HERP NEWS 270/2009
MONGOMERY ADVERTISER (Alabama) 27
September 09 Death likely from snake bite to neck
Dothan
(AP): A Dothan man has died from
apparent snake bites.
Henry County
coroner Derek Wright said 65-year-old Larry D. Lewis died Friday.
Wright said he
thought at first that Lewis died from heat stroke but then found two puncture
wounds on the right side of the Lewis' neck and his right hand.
Wright said
Lewis' son found his father collapsed next to a tractor in a field on the
family farm in Henry County. Wright estimates Lewis was bitten about 12 p.m.
Friday.
Rescue workers
didn't find the snake, but Wright said it likely was a rattle snake.
That Lewis was
bitten in the neck probably is what made the attack fatal, Wright said.
TIMES LEADER (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) 27
September 09 Musk turtle has many tricks to deter predators (Tom Venesky)
For a while I
thought the musk turtle would be one species that Rick Koval and I wouldn’t be
able to check off our list.
The small,
rare turtle was proving hard to find until a bit of luck at a Luzerne County
wetlands last week when we finally located a musk, or “stinkpot” turtle.
Like most
reptiles and amphibians, there is a reason behind its name.
The musk
turtle gets its name thanks to glands that run alongside its body that emit an
odor. The odor, Koval said, is a deterrent against predators.
And when that
doesn’t work, the little turtle has other tricks up its shell.
Specifically,
the stinkpot uses its dark green/black shell as perfect camouflage in its
aquatic environment. When it basks, the wet dome-shaped shell resembles a small
rock poking out of the water’s surface.
It’s easy to
overlook.
The musk
turtle that Koval and I found had a perfect shell clear of algae, which was
unique.
“Even though I
haven’t encountered many, they all usually have an algae that grows on the
shell,” said Koval, a naturalist with the North Branch Land Trust. “It’s a symbiotic
relationship because the algae camouflages the turtle and uses its shell as a
host. When the turtle rises, the algae is exposed to light which helps for
photosynthesis.”
The musk
turtle is the smallest turtle in the eastern United States but it has a
voracious appetite, feeding on decomposing animal matter at the bottom of a
lake along with worms, larvae and aquatic insects.
Musk turtles
are more common farther south, and Luzerne County represents the northern-most
reaches of its range. They are very secretive and spend most of their time in
the water away from predators.
http://www.timesleader.com/sports/Musk_turtle_has_many_tricks_to_deter_predators_09-27-2009.html
SOUTH FLORIDA
Boca Raton: Sea turtle specialist David Anderson drove
two miles of beaches Sunday, looking for any signs of turtle nests or
hatchlings. He didn't see a thing.
"We seem
to be getting done earlier because there are so few nests on the beach,"
Anderson said.
Boca Raton's
beaches saw fewer turtles in 2009 than any year since they started keeping
records in 1988. Anderson on Sunday gave this year's final presentation on the
nesting season to about 60 people at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. The season
officially ends Oct. 31.
So far, the
beach has seen 361 loggerheads, 21 leatherbacks and 67 green turtles. Whereas
Boca Raton beaches saw upward of 900 to 1,000 turtles a year during the early
1990s, so far in 2009, they've only had 535, including loggerheads,
leatherbacks, green turtles and other types of turtles.
"It
certainly is alarming and discouraging," Anderson said. "There's so
many variables."
He said it was
hard to find one factor to blame for the low turtle turnout, a phenomenon being
seen around the nation.
Commercial
fishing, beach development and pollution are some of the biggest human factors
involved. The salinity of the sand and beach erosion can also play a part.
"Our
experience is that the humans are the ones doing the damage," said Richard
Adcock, 85, who is visiting from La Paz, Mexico. Adcock ran a diving business
in Mexico for 43 years.
His friend
Fred Metcalf, of Fort Myers, didn't see much hope for the turtles.
"It's
hard to imagine the sea turtles surviving as a nesting species in Florida,
given the beach development," he said.
Still, others
hoped that awareness could turn the tide.
"It's
evident that people need to be educated about the disorientation of the sea
turtles that comes from light pollution, the danger of long-line fishing,"
said Kari Oeltjen, of Boca Raton. "And most importantly, to visit nature
centers to learn how to protect them."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/sfl-gumbo-sea-turtles-p092709,0,4988982.story
BURNABY
Mayor Derek
Corrigan is saying it's now or never for a multi-million-dollar Burnaby Lake
dredging project that's been stopped dead in its tracks by an endangered turtle.
"The
project will either go ahead immediately or it's just gone," said
Corrigan. "If this opportunity is missed, then that will be it."
The city was
poised to start dredging this past Wednesday to remove 200,000 cubic metres of
sediment - enough to fill 24,000 truck loads or 80 Olympic-sized swimming
pools. The dredging will restore a rowing course to international standards and
stop the lake from turning into a swamp.
Last Monday,
just two days before the dredging was set to start, the city's application for
a wildlife-salvaging permit was rejected by the Environment Ministry because of
concerns about the endangered Western painted turtle.
Biologist
Vanessa Kilburn is worried that dredging will chop the turtles to bits,
especially since no one knows for sure where they are hibernating this year,
and they tend to group together at the bottom of the lake, under the mud.
The city says
the Environment Ministry asked them to do telemetry work about three or four
weeks ago, which involves trapping and tagging the turtles so they could be
tracked with radio and their hibernation spots avoided while dredging. There
are about 100 of these turtles in Burnaby Lake, and as of last Sunday (Sept.
20) not a single turtle had been caught and tagged. The turtles could already
be on their way to hibernation spots, making it too late to tag this year.
Without knowing where the turtles are, the ministry won't grant the remaining
wildlife-salvaging permit, which means the city can't start dredging. Since the
Western painted turtle is protected under the Species At Risk Act, it's a
criminal offence to kill, harm or harass the turtles.
Corrigan
places the blame squarely on the government's shoulders, saying the city had
all the approvals in place and the ministry is changing the rules at the last
minute.
"There's
no getting around the fact that this entirely has been the screw-up of the
Ministry of Environment. Nothing we have done has caused this problem," he
said. "We've done everything we've been asked to do, and we've done it
correctly."
