNOM PENH POST (Cambodia) 08 September
09 Crocodile
exports plummet - Figures compiled for the first time estimate live-animal
sales fell up to 65 percent this season amid export-licensing push (Nguon
Sovan)
About
three-quarters of Cambodian crocodile farms applied for licences this year to
comply with new export requirements, but the number of live young crocodiles
and skins exported plummeted during the recent hatching season, according to
official figures compiled for the first time.
Cambodia
exported just 35,000 young crocodiles to Vietnam and 2,000 crocodile skins to
Thailand between May and July, down from an estimated 100,000 live exports last
year, said Heng Sovannara, chief of the Crocodile Development Division at the
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Juvenile
crocodiles are typically sold between May and July each year, with the bulk
going to Vietnam and Thailand. However, buyers from Thailand stayed away this
year, Heng Sovannara said, blaming the economic downturn and political tension
between the two countries.
But Nao Thuok,
director general of the ministry's Fisheries Administration, said the downturn
was also due to ministry pressure on farms to export skins rather than young
crocodiles.
"This
year, exports dropped because we have restricted exports of crocodile
babies," he said. "We want farmers to raise crocodiles for skins
rather than export young crocodiles."
Under a new
ministry policy, crocodile farmers must register with the ministry before they
can legally export. Around 380 out of the estimated 500 crocodile farms across
Cambodia registered this year, Heng Sovannara said. "Farmers rushed to
have their farms registered after our officials said they would not be able to
sell crocodiles overseas if they did not apply for a licence," he said.
The crocodile
chief said the new policy would make it easier to track sales.
Falling prices
in recent years have devastated local crocodile hatcheries. In 2003, when a
juvenile fetched as much as $40, there were nearly 1,000 crocodile farms in
Cambodia, but prices dropped as low as $12 last year, leading to the closure of
around half of all farms, Heng Sovannara said.
Prices have
since risen to around $15 for a high-quality juvenile, though poor-quality
specimens still go for just $12, he added.
Kaing Sarin,
owner of a 2-hectare crocodile farm in Kandal province's Kandal Stung district,
said he sold 7,000 juvenile crocodiles this season, up from around 500 babies
last year. "The price this year was much better," he said.
Siem Reap
crocodile farmer Khoeu Chhin said he sold 3,000 juvenile crocodiles this year
for around $15 each, up from 700 at $13 last year.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009090828253/Business/crocodile-exports-plummet.html
EVENING NEWS (Norwich, UK) 08 September 09 I came
face to face with snake (Tracey Gray)
A pensioner
has told how he found a snake in the back garden of his home in Norwich.
Andy Street,
72, was relaxing with a cup of tea on Monday afternoon when he was confronted
by the snake, which he believes could have been an adder.
Mr Street, who
is disabled, had gone out to sit on a bench in his back garden at his home in
Eastern Avenue, Thorpe St Andrew, when he saw the snake come from under the
feet of the bench and then make towards a recycling box in his yard.
He said: “It
was hissing and trying to spit, its tongue was going in and out quite rapidly.”
He did manage
to take some snaps of the slippery customer before it slithered off into
undergrowth a few feet from Mr Street's house.
He said: “I
checked a while later, using a rake to move the undergrowth, but the snake had
gone.”
Mr Street has
shown the pictures he took to colleagues in his local forestry and gardening
club, some of whom think it may be a grass snake and others who say it could be
an adder.
Mr Street
said: “I just want people to be aware, because if it was an adder, I would not
want it hurting animals or small children.”
The adder is
the only venomous snake native to Britain. Adders have the most highly
developed venom injecting mechanism of all snakes, but they are not aggressive
animals.
They will only
use their venom as a last means of defence, usually if caught or trodden on.
No one has
died from adder bite in Britain for over 20 years. With proper treatment, the
worst effects are nausea and drowsiness, followed by severe swelling and
bruising in the area of the bite.
They are
usually relatively common in areas of rough, open countryside and are often associated
with woodland edge habitats.
Kelly
Marie-Lumley, who works at Hallswood Animal Sanctuary, said: “It looks like the
snake in the picture is a grass snake as adders tend to have more distinctive
zig zag markings.”
THE HINDU (Chennai, India) 08 September 09 Trussst
no one - Sand boas are smuggled because of superstitions and myth. (Reeja Radhakrishnan)
Sand Boas have
been in the news. They are being stolen from protected environments! How could
this happen? Or rather why does this happen?
Trussst in me,
jussssst in me
You can
ssssssleep safe and sound
Knowing I’m
around” hissed Kaa to a totally enchanted Mowgli in Jungle Book.
But Kaa’s
cousins the Red Sand Boas, especially some of them who had the misfortune of
spending their lives in sundry zoos and snake parks can’t even trust their
keepers and sleep safe. Poaching in the wild is an occupational hazard for us
denizens of the jungle but poaching from right under the protectors’ noses is a
totally different game.
Eight sand
boas were stolen from Guindy Snake Park, Chennai (two of these who managed to
slither out their captors’ clutches, were discovered later!) and three more
from Vandalur Zoo, Chennai, all in two nights in July. Elsewhere, in the
Trivandrum Zoo, around the same time, one sand boa went missing as also another
kept under lock and key in the Government Ayurvedic College there. There have
been more poacher tales from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh where poachers have
been caught with stolen snakes. In one bizarre instance, forest officials in
Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh caught some poachers with a boa weighing three kilos
which they retrieved after paying a fine of Rupees one lakh! It only means one
thing — the boas are going to fetch them huge, huge money in the market Boa
poachers have also been caught in towns like Erode, Tirunelveli, Pollachi and
Coimbatore.
Suddenly, the
Red sand boas are becoming big on the poachers’ to do list. These poor
creatures are totally harmless and non -poisonous. As an endangered species,
they are protected under the Animal Protection Act. Of Wildlife Act 1972.
Coming back to
why they have become hot property, it’s superstitions and myth that drive these
poachers to smuggle the boas. Red Boas are said to bring good fortune and money
to those who sprinkle their homes with the blood of these creatures. Poachers
also have a huge market abroad where they are used for supposed medical
research ( cure for leprosy, cancer, AIDS…) and in South Asian Countries, they
are served up on the dinner tables. In the West, they prefer to keep the boas
as pets since they are not poisonous and therefore harmless. A snake weighing
around four kilos would fetch as much as a crore (100,00000) of rupees which is
why there is such scramble to catch them from the forests, zoos, wherever else.
Sometimes, I
wish these guys had the sting, don’t you ?
Boa marks
With a rather
funky species name — Eryx johni,
these boas are born red with black stripes. As they grow, the red dulls to
orange and then to brown with maybe a few orange lines. A fully grown sand boa
may sometimes measure up to three feet in length and have very polished scales.
They have a wedge-shaped head, with a narrow nose and of course the trademark
snake beady eyes. With their nose tips hard, allowing them to dig into the
ground, they are good at burrowing. Their tail is what makes them unique — it
is rounded, blunt and almost looks like its head, which is why they are called
Do-mugha in Hindi and Eruthalai Pambu in Tamil. To confuse issues, they have a
habit of coiling up and raising their tail when they get disturbed or alarmed.
http://www.hindu.com/yw/2009/09/08/stories/2009090850051100.htm
THE TELEGRAPH (London, UK) 08 September
09 Injured
turtle fitted with furniture coasters
Photo: Lucky the Box turtle had his front legs
bitten off by a Racoon. He has now had furniture sliders fitted under his shell
so he can slide around (Barcroft)
A turtle has
been fitted with furniture coasters after his front legs were bitten off by a
racoon.
Sally Pyne,
60, felt compelled to act after seeing her beloved pet Lucky struggling with
his injuries.
Mrs Pyne said:
"He was in so much pain, I was ready to let little Lucky go, but Lucky,
wasn't ready to give up. He was shoving himself around on his two back legs. He
was not going to quit."
So she took
the animal to her local vet who stitched and bandaged him up. However, repairing
the wound left Lucky almost completely immobile until a reptile expert
suggested attaching four furniture coasters with double-sided sticky tape to
Lucky's underbelly to raise his front to the right height.