Meanwhile,
Hazco, the dredging contractor, has already set up equipment at the lake,
costing the city $20,000 a day, according to Corrigan.
"Obviously,
this is going to end up in litigation," Corrigan said. "Why is it
coming up when we've got dredging about to start? Did they just figure out
there were turtles in the lake? I mean, it's ridiculous."
Environment
Minister Barry Penner, in turn, placed the blame back on the city.
"It's a
mystery to me why the city of Burnaby would hire contractors to begin work on a
project and have them go to the site before they had all their permits in
place," he said. "We're not going to allow the mayor to kill turtles
just because he's been caught not having the permits in place and now he has to
explain to taxpayers why he's cost them money unnecessarily."
According to
Penner, the city's hired consultants knew as far back as February that they had
to apply for necessary permits under the Wildlife Act, but they waited till
August.
Corrigan and
the city's engineering director, Lambert Chu, said they were instructed to wait
till the contract was in place before they could apply for the permits,
effectively leaving the city in a catch-22 position.
"We were
advised we were not supposed to apply for this permit till we were ready to go
in," Corrigan said.
But Penner
said he was not aware of any such requirement. He also said ignorance of the
law is no excuse.
"I
totally understand the political motivation of the mayor to pass the buck, ...
but it's his responsibility to know what the law is and to comply with
it," Penner said. "The Ministry of Environment and the B.C.
government will take action to protect endangered species."
Corrigan said
the city would have to decide soon whether to terminate the contract.
"It's
just frustrating. If the project doesn't go (ahead), there are huge
losses," he said, adding the worst would be the ecology of the lake.
"The only
thing that will be in that lake are (the) turtles till the water is all gone,
and then the turtles will be gone too."
The total cost
of the project is $16 million. The province is committing $10 million, and the
rest is covered by the city. Corrigan predicted the contractor would demand
payment for lost profits, and the project's funding would be gone.
"I
guarantee you, we won't go back in and try to pay this money again," he
said. "We'll take our losses and the lake will fill in."
For more on
this story, see Jennifer Moreau's blog, Community Conversations, at
www.burnabynow.com.
http://www2.canada.com/burnabynow/news/story.html?id=52b7c57c-8d65-4a27-93ca-96738c452393
HERTS ADVERTISER (St. Albans, UK) 26 September
09 Thieves
target cherished St Albans tortoise
A callous
thief has stolen a well-loved tortoise, devastating its owner of over 40 years.
Joyce Goodwin
was given the tortoise, called Minerva, by her parents when she was just eight
years old and she has remained with her since.
But towards
the end of August the spur-thighed tortoise, now aged 60, was stolen from
Joyce's garden in Camp Road, St Albans.
She had told
very few people about owning a tortoise as they can be targeted by thieves
since they fetch high prices because the country no longer imports them.
Joyce believes
that somebody found out that she had Minerva and climbed over her garden fence
while she was out walking her dog on Sunday, August 23.
It would have
been impossible for Minerva, who has lived happily in the same secure garden
for nearly 12 years, to escape.
One
possibility is that Minerva has been sold on by whoever stole her but tortoises
require very diligent care, especially when it comes to hibernating. Joyce said
it could prove fatal for Minerva if she wasn't hibernated properly.
Joyce said:
"I've been in pieces. She was even in my will because she is going to
outlive me - she's an heirloom."
She continued:
"It's so upsetting that someone could steal a creature that means nothing
to anyone else, that I've had for all these years and that my children were
going to inherit - and it could have even outlived them. She was taken by
somebody that doesn't know her habits or probably doesn't know how to hibernate
her."
Joyce is
hoping that a guilty conscious may prevail or that someone with information
about her whereabouts will come forward.
She is so
desperate to be reunited with Minerva that she is putting up a substantial
reward equal to her trade value for the information which leads to her safe
return.
The tortoise
is approximately eight by 12 inches in size, with different shades of brown.
A spokesperson
for Herts Police said that officers had followed all lines of investigation
including door-to-door enquiries. But they are keen to hear from anyone who may
have any further information on 0845 33 00 222.
Those with
information are also asked to contact Joyce's friend Jeanne on 020 8886 6739 or
by email on jeanne@jeannewillis.com
HERALD-TRIBUNE (Sarasota, Florida) 26
September 09 Released turtle can phone home (Kate
Spinner)
Lido Beach: A 50-year-old sea turtle hauled her 250
pounds of flesh and carapace past a throng of spectators Friday morning, then
slipped into the Gulf of Mexico.
The turtle
disappeared from view, but she will be sending e-mail. A satellite transmitter
epoxyed to her back should signal her whereabouts for at least six months.
The turtle's
return to sea followed a five-month stay at Mote Marine Laboratory's sea turtle
hospital.
"It was
almost on death's door that they actually found the turtle on Naples
Beach," said Tony Tucker, manager of Mote's Sea Turtle Conservation and
Research Program.
Mote
rehabilitates 12 to 24 sick or injured sea turtles each year, with about 75
percent of them recovering to return to the wild.
Each returned
turtle bears Mote's mark: the transmitter that helps scientists see where
turtles spend their time when they are not building nests on the beach.
This turtle's
story is particularly unusual. Her history in this region dates back before
many of today's residents moved here and she is no stranger to the busy hands
of scientists.
In 1988, Vicki
Wiese, a biologist who helped found Mote's sea turtle conservation program,
discovered the turtle nesting on Casey Key. She tagged her.
In subsequent
years, the turtle -- recently given the name Vicki Lee -- has been tagged four
times on area beaches. Observers recorded her digging 11 nests.
In April, she
may have been heading back to Sarasota to nest again before illness stopped
her. Wildlife officials rescued her from Naples Beach, where she was found
almost lifeless.
She was bound
for Sea World, but when the tags revealed her Sarasota connections, scientists
shipped her to Mote.
Lynne Byrd,
medical care coordinator at the Mote hospital, helped nurse Vicki Lee back to
health. Like hundreds of other loggerheads, she had Lethargic Loggerhead
Syndrome, thought to be caused by a blood fluke. It has become more common in recent years.
Back in the
wild, Vicki Lee faces the threat of blood flukes in addition to other dangers.
Speeding boats, drifting garbage and the hooks, trawls and traps of the
commercial fishing industry present obstacles.
Tucker said
that 28 percent of the females that Mote has tagged with satellite transmitters
frequent an area where longline fishermen set out miles of hooks to snag
grouper and other reef fish.
His research
helped reinforce federal regulators' decision to put a temporary ban on
longlining in that area. A set of new fishing restrictions are in the works.
If Vicki Lee
can avoid illness and obstacles, she could live to see 70.
"Another
couple decades is not out of the question," Tucker said. "We know of
turtles in Australia in their 60th year and reproducing fine."
Scientists
expect the turtle's satellite transmitter to stay put for six months to a year.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090926/ARTICLE/909261037/-1/NEWSSITEMAP
DOTHAN EAGLE (Alabama) 26 September 09 Dothan
man killed from apparent snake bites (Matt Elofson)
A Dothan man
died Friday after a snake apparently bit him twice while he worked on his Henry
County farm.
Henry County
Coroner Derek Wright announced Larry D. Lewis, 65, of Brookhill Road, dead
around 9 p.m. Wright said he initially thought Lewis died from heat stroke, but
after taking him back to a funeral home he discovered two puncture wounds on
Lewis’ body.
“I saw two
little puncture holes,“ Wright said. “He was bitten on the right side of the
neck and right hand.“
Wright said
Lewis’ son found his father collapsed next to a tractor in the field on the
family farm located about 5 miles east of Headland on Henry County Road 6.
Wright estimated Lewis was likely bitten around 12 p.m. about eight hours
before his son, Greg Lewis, found him.
Wright said
Haleburg Rescue responded, and Lewis was taken to the Holman-Headland Funeral
Home. Wright said he believes Lewis was bitten after he’d stopped the tractor
to see if something was stuck in it while he worked on bailing hay. He said
rescue workers did not find the snake, but believe it was likely a rattle
snake.
Wrigth said
he’s never responded as coroner to a death by snake bite.
“Most people
can survive a snake bit, but this was in the neck that’s why it was so deadly,“
Wright said.
DAILY BREEZE (Torrance, California) 26 September
09 Family
pleads for the return of wandering pet turtle (Larry Altman)
Redondo Beach resident
Don Pace says his children never got over the fact that they had to give away
their beloved dogs six years ago.
But it had to
be done. His son, Donald, was born with serious allergies and asthma that made
it impossible to have dogs in the house.
"We had
to take the dogs from the kids," Pace said. "It was this
heart-wrenching thing."
Nothing could
soothe Donald's and his sister Eva's distress over losing their dogs, but Pace
tried.
He brought
home a couple of Russian turtles, each about 8 inches long.
The family
named them Pops and Snaps and placed them in an aquarium in the backyard of his
home in the 2400 block of Ralston Lane.
For years,
they served as the family pets, even though they couldn't return love and
affection like a dog could.
Earlier this
year, Pops died.
Last Sunday,
Pace thought he'd give Snaps a chance to roam around and get some sun. He
placed the turtle on the ground in a newly constructed fenced-in area on the
side of his house, a dog-run for the family's new hypo-allergenic pooches.
Pace never
suspected the turtle could get out.
But she did.
"I looked
at the end where we thought the cement ended," Pace said. "There is a
little gap of dirt. Lo and behold, the turtle has dug out. I am having a heart
attack."
Pace ran out
to the front yard. He searched for five hours until it became dark. He figured
the turtle was somewhere in the bushes, burrowing into the ground to keep warm.
He searched
for three hours the next morning, but had to go to work.
"I felt
bad," he said. "I didn't know what to do."
A short time
later, Pace's wife, Joanne, called to say construction workers in the street
outside had seen a turtle walk down the driveway toward the road.
A sport
utility vehicle pulled up. Someone got out, grabbed the turtle and took off,
the workers said.
The
disappearance of Snaps has been even more difficult for the children.
"I know
it's eating them up," Pace said. "My son has always felt guilty
because we had to get rid of the dogs initially."
The family has
placed large signs that read "Lost Turtle" throughout their
neighborhood.
"It's
sad," 12-year-old Donald said.
The children
hope somebody took the turtle home. They want her back, but pray she is safe.
"At least
someone has her to take care of her," Donald said.
Fourteen-year-old
Eva agreed: "I'm happy she isn't just out there."
Their father
said he hopes whoever took the turtle did so with the good intention of keeping
her out of the street.
He hopes some
publicity will prompt the return of Snaps.
"I tend
to look at the positive side of life," Pace said.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/lifeandculture/ci_13428597
CYPRUS
Animal
conservationists have urged citizens not to take matters into their own hands
after a large blunt-nosed viper was killed in a field in the Paphos village of
Yiolou.
The snake
measured 1.5m in length and weighed in at 4kg. Local man Christakkis Alkiviades
said the snake had been difficult to destroy and added that it had many black
patches on its skin, and this indicated it must have been old.
He added that
the snake had caused so many problems for the owner of the adjacent field where
the creature was destroyed, that he had been forced to sell his land.
But David
Roach, who worked alongside Paphos reptile expert Snake George underlined the
importance of snakes to the ecosystem in Cyprus.
“Without
snakes Cyprus would be over-run with rats and mice – no matter how many cats we
have here. I doubt a snake could terrorise a village, I just think people are
scared of snakes and vipers in particular.”
Roach advises
to stand still and let the snake pass by.
“The snakes
are far more afraid of you than you are of them. The only time you may get
bitten is if you stand on one, or if you corner one.”
According to
Roach all of the cases of reported bites from a blunt-nosed viper in Cyprus
have been in these circumstances.
“They won’t
attack you,” he assured.
He added,
“Vipers are attracted by three things; a good water source, as they drink a lot
of water, a hiding place and a food source. If you take one of these factors
away, you won’t have any vipers.”
Blunt nosed
vipers are the only snakes not to be protected in Cyprus, but Roach urged pole
not to kill them.
“If you need a
snake removing, George will come and get it. He releases them back into the
wild far away from inhabited areas.”
If you require
any information or help regarding snakes or reptiles call snake George on
99-987685
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=48017&cat_id=1
Texas-born
Simon Hughes, 5, doesn’t look intimidating. But put a gun in his hands and pit
him against an 800-pound alligator and it’s a different story.