Now Lucky's
back at his Petaluma, California home that he shares with Mrs Pyne and his box
turtle girlfriend, Lovey.
Mrs Pyne said:
"Lucky's adapted very quickly, and is walking just like he did before.
"As for
Lovey, she doesn't seem to have noticed a difference in her playmate, she's still
resisting his amorous advances!"
NAPLES NEWS (Florida) 08 September 09 Snakes
alive: We are too bitten by python mania (Jeff Lytle)
Summer of the
snake? Python mania has south Florida wrapped in its coils. Recently, the
hysteria hit its zenith when two photos of our local, and harmless, red rat
snake appeared in the Naples Daily News. The photographers asked if they
were juvenile Burmese pythons. It’s a foregone conclusion that many of our
local snakes will be mistaken for exotic constrictors and killed for it. A
simple suggestion to locals: take a trip to your local bookseller and pick up
the reptile edition of the “Florida’s Fabulous” series. It has big, glossy
pictures of our local snakes. With just a few minutes of review, Floridians
should easily pick out the most common snakes in our area: black racer, red rat
(or corn snake), yellow rat, ringneck, and water snake. None of these are
venomous or even similar to a venomous snake, or to a python for that matter.
And if you’re not sure, for safety’s sake, just leave it alone.
I firmly
believe the problem with pythons has been highly exaggerated. I think there are
pockets of python habitat but their impact is not widespread. The state’s
python hunters have wrestled up and dispatched less than a dozen snakes in the
past month or so. With this low of a body count, it doesn’t appear to be an
issue of prolific pythons. I personally spend a fair bit of time in our local
woods and swamps and haven’t seen the first one.
But should we
remove the ones we do find? Absolutely. Burmese pythons can grow from
hatchlings to reptilian monsters in short order. A friend of mine grew one from
20 inches to 9 feet in a year. The record length Burmese was over 26 feet and
tipped the scales at 400 pounds. That animal was a pampered, and well fed,
captive snake. However, 16-18 feet for the average Burmese is not out of the
question. At that size raccoons, opossum, small deer and pigs are easily killed
and consumed. That makes them an equal opportunity competitor with the Florida
panther.
I fully
support the game commission ruling that requires “Reptiles of Concern” be
microchipped for identification purposes. Yes, there will be rule breakers. One
was recently caught over on the east coast. But hopefully this law will
discourage others from even wanting an animal that will eventually outgrow the
home and limited expertise of the average pet owner.
Will we ever
rid ourselves of invasive snakes? No, but like our recent coyote problem we can
simply hope to manage their numbers. Aside from competing with our local
predators, big snakes can kill us, too. Even for a professed snake lover, if I
encounter a python while enjoying our local wilderness, it would be my duty to
destroy it. And now that the state’s outdoorsmen have the official green light
to kill pythons, I trust there will be more invasive reptile management this
fall. Hunters can eliminate the big snakes with a headshot from a safe
distance. The unarmed suburbanite does not have that advantage. Some recommend
that pythons be dispatched with a shovel or machete. Unless one is
knowledgeable regarding snake behavior, I don’t recommend this chore at close
range for the novice. Remember, most snake bites occur trying to catch or kill
one.
http://www.naplesnews.com/blogs/daves-wild-life/2009/sep/08/snakes/
LANCASTER NEW ERA (Pennsylvania) 08 September
09 Big
threat to a little turtle (Ad Crable)
The diminutive
bog turtle, a creature discovered for the world in Lancaster County in the 18th
century, is facing yet another threat to its long precarious existence.
Already on the
federal threatened list and endangered in Pennsylvania, the secretive bog
turtles are now turning up dead, possibly victims of a new, mysterious disease.
With another
suddenly occurring and heretofore unknown disease on the road to possibly
wiping out most of Pennsylvania's bat population within several years, fans of
the bog turtle are fearful at what might be creeping through isolated turtle
colonies in the eastern United States.
In recent
months, dead and diseased bog turtles have shown up in Pennsylvania, New York,
Massachusetts and New Jersey.