Simon's been
training to handle a gun since he was just 4, his dad told MyFOXHouston
— and it's a good thing, too, or else he could've gotten hurt by the mega-gator
that wound up on the Hughes family ranch.
The huge alligator
bit into a baited hook in a marsh on the property, coming face-to-face with
Simon. The boy reacted with lightning speed, grabbing his gun and shooting the
reptile in the head.
"It come
out, the biggest alligator I've ever seen," Simon told MyFOXHouston.
"He did his death roll."
The reptile
was nearly 20 times the 3-foot, 44-pound boy’s size. It didn't survive the
shooting.
His dad Scott
Hughes said there's a reason he started training his son, who is in
kindergarten, to shoot guns at such an early age.
"Everything
on the ranch will either bite you or stick you," he told MyFOXHouston.
The little boy
has now earned the nickname "Gator Bait."
"Simon
was a champ, couldn't ask for any better. He was just fearless," said
Chuck Cotton, a family friend who witnessed the shooting.
The family
plans to cook up the meat to celebrate.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,559103,00.html?loomia_ow=t0:s0:a16:g4:r5:c0.000000:b28072144:z10
HARTLEPOOL
A tortoise had
a lucky escape after its tank caught following an electrical fault.
Crews from
Stranton Fire Station were called to the house in Skelton Street, in the West
View area of Hartlepool, following reports of a house fire.
When they
arrived they discovered a vivarium, which housed the pet tortoise, had burst
into flames, causing smoke and heat damage to the living room.
The tank,
which was full of wood chippings, was about 5ft wide and 2ft high. It was taken
outside and extinguished by fire crews.
Watch manager
Ged Suggitt said: "There was a fire in the vivarium which houses the
tortoise.
"I
believe it was an electrical problem which led to it overheating and setting on
fire but the tortoise is fine. There was heat and smoke damage to the property.
"This
property did not have smoke alarms fitted and if it had done then the occupants
would have been alerted to the presence of smoke a lot sooner."
There was one
male in the house at the time of the incident, which happened at around 7.45am
on Friday.
To arrange a
free home fire safety check, call (01429) 874063.
http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/Tortoise-is-unhurt-in-blaze.5680165.jp
HERALD TRIBUNE (Sarasota, Florida) 25
September 09 Hopes rescurrected for threatened species (Eric Ernst)
For years, we
allowed gopher tortoises to be buried alive if site developers paid a fee.
The strategy
to allow so-called "takings" may have saved money, time and effort,
but it never made much sense. If the tortoise is such a valuable species that
we create a whole system of regulations to protect it, why would we throw it
all out the window as soon as someone waves cash in the air?
Apparently,
the approach has not worked.
In Florida,
the tortoise's status has degenerated from a "species of special
concern" to "threatened."
Fortunately,
that also brought new rules, published last year by the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Commission. Now, the tortoises -- which inhabit the same dry upland
favored by developers -- cannot be killed to make way for construction; they have
to be relocated.
The rules are
a work in progress, and haven't attracted much attention, probably because of
the building slowdown.
While
conservationists take heart from the reforms, rest assured plenty of
concessions will remain for those who see the tortoises as merely an impediment
to the next shopping mall.
For instance,
in an extreme case a Wal-Mart parking lot could surround a burrow, providing
that a radius of 25 feet from the hole is left untouched. That hardly
recognizes the animal's natural range, which can cover miles.
Also, if
conditions do not enable developers to relocate tortoises on-site, they need
another place to put them. When construction picks up, there may not be enough
receiving locations locally or even statewide.
Those are
problems, but not insurmountable ones.
On the
positive side, Florida now requires tortoise surveyors and handlers to take a
four-day training class. Wildlands Conservation, a Venice environmental
consulting firm, ran one this week at Shamrock Park and Nature Center.
Not only do
the classes improve the odds for more accurate counts of gopher tortoises on
building sites, they introduce trainees to researchers such as Ray Ashton, who
describes himself as the Jane Goodall of gopher tortoises.
Ashton and his
wife, Patricia, operate the 100-acre Ashton Biological Preserve near
Gainesville, and much of what we know about tortoise behavior has come from
their work.
In his part of
the lectures this week, Ray Ashton reminded students why they should care about
the animal's survival. As many as 400 species of mammals, birds, reptiles,
amphibians, insects and spiders have been found in gopher tortoise burrows.
This qualifies
the tortoise as a keystone species, important to the biodiversity of its
habitat. Without the gopher tortoise, whole wildlife communities could
collapse.
Even if we're
arrogant enough to think we would not suffer materially from that, our
enjoyment of the world around us would surely suffer.
That would be
the short-term result.
Long-term, we really
don't know.
And that's as
good a reason as any to proceed cautiously.
FRASER COAST CHRONICLE (Australia)
25 September 09 Turtle power takes centre stage (Carlie Walker)
The Mary River
turtle is one of a kind - and that is why it must be protected, says leading
international zoologist Peter Pritchard.
A keynote
speaker at the Turtle and Tortoise Conservation and Biology Symposium, held in
America last month, Dr Pritchard is concerned about the impact the proposed
Traveston Crossing dam would have on the rare turtle.
“If we lose
the Mary River turtle the world will lose not only a species but a whole genus.
“It would be a
tragedy if the proposed Traveston Crossing dam resulted in the world losing a
species which has only been known to science for such a short period,” Dr
Pritchard, a former Time Magazine “Hero of the Planet,” said.
Marilyn
Connell, from Tiaro Landcare, attended the symposium and said it was great to
see the “bum-breathing” turtle, which was only discovered 15 years ago,
attracting so much attention internationally.
She has been
researching and protecting both the Mary River turtle and the white-faced
snapping turtle, which is also found in the Mary River, since 1998.
Tiaro Landcare
was congratulated on its conservation efforts at the symposium.
“As far as
conservation is concerned, people are the problem and people are the only
solution,” Dr Pritchard said.
THE ADVERTISER (Bendigo, Australia) 25
September 09 DSE seizes tortoise
An Eaglehawk
man faces a $24,000 fine and two years’ jail after the Department of
Sustainability seized what is believed to be an illegally obtained tortoise
from his home.