In some cases,
there has been no apparent cause of death. Bog turtles fall prey to such
predators as raccoons, mice, skunks, foxes and birds but a mauling is usually
obvious.
One
unsubstantiated report says seven or eight empty shells were found near each
other last year at a bog turtle site in Lebanon County.
Other living
turtles have been found with a film on their bodies. Missing claws and skin
lesions and sloughing skin also have been found.
The U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service was sufficiently alarmed to issue a bog turtle disease
alert in August.
Those who
study and watch over known bog turtle populations are being asked to send dead
bog turtles to the National Wildlife Health Center for analysis.
"It could
be devastating to bog turtles," says George Gress, The Nature
Conservancy's project manager of the 100-acre Acopian Preserve in northern
Lancaster County.
"It's
something that comes on the heels of the white-nose syndrome with the bat
population so it has people nervous."
Writes Tim
Abbott, a former TNC overseer of bog turtle conservation, about sites he
oversaw in Massachusetts, Connecticut and eastern New York: "This is
extremely troubling news...Past research indicates that the loss of just one
breeding adult a year at these sites would be enough to tip the balance toward
extirpation."
Bog turtles have
a very low reproduction rate.
So far, Gress
reports, no dead or diseased bog turtles have been found in a bog turtle
preserve in West Cocalico Township.
The Acopian
Preserve, purchased by the nonprofit conservation group in 1989 with financial
help from Easton businessman Sarkis Acopian, used to contain the largest bog
turtle population in Pennsylvania.
It once had
about 100 bog turtles, but now estimates are closer to 60.
Some of the
decline is believed to be from predation. And some, despite monitoring by the
group and nearby residents, by poachers. Bog turtles, despite a ban on
possessing or taking them from the wild, remain a black market mainstay.
Only reaching
a maximum size of 4 inches, bog turtles are "cute" and highly
desirable by unscrupulous hobbyists.
The Acopian
Preserve remains a crucial link in bog turtle research because its colony has
been studied longer than any other in the United States.
Turtles there
have been marked and studied for almost 40 years and there are two turtles
still living there that are at least 49 years old.
"They are
the oldest known bog turtles in the wild in their range," notes Gress.
In the near
future, bog turtles at the preserve and two others TNC manages in Cumberland
and Monroe counties, will have tiny, electronic tags injected into their body
cavities.
About the size
of a grain of rice, the tags would enable law enforcement to identify the
turtles' source if, for example, they are confiscated in an illegal trade
sting.
TNC is also
preparing to install surveillance cameras at bog turtle sites, including at the
Acopian Preserve, Gress said.
The bog turtle
was discovered by the Rev. Gotthilf Hunrich Ernst Muhlenberg, a Colonial-era
self-taught botanist who was responsible for the names of about 150 species of
plants.
Muhlenberg was
involved in a survey of plants in Lancaster County when he inadvertently came
across a tiny turtle.
The turtle was
named in 1801 "Clemmys muhlenbergii"
or Muhlenberg's tortoise. In 1956, when
the custom of using common names to commemorate individuals fell out of favor,
the turtle was renamed bog turtle.
Bog turtles,
actually, don't live so much in wetlands as in streamside meadows filled with
sedge grasses. They spend much of their lives basking in the sun.
Cattle grazing
in Lancaster County and elsewhere have actually been beneficial to bog turtles
as they keep such meadows from evolving into forests.
Their shells
are usually black or mahogany. Their most telltale characteristic is a
prominent yellow or orange splotch on each side of the head behind the eye.
The spotted
turtle looks similar and shares bog turtle habitat but the spotted has yellow
or light spots on the upper shell.
Most of us
will never see one of these divine creatures. But keep your fingers crossed
they remain out there, part of the web of life that keeps us whole.
http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/241932
WJBF (Atlanta, Georgia) 08 September
09 Man
Bitten By Copperhead Snake In Goose Creek, SC Wal-Mart
Goose Creek,
SC: A man in his mid 30’s was bitten by
a Copperhead snake at the Goose Creek Wal-Mart in their Lawn and Garden Center.
Authorities
killed the snake at the store, and placed it in an ambulance with the man for
species identification.