The eastern
long-necked tortoise was seized during a routine inspection.
DSE wildlife
officer Denis Gilmore said the eastern long-necked tortoise was a protected
species.
He said owners
must be able to prove they acquired the animal from a licensed dealer.
“The Wildlife
Act prohibits the taking of species like this from the wild to protect local
populations and prevent the potential spread of disease,” Mr Gilmore said.
Maximum
penalties include a fine of $24,000 and two years jail for possessing
unlawfully taken wildlife, and $5000 and six months jail for taking the animals
from the wild.
“While this
seizure was the result of a routine inspection, we also encourage members of
the public to tell us of any wildlife offences they are aware of,” Mr Gilmore
said. “Members of the public reporting suspected wildlife offences are helping
to protect Victoria’s precious native wildlife and DSE takes all calls seriously.”
Anyone with
information concerning wildlife offences can report them to DSE by phoning 136
186.
http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/dse-seizes-tortoise/1632852.aspx
LACROSSE TRIBUNE (Wisconsin) 25 September
09 Wayward
reptile given ride was actually right at home (Betsy Bloom)
Holmen -
Shelly isn't the typical runaway pet.
For starters,
he's a tortoise - not exactly known for making fast getaways or covering vast
distances.
Yet Shelly
managed to go far astray Saturday, with some unwitting help: He wandered out
from his rural Holmen home to Hwy. W, where a passing motorist took pity on
what he thought was a misguided turtle - honest mistake - and toted the
30-pound wayward pet to a friend's pond miles away.
Even though
owner Linda Loper has tried to track her beloved tortoise, he's five days
missing now and she fears this native of sub-Sahara Africa will perish if not
found before the weather takes a turn.
She and her
husband daily have combed the Sweden Coulee area along Hwy. M where Shelly was
set loose, sloshed in waders through Halfway Creek, knocked on doors and posted
flyers everywhere.
"This is
just way out of the realm of being lost," Loper said Wednesday.
The tale of
the roaming tortoise began late Saturday morning, after Loper let Shelly out of
the garage to graze in the yard while she worked on a project. When she went to
fetch her pet, he'd vanished.
Her flyers
drew a call Monday night - someone had come across Shelly near the junction of
Hwy. W and M. The driver was headed for a party at a Sweden Coulee property
with several ponds, so decided to give the "turtle" a lift.
At least he
didn't actually drop Shelly in the water, Loper said. "I don't even know
if he can swim."
But it did
allow Shelly more than two days to further work his way into the countryside.
Though 18 inches across, with a domed shell like a combat helmet, he's still
not big enough to be easily seen in high vegetation, Loper said.
And time is
growing short - the African sulcada, or spurred, tortoise usually takes refuge
under the heat lamp when temperatures drop below 60 degrees, Loper said.
It's not the
first time Shelly has gone walkabout. The flyers Loper posted are leftovers
from May 2005 - he ended up that time in a neighbor's garage.
He has become
a local celebrity of sorts since then, with appearances at the Leon Gatorfest
in Monroe County and other area events. Kids love him, Loper said.
"They're
just so unique and real gentle," Loper said.
She doesn't
know how she's going to break the news to her two grandchildren if Shelly
doesn't turn up. She's hoping he'll again creep into someone's garage, a place
he associates with home, warmth and security.
He's only
about 18, young for a tortoise, "so he's got a long life ahead of him if
we can save him."
http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/article_66890bbe-a985-11de-b050-001cc4c002e0.html
SALT
A South Salt
Lake City man is accused of attacking his pregnant wife during an argument over
the couple's pet python snake.
The
21-year-old man allegedly threw the snake across a room in the couple's home on
the 800 West block of Timber Creek Way (3875 South) on Monday, according to
charging documents filed Friday in 3rd District Court.
After he
tossed the snake, the two "scuffled" and the man threw his wife to
stop her from apparently reaching the snake to rescue it, charges state.
The woman, who
was 38 weeks pregnant, fell as a result of her husband throwing her and began
having stomach pains, according to charges. She was taken to the hospital where
she delivered her baby.
The man is
charged with one count of third-degree felony assault, which is punishable by
up to five years in prison if he is convicted. He is also charged with
commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child, a class A
misdemeanor.
The assault
took place in front of the couple's 17-month-old daughter, charges state.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13422860
CENTRALIAN ADVOCATE (Alice
Springs, Australia) 25 September 09 Snakes are out and they are bigger (Daniel
Burdon)
The snakes are
out and they are bigger, fatter and more numerous than they have been for a
while.
Central
Australian householders have been warned after a huge black-headed western
brown caused a stir at the Telegraph Station at the weekend.
Reptile
Centre's Rex Neindorf and snake catcher Justin Rutherford have had more than 20
call-outs in the past couple of weeks.
The dangerous
snake, one of more than 18 different breeds found in the Centre, was seen
slithering through the grass at the Telegraph Station on Sunday, disrupting
several family picnics.
But Mr
Neindorf said once he arrived after getting a call, he found the snake in the
main carpark heading for the hills and safety away from the scary humans
following it.
The snake on
the left is a mulga snake, a highly venomous black snake, found on a property
in the rural area. Mr Neindorf said the property owner and his three-month-old
son had a close call when the mulga slithered past the baby and headed for
longer grass as they hung out the washing.
He said this
snake season was sure to be a big one, with most snakes they have found being
"big, fat and healthy".
Mr Neindorf
said the early return of warm weather to the region would see more snakes
coming out to enjoy the sun.
He warned
people not to interfere with them, but to call the Reptile Centre for help.
He said people
with pools should be extra careful to check the pool and surrounds before
jumping in, and to take care when cleaning filter baskets as snakes could get
stuck inside them. To report a snake call 0407 983 276.
http://www.centralianadvocate.com.au/article/2009/09/25/4661_news.html
SPOKESMAN-REVIEW (Spokane, Washington) 25
September 09 Snakes find rare friend in Uniontown (David Johnson)
Uniontown: In the catacomb-like basement of Ray McLean's
105-year-old home, beyond the laundry
and cold
storage rooms and up against the stone foundation, the snakes are waiting and
hungry.
"This is
the reptile room," Ray says as a door squeaks open and three warming
lights spar with the darkness. "All of these are fed pretty regular."
Bongo, a
red-tail boa, Bingo, a ball python, and Lucky, a Texas rat snake, are coiled in
their respective aquariums. Their combined length approaches 18 feet of
constricting appetites.
Bongo, the
biggest, eats live rats. Bingo and Lucky usually dine on live mice. But Ray
says he's low on
cuisine and
must buy more rodents soon.
"I try to
feed them once a week." It takes about three weeks, Ray says, for complete
digestion.
"About a
third of the way down they start digesting. When it comes out, there's just
hair and teeth left."
Ray, 68, is a
retired Washington State University custodian. He grew up on a farm where
snakes, including rattlers, were commonplace. "When we were kids, we found
eight or 10 baby rattlesnakes that had just
hatched. And
the mother wasn't around. But they were mean little devils."
Are they
poisonous?
That's the
most common question people have about his snakes, Ray says. They're not.
Why do so many
people have an aversion to snakes?
That's the
question Ray says he's still trying to answer. "I've been trying to find
that out, and the people
cannot tell
me. People who don't understand are mean to snakes."
But not Ray.
He's had various kinds of constrictors as pets for about 20 years, finds them
to be always
fascinating
and always gives them the respect they deserve.
"If you
let them wrap around your neck, they can constrict and choke you," Ray
says. "So you never put a live snake around your neck."
He coaxes
Bongo from its aquarium into his arms. The snake, while it can't speak, seems
to articulate its
appreciation
as it slowly glides over and across Ray's forearms. "I had seven or eight
when I came here."
Ray and his
wife, Melinda Faerber, just celebrated their sixth anniversary. She seldom, if
ever, ventures into the reptile room.
"They
look slimy, and that's why people think they're slimy," Ray says of his
snakes. "But all three of them shed last week and they're so smooth."
On occasion,
Ray takes one or more of his snakes to show-and-tell sessions with children,
who are more
accepting than
adults. "The kids just love them." And the snakes, with Ray
maintaining close supervision,
seem to accept
being touched by scores of little hands.
Although, Rays
recalls, a big python once took too much of a liking to his hand. "He took
my whole hand in his mouth and then wrapped around my arm. When I tried to
unwrap him, his tail went around the other
arm."
Handcuffed by the snake, Ray called for help from his son and daughter, who
helped unwrap the snake.
"And then
he let go of my hand. I guess he decided I was too big to eat."
Lucky, the rat
snake, recently underwent successful surgery at WSU's veterinary hospital for
removal of a tumor. "Lucky-to-be-alive" is what Ray calls her now.
Bongo also had some surgery and the money spent for
both snakes,
Ray says, is worth the return he receives from such a hobby.
"Most
people don't like my hobby," he concedes.
Recent
publicity about snakes threatening and even killing people serves only to
heighten the bad reputation
of pets like
Bongo, Bingo and Lucky, Rays says. Only when people take the time to learn
about them, touch
them, even
hold them, Ray insists, will snakes gain the respect they deserve.
"Come on
baby, let's put you back," Ray says as he eases Lucky back into her
aquarium. "You never walk
away from a
cage that's unsecured."
The snakes
resume their waiting posture as Ray secures the lids over the aquariums, closes
the squeaky
door and
leaves his hungry serpents behind.
Time for a
grocery run.
http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/hbo/2009/sep/25/dj-uniontown-man-loves-snakes/
BARCELONA REPORTER (Spain) 25
September 09 Escaped snake Rodrigo, Salamanca causes havoc
in main street El Rollo
A coral snake
has caused excitement and frightened scores of passers today along one of the
busiest streets in the town.
The events
happened around 12:20 in Lorenza street, better known as the El Rollo, when a
group of residents had been alerted about the presence of a red snake on the
sidewalk of the street. Several shoppers, some elderly, had called the police
as they were not sure if the snake was poisonous. After fifteen minutes, the
strength of the local police in Ciudad Rodrigo decided to kill the metre long
animal, because of the panic it created and given the possibility that it was
poisonous.
The coral
snake is an animal of tropical origin, red and yellow and black rings and is
listed as a type of venomous snake. However, it is very difficult to
differentiate it from another known snake known as false coral which is also
mainly the red and also has off-white and black rings.
It is likely
that this snake had escaped from a home terrarium. In the end, the scare ended
when one of the policemen decided to cut off the head of the snake with a
shovel.
BAY NEWS 9 (St Petersburg, Florida) 25 September
09 Alligator
attacks woman on banks of Sawgrass Lake
Pinellas
County: A Clearwater woman is the first
person in more than three years to be attacked by an alligator in Pinellas
County.
Diane
Blackwood, 48, was walking her dog Monday afternoon at Sawgrass Lake Park in
St. Petersburg when she noticed a swirl in the water.
"I was
standing under a tree for some shade,' she said. "My dog was near the
water when I noticed some swirling water. I knew it was a gator and called for
my dog as I turned to run away. That's when I slipped and fell on the
embankment. My dog ran away."
The gator
missed her on the first lunge, but it was not deterred. It grabbed her on the
second lunge.
"As I was
trying to crawl away the gator lunged and missed me,' she said. "I thought
okay I'm going to get away. Then the gator lunged a second time and bit my
calf."
The reptile
also bit Blackwood's hand as she tried to free her calf from its jaws.
"I went
for his eyes because I didn't want to play tug of war with my thumb in the
gators mouth,' Blackwood said. "And once I got my other hand in its eye
socket the gator let go and went back into the water."
Blackwood then
drove herself to the hospital. She said she feels okay, but she is still a
little sore from her encounter.
Alligator
control agent Charles Carpenter caught that alligator on Thursday.
"Called
in the information to the state, and the Fish and Wildlife decided that with
this size, he fits the description," Carpenter said.
The alligator
is about 6-feet-9, but it is missing 12 inches of his tail, which means it is
nearly eight feet long.
"What we
heard was that this particular gator was about the only one in the lake that
was not afraid of humans," Blackwood said said. "Which is a pretty
good indication that people have been feeding the gators."