The Goose
Creek Fire Department tell us that only one of the snake’s fangs entered the
man.
He was
expected to be released from the hospital Monday night.
The identity
of the man and his condition are not being made public at this time.
The Copperhead
snake is a venomous snake.
It’s most
commonly found in the Eastern part of the United States, especially here in the
Carolinas.
It can be
recognized by the tan color and dark bands on their bodies along with the
copper color of their head.
While there
are a lot of cases of venomous Copperhead snake bites, luckily their bite is
the least dangerous and is rarely fatal.
THIS DAY (Lagos, Nigeria) 08 September 09 Snake
Bite Kills 9 in Gombe
Gombe State
government has confirmed that nine out of about300 patients admitted for
treatment of snake bite at the Snake Bite Treatment Centre attached to the
Kaltungo General Hospital last month were dead as a result of shortage of
drugs.
This follows
non-provision of the anti snake venom drug by theFederal Ministry of Health. The Centre, established by the state
government due to rampant snake bite in the area, was taken over by the Federal
Government in 1999, and transformed into a centre for the treatment of snake
bite victims from eight Northern states, with the aim of making it a National
Centre for DiseasesControl. Making the
revelation while fieldong questions from newsmen, the Centre's Chief Medical
Officer, Dr Abubakar Saidu Balla, said
from January to date, the Centre has received over 1600 patients from
Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Jigawa, Gombe, Taraba, Plateau and Nassarawa states, as
well as Abuja, out of which about 30 were dead.
Balla said the
high rate of deaths recorded was as a result of non-availability of the anti
snake venom, which wasusually administered free, because most of the victims
were peasant farmers or cattle breeders who could not afford to pay for the
drug which costs about N30,000.
He said one
dose of the anti snake venom produced by a team of Nigerian and British
Professors in Liverpool, at $45 per dose was enough to treat the patients
because of its high efficacy, adding that "for now, we have no option than
to ask the patient to buy the vales from open market.
Before now, a patient
requires only a vale of the Echitab G or Echitab Plus to be cured, but now,
four vales of FAV AFRIQUE vaccine, the onlyavailable anti venom in the open
market now. At the cost of about N7000
far vale. Over 20 patients absconded when they cannot afford the cost of the
vales."
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=153884
REDWOOD FALLS GAZETTE (Minnesota)
08 September 09 Dahmes sees rattlesnake? (Joshua Dixon)
Redwood Falls,
Minn.: Alexis Dahmes believes he saw a
timber rattlesnake in his son’s garage in the hills north of Morton.
“Rattlesnakes
like to be on the south side of bluffs,” he said last week, looking over the
south side of the bluff his son’s garage is on.
Dahmes has
been living at his son Adonis’ house for the past three months while his own
Redwood Falls home is being remodeled.
During the
evening of Aug. 21, Dahmes strolled into his son’s garage to put some tools
away.
A rattling
sound stopped him.
Turning, he
saw a snake rearing up again a wall behind the door.
“I was
startled, but not scared,” Dahmes said. “I didn’t get scared until two days
later, thinking back about it.”
At the time,
all Dahmes could think to do was grab a nearby metal pole and prepare to
strike.
By then, the
snake was gone, disappeared through a hole near the concrete foundation.
“It’s against
the law to kill rattlesnakes, but there is a right to defend yourself,” Dahmes
said.
If so, it
would be the second time Dahmes has encountered a timber rattlesnake in
Minnesota.
“In 1986, I
was walking near Pickerel Lake, 20 minutes from downtown St. Paul, and stepped
on one,” he said. “A big, big, big tail came up and started rattling.
“I jumped back
about 10 feet and got hysterical. I grabbed a branch and hit it for about five
minutes before it went away.
“It was like hitting
a rubber tire.”
As a landscape
painter who prefers to work from life, Dahmes is often in the great outdoors,
far from roads and hospitals.
“I really have
to get some leather boots,” Dahmes added. “I usually go out in sandals.”
Redwood Falls
Animal Control Officer Ken Harmon says he’s never heard of a rattlesnake in
these parts and has never been called out to deal with one.