Officials with
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they believe the
combination of the gator's familiarity with humans and the dog near the water
triggered the attack.
Blackwood is
the first person to be attacked by a gator in more than three years in Pinellas
County. There have been 14 alligator attacks in Pinellas County since 1948.
The last
attack, in May 2006, was a deadly one. The body of Judy Cooper, 43, was found
in a canal near Oldsmar, three days after she had been attacked by an
alligator.
Alligator
bites in Bay area (1948-present)
County #of
bites -Most Recent
Citrus 4 - May 1999
Hernando 2 - July 1993
Hillsborough
11 - April 2008
Manatee 5 - January 2005
Pasco 11 - February 2007
Pinellas 14 - May 2006
Polk 24 - August 2007
A Cumbrian man
has been arrested as part of an investigation into the illegal importation of
rare tortoises.
The
35-year-old was detained after police, animal welfare officers and members of
the National Wildlife Crime unit (NWCU) raided houses in Carlisle.
He was
questioned as part of a joint investigation into illegal importation of animals
and money laundering.
A Cumbria
Police spokeswoman said the man was bailed to return to Carlisle police station
on 30 November.
Many species
of tortoises are threatened with extinction and can only be imported and sold
under licence.
Those who
flout the regulations face up to five years in jail.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/8274710.stm
ANCASTER NEWS (Stoney Creek, Ontario) 25
September 09 Goldfish kill set to go after clearing hurdle (Richard Leitner)
The Hamilton
Conservation Authority has cleared the final hurdle on plans to use a natural
pesticide to kill goldfish that are overwhelming two Dundas Valley ponds where
nationally threatened Jefferson salamanders breed.
Ecologist
Shari Faulkenham said the eradication can now proceed following the approval
last week of the plant-based pesticide rotenone for use in Ontario by a
provincial advisory committee.
The fish kill
had already been endorsed by authority directors, Ministry of Natural Resources
and Hamilton Naturalists’ Club. Work is expected to be completed by early next
month.
The goldfish
were apparently dumped in the ponds by people who wanted to breed them for sale
for backyard ponds and, in the case of the Mc Cormack Pond in the Governor’s
Road Conservation Area, now number an estimated 40,000 –up from about 50 when
first noticed in 2005.
A similar
problem looms at the pond by the former Merrick Field Centre in Ancaster
–described as the salamanders’ hottest breeding area in the valley – where fish
were introduced last year and a new stock was discovered in July.
Ms. Faulkenham
recommended the eradication because the goldfish devour anything they can fit
in their mouths, including the eggs of the salamanders, which are in the ponds
from late March until maturity in late August.
The valley
ponds are among only 34 breeding sites for Jefferson salamanders, which are
protected by provincial and federal laws.
Ms. Faulkenham
said rotenone is relatively harmless to other species but effective on fish
because it is absorbed into the bloodstream through their gills and initiates a
cellular process that makes oxygen toxic. The eradication isn’t expected to
affect the ponds’ salamanders or newts, but may kill some tadpoles of green
frogs, which take two years to mature and will be the lone other gilled species
present at that time.
But Ms.
Faulkenham said the frogs aren’t rare and are expected to quickly recover.
She said the
ponds will be dammed with sandbags to prevent any surface-water outflow and the
authority will be closing trails in the vicinity. The public is also asked to
avoid visiting the ponds during the eradication.
http://www.ancasternews.com/news/article/189597
QUEENSLAND TIMES (Ipswich, Australia) 26
September 09 Irwin joins objection to live crocs at shops (Andrew Korner)
Crocodile
crusader Lynda Bennett has been backed by Bob Irwin in her opposition to a live
reptile display at a Booval shopping centre.
Ms Bennett was
ejected from Booval Fair on Tuesday, after voicing her objections to a croc
handler who, while nursing a muzzled specimen of about 1.5m, told an audience
of shoppers and children that saltwater crocodiles were shy and would avoid
contact with humans.
The comment
angered Ms Bennett, who lost her granddaughter to a crocodile attack near
Darwin in March this year.
She claimed
the shopping centre's Cool Companions school holiday exhibit was cruel on the
animal and that the handler was feeding children misinformation about the
prehistoric reptiles.
Mr Irwin,
father of the late Australia Zoo founder Steve Irwin, said he had “some
reservations” about the well-being of the crocodile involved.
“Crocodiles
suffer from stress and shopping centres are noisy places with lots of people,
and I think the noise alone would be unsettling to a croc that size,” Mr Irwin
said.
“You've got to
try to look at it from the handler's point of view as well; that they are
trying to educate the public.”
Cool
Companions founder and owner Tania Carter said the croc involved, “Snappy Tom”,
was an eight-year-old salty who had been conditioned to deal with being handled
in front of crowds of curious children and parents.
Ms Carter said
the message she always sent out to children was that it was not okay to touch
crocodiles in the wild.
Snappy Tom is
one of 10 crocs exhibited by Cool Companions - a 15-year-old organisation which
travels to shopping centres and schools across Queensland and NSW.
Ms Carter said
she felt empathy for Ms Bennett, but that she felt Snappy Tom had an important
role to play in the education of children.
Since losing
grand-daughter Briony Goodsell to a crocodile attack in March, Ms Bennett and
her family have devoted much of their time to raising public awareness of the
risks crocodiles pose to humans.
Briony's
mother, Charlene O'Sullivan, who still lives near Darwin, said she was equally
appalled by the shopping centre crocodile exhibit.
“Crocs are not
shy, they will stalk and they will kill and that's what we are trying to
educate people about,” she said.
http://www.qt.com.au/story/2009/09/26/irwin-joins-objection-live-crocs-shops/
QUEENSLAND TIMES (Ipswich, Australia) 25
September 09 Grandma in croc protest (Andrew Korner)
The
grandmother of a girl eaten by a crocodile was thrown out of an Ipswich
shopping centre - after she objected to a live saltwater croc display.
Lynda Bennett
said she was angered by the croc handler's remark that the prehistoric reptiles
were “unlikely to harm humans if left alone”.
Her loud
objections to the “Cool Companions” hands-on croc display at the Booval Fair
shopping centre on Tuesday attracted negative comments from bystanders - many
of them the parents of young children who were upset by Ms Bennett's outburst.