According to
the DNR, timber rattlesnakes are common in southeastern Minnesota.
However, Jenny
Scoates, RN, a nurse at the Redwood Area Hospital emergency room, said it’s not
unheard of for people in these parts to have rattlesnakes as pets.
“I talked to a
biologist friends, who told me some Texas diamondback rattlesnakes get brought
up here as pets,” said Dahmes. “They don’t attack very often; they usually want
to run away. But if you step on them, they’ll bite.”
“We don’t keep
anti-venom on hand, and neither do the Marshall or Willmar hospitals,” said
Scoates. “Generally, people who keep snakes have their own anti-venom.”
Luckily,
there’s more time to work than most people are aware of.
“It’s best to
get the anti-venom within four to six hours, but it can be effective for up to
24 hours,” said Scoates.
“There are
over a thousand varieties of anti-venom available,” pointed out Acute Care
Manager Jo Kremin. “We’d also contact law enforcement to make sure the snake
isn’t still out there.”
“It would help
to see the snake if the person could bring it in,” said Scoates.
“The
anti-venom outdates quickly,” said hospital administrator Jim Schulte.
If someone is
brought in with a snakebite, the hospital’s procedure is to administer first
aid to clean the wound and suction any venom out, then transport the patient to
a larger facility.
As for Dahmes,
he hasn’t been avoiding the garage. Just the opposite; he’s been visiting it
several times a day, often going out of his way to smoke as many cigars inside
as he can.
“Snakes want
to stay away from people, and I want them to know the garage is my space,” he
said.”
http://www.redwoodfallsgazette.com/news/x1595423391/Dahmes-sees-rattlesnake
STANDARD-TIMES (New Bedford, Massachusetts)
08 September 09 Dog catcher? This time she's a snake catcher (Don Cuddy)
Dartmouth's
animal control officer, Sandra Gosselin, is considering expanding her job
description after her most recent brush with the animal kingdom.
Gosselin has
had a few unusual calls over the years, but few that compare to the recovery of
an 8-foot boa constrictor from Jones Beach in Dartmouth on Wednesday of last
week.
"It was a
red tail boa that was just laying there by the wall," Gosselin said.
"The police called me about a snake. Usually it ends up being a garden
snake. When I saw this thing, I said, 'Yikes! That's no garden snake.'"
Undaunted,
Gosselin fetched her snake tongs, but the reptile's bulk — she estimated its
weight at 20 to 25 pounds — proved too much for the small tool, and she was
forced to grab the snake herself.
"I
recognized it was a boa, so I didn't think it was going to strike," she
said. "I took a course in handling snakes years ago when I was getting
certified, so I had some idea how to pick it up."
Fortunately,
the snake proved docile and it was taken to the Humane Society of Dartmouth.
"Either
it was cold or it was used to being handled," Gosselin said. The snake was
subsequently turned over to the care of Marla Isaac, who runs New England
Reptile and Raptor in Taunton and is an expert in the care of snakes and birds
of prey.
The boa
apparently had been abandoned at the beach by someone who no longer wished to
take care of it, according to Gosselin.
"It
couldn't have been there very long," she said. "These snakes cannot
survive in our weather, not to mention the fact that there are small pets and
children around. Marla does educational shows, so it will be well cared for."
Boas normally
are fed rats and mice in captivity and can live from 20 to 30 years, requiring
a long-term commitment from their owners.
"Whoever
let it go is not a very responsible person and should be ashamed of themselves.
It is abandonment, which is a crime," Gosselin said.
A recent
incident in Florida — a 2-year-old child was asphyxiated in her crib by a pet
python that had escaped from its terrarium — made national headlines.
While the
Dartmouth boa was unlikely to have posed a threat to humans at Jones Beach, it
undoubtedly would have disturbed anyone who might have encountered it,
"especially if they didn't like snakes," Gosselin said.
It was another
day on the job for Gosselin, whose last memorable encounter came in response to
a report of a loose bull.
"That
turned out to be a 15-year-old Scottish highlander cow with a 4-foot spread on
its horns. She gave us a run for our money," Gosselin said. "And most
people think that animal control is just dogs and cats."
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090908/NEWS/909080328
ST PETERSBURG TIMES (Florida) 08
September 09 Toxic metal laces snakes (Craig Pittman)
Even as state
officials are expanding their python-hunting program in South Florida,
scientists have discovered that the exotic Burmese pythons slithering around in
the Everglades have a surprising problem.
Tissue samples
taken from two dozen of the enormous constrictors captured in Everglades
National Park turned out to have what National Park Service officials call
"extraordinarily high levels of mercury."
Now scientists
are trying to figure out how the toxic chemical got there and what effect it
has on the snakes. Meanwhile, though, they're worried about the hunters the
state wildlife commission has licensed to kill the snakes. "I hope they
don't eat them," said Kristin Hart of the U.S. Geological Survey.
One of the 13
people that state officials licensed in July to hunt pythons, Greg Graziani,
said he's well aware of the mercury risks. "I wouldn't eat it, not with
the problem they have with mercury."
But he's a
professional, running Graziani Reptiles in Venus. What Graziani is concerned
about are the people who signed up to hunt something else, but now will get to
add pythons to their to-do list.
On Aug. 29,
state wildlife officials expanded their python-hunting program to include
anyone who has a license to hunt on one of South Florida's state-run wildlife
management areas: Everglades and Francis S. Taylor, Holey Land, Rotenberger and
Big Cypress. The folks using compound bows to kill deer or muzzle-loading
rifles to hunt wild boar in those areas now have permission to target
"reptiles of concern" as well.
State
officials said recently that they have no idea how many people are licensed to
hunt on those wildlife management areas. Still, they defended the decision to
expand the cadre of python killers.
"It is
only natural that we enlist the aid of hunters," said wildlife commission
Chairman Rodney Barreto. "Historically, hunters have played a great role
with wildlife conservation in this country, and they know the land and have a
vested interest in conserving native habitat and game species."
But Graziani
contended it just shows that state wildlife officials "have gotten wrapped
up in the hysteria" over pythons.
And he worries
that inexperienced hunters may not know about the pythons' mercury problem and
try to sell the meat or eat it themselves. After all, he said, "they're
shooting everything else out there and eating it."
There could be
big money in the meat. Considered lighter and tastier than other reptile meat,
it currently sells for $50 a pound from California suppliers such as the Exotic
Meat Market.
"People
are calling me all day long" looking for it, said owner Anshu Pathak.
Now he gets
his python from Vietnam. He would much rather buy from Florida wholesalers.
"I'd
rather buy American," he explained.
So far the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hasn't told its
python-hunters, who so far have killed 17 snakes, not to sell or eat the meat,
spokeswoman Pat Behnke said.
In humans as
well as animals, mercury can cause abnormal development, poor coordination,
paralysis, even death. Biologists discovered 20 years ago that the River of
Grass was polluted with mercury, probably from coal-fired power plants, smelters
and incinerators.
When
smokestacks belch mercury-laden smoke into the air, it returns to the earth via
rain, converting to a more toxic form called methylmercury in lakes, rivers and
oceans. Small fish absorb it and it builds up as they are eaten by bigger ones,
a process called bioaccumulation.
In the
Everglades, scientists have found mercury in fish, raccoons, alligators, wading
birds, even Florida panthers.
In the late
1990s, state officials cracked down on mercury emissions from South Florida's municipal
and medical waste incinerators. Mercury emissions measured in South Florida
dropped by 93 percent between 1991 and 2000, and the mercury level in the birds
dropped nearly 70 percent. Nevertheless, the levels in fish and other animals
remain high enough within Everglades National Park that state officials have
posted warnings against eating them.
With the
python problem looming larger and larger this summer, biologists sent out for
laboratory tests on 25 tissue samples from snakes killed in the various parts
of the park between July 2006 and August 2008.
"When we
got the test results back, we were surprised at the high levels," said
Linda Friar, a spokeswoman for Everglades National Park.
The pythons
had roughly three times as much mercury in them as the alligators, Hart said.
The high levels could be the result of bioaccumulation, she said, since the
pythons will eat just about anything that crosses their path.