Ms Bennett
also attracted the attention of security guards, who showed her the door and
politely asked her not to come back soon.
If only they
understood the pain hidden behind Ms Bennett's anger.
Her late
grand-daughter, Briony Goodsell, was only 12 years old when a four-metre
saltwater croc grabbed her from a swimming hole near Darwin on the afternoon of
March 15 this year.
Ms Bennett has
devoted much of her time since the tragedy to raising awareness of the risk
saltwater crocs pose to humans.
“I really feel
like a twit for what happened, but when you are trying to get the message out
that crocodiles are killers it was worth it,” Ms Bennett said.
“Yes I
flipped, but crocodiles are top-order predators, killers, and they won't shy
away. They will kill.
“This guy was
holding a three or four year old croc - it was about 1.5m to 2m long - with its
mouth taped shut and basically telling these kids it was cute and cuddly.
“I think that
it is wrong to misinform children like that.”
Northern
Territory croc campaigner Michaela Johnston said putting a reptile of that size
on display at a shopping centre was irresponsible and dangerous.
Ms Johnston,
who is the director of the Gulpulul Marauwu Aboriginal Corporation and the
partner of experienced croc hunter Mick “Crocodile Mick” Pitman, said a sedated
croc that has its mouth taped shut can still injure a person.
“If a croc
that big whips its tail around it could easily break a child's leg,” Ms
Johnston said.
“The
Government should have a tighter rein on this sort of thing because crocodiles
should not be carted around to shopping centres.
“The RSPCA
should also get involved.”
Booval Fair's
centre management yesterday released a statement backing the Cool Companions
display.
“Booval Fair's
Reptile Display aims to educate and provide children with the opportunity to
get up close with animals in a controlled environment,” a spokeswoman from the
shopping centre said.
“Under no
circumstance would Booval Fair advise or encourage anyone to approach these
reptiles in the wild, out of a controlled environment.”
Ms Bennett and
other members of Briony's family are working with the Northern Territory and
Federal Government to find a solution to the increase in the crocodile
population across the top end of Australia.
http://www.qt.com.au/story/2009/09/25/grandma-croc-briony-booval/
BRISBANE TIMES (Australia) 25 September
09 Croc
victim's gran shown the door over saltie protest (Christine Kellett)
Bob Irwin has
expressed sympathy for an Ipswich grandmother booted out of a suburban shopping
centre for objecting to a live crocodile display.
Lynda Bennett,
whose 11-year-old granddaughter was eaten by a crocodile in March, said she
"flipped" when the handler of a juvenile saltwater crocodile told a
crowd of children at Booval Fair shopping centre in Ipswich the predators were
"unlikely to harm humans if left alone", The Queensland Times
has reported.
She was asked
to leave by security guards but questions have since been raised about the
safety and ethics of taking live crocodiles into shopping centres.
Ms Bennett's
granddaughter Briony Goodsell was snatched by a saltwater crocodile while
swimming in Black Jungle Swamp in Darwin on March 15.
Ms Bennett
said she became angry and began to voice her objections to the Cool Companions
school holiday display on Tuesday because she felt the handler was peddling
misinformation about the danger of crocodiles to children.
"This guy
was holding a three or four year old croc - it was about 1.5m to 2m long - with
its mouth taped shut and basically telling these kids it was cute and
cuddly," she told The Queensland Times.
"Crocodiles
are top-order predators, killers, and they won't shy away. They will kill.
"I really
feel like a twit for what happened, but when you are trying to get the message
out that crocodiles are killers it was worth it."
Northern
Territory crocodile campaigner and director of the Gulpulul Marauwu Aboriginal
Corporation Michaela Johnston told the newspaper taking a two-metre crocodile
into a shopping centre was dangerous because the animals were large and
powerful enough to break a child's leg.
The shopping
centre's management has defended the Cool Companions display, saying it had an
educational purpose and was done under controlled conditions.
But Bob Irwin,
father of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, said crocodiles suffered badly
from stress and taking one into a shopping centre with its mouth taped shut was
a bad idea.
"I'd have
to see the conditions they were operating in, but there are two ways to look at
it: is [the handler] doing a good job by getting the message out there and
would there be any distress caused to the croc. I believe there would be,"
he told brisbanetimes.com.au
"They are
just not used to being handled by people. The thing with shopping centres is
there is always a lot of noise and a lot of children around. My primary concern
would be for the welfare of the animal."
He said he
sympathised with Ms Bennett and her own distress at the display.
"I can
understand how she feels. What happened to this woman's granddaughter is
horrible. It's a terrible way to go, to lose a family member in that way."
RSPCA
spokesman Michael Beattie said the display was fine as long at the animal was
being handled humanely.
"It would
depend on the sort of enclosure it was being kept in and if it was being well
treated and was not in any distress," he said.
"If it is
being done to explain to the general public how crocodiles react and interact
with the environment, we wouldn't have a problem with it."
BRISBANE TIMES (Australia) 25 September
09 Twice
bitten but definitely not shy - snake handlers in demand (Kelsey Munro)
Things you
might not know about the red-bellied black snake: it's not deadly, except to
small children; it can hold its breath under water for half an hour; if you
tread on one, it will bite, and if you're unlucky enough to meet one, freeze
and wait for it to move away.
That's the
advice given by a professional herpetologist, Neville Burns, at a safety
lecture for Integral Energy workers.
Mr Burns, 59,
learnt the hard way: he lost his right index finger to a bite from a
red-bellied black snake 30 years ago. He is allergic to anti-venom. Over
"six weeks of agony" the venom ate through his finger joints and it
had to be amputated. "It was a very rare case," he told the Integral
workers.
He was also
bitten once by a brown snake, and declared clinically dead three times while in
a coma induced by the anti-venom.
There is a
growing demand for snake safety and first aid lectures from companies whose
employees work outside or in the bush - in mines, forestry, councils and
utilities.
Australia has
19 of the world's 23 most venomous snakes, and the country's all-pervasive
occupational health and safety regulations are stretching even to them.
It started
with herpetologists being hired to remove snakes from mines, Mr Burns said.
''No one at
Integral Energy has ever been bitten by a snake