Scientists
with state and federal agencies are preparing a broader investigation of the problem.
Among the questions they hope to answer: What effect is the mercury having on
the snakes?
"We're
not seeing any type of problem with reproduction among pythons," Hart
said. "We're seeing very healthy babies. They're so fat and ready to go,
it's scary."
http://www.tampabay.com/SearchForwardServlet.do?articleId=1034196
STRC REGION-TYUMEN / ГТРК
РЕГИОН-ТЮМЕНЬ (Russia)
08 September 09 Впервые на
Ямале в
змеином
семействе
произошло
пополнение (Марина
Зыгина)
Скользкий
подарок
новоуренгойцам
преподнесла
одна из
питомцев
детской
экологической
станции.
Самка
сетчатого питона
снесла
кладку из 39
яиц.
Для
счастливых
сотрудников
местного зоопарка
- это
по-настоящему
значимое
событие. Потому
что змеи, не
привыкшие к
климату северных
широт, как
правило, не
размножаются.
На
будущее
потомство
взглянули
участники
телеэкспедиции
«Север 2009».
Змея
достаточно
большая. Это
рекордсмен по
своей длине
среди змей.
Они
вырастают до
10 и даже 12
метров в
длину.
Еще
ночью
методист
Владимир
Солодков принимал
роды, и вот
теперь -
рассказывает
местным
школьникам о
небывалом
для Ямала
событии.
Сейчас
пятиметровая
многодетная
мамочка
отдыхает. А 39
еще
невылупившихся
змеенышей
греются в
инкубаторе.
Если
не подведет
техника, то к 1
декабря, дню рождения
экологической
станции, ее
сотрудники и
юные натуралисты
смогут
посмотреть
на маленьких
питомцев.
«Работать
было
достаточно
сложно,
потому что
змеи у нас не
ручные, не
дрессированные.
Но самка в
этот раз вела
себя
спокойно,
позволила
нам забрать
все яйца и положить
их в
инкубатор», -
рассказал
методист
детской
экологической
станции
Нового Уренгоя
Владимир
Солодков.
К
пополнению
готовились
долго и
тщательно, -
рассказывают
специалисты.
В условиях северного
климата не
то, что
размножать,
поддерживать
жизнь южных
животных и
птиц очень
сложно. Как
отметила и.о.
директора
детской
экологической
станции
Надежда
Колебанова,
порой
специалистам
сложно
поддерживать
температуру
в помещении,
влажность,
если это
необходимо.
«У
нас, на
станции,
работают
очень
увлеченные своим
делом
педагоги,
энтузиасты.
Без их интереса,
без их
энтузиазма
нельзя было
бы создать
такое
учреждение», -
подчеркнула
она.
Для
жителей
города, где
девять
месяцев в году
лежит снег.
Существование
подобного учреждения
крайне важно,
- считают
сотрудники
станции.
Особенно для
детей. Здесь
они не только
общаются с
миром
природы, но и
учатся
ухаживать,
кормить и
заботиться о
птицах и
зверях.
Учатся
писать
исследовательские
работы и
проводить
экскурсии
Детская
экологическая
станция -
уникальное и
единственное
на Ямале
учреждение
такого рода.
Это база для
различных
экологических
и биологических
исследований.
Сегодня
здесь живут
более 80 видов
животных,
есть своя
теплица и
несколько
аквариумов.
Причем у
каждого оказавшегося
здесь
питомца есть
своя, особенная
история.
Например,
тундовый
лебедь Феня
приехал сюда
из Ямбурга.
Из- за юных
лет не смог
улететь со
своей стаей.
Здесь ему
создали все
условия для
жизни. И вот
теперь,
похоже, он
никуда не
собирается
улетать.
Птицы,
рыбы, змеи и
другая
живность.
Здесь
никогда не
бывает
полной
тишины. Когда
заходишь в
помещение
Детской
экологической
станции,
забываешь,
что
находишься
на Крайнем
Севере. Это
настоящий
оазис среди
снегов, где
школьники
соприкасаются
с миром природы
круглый год.
http://tyumen.rfn.ru/rnews.html?id=61967&cid=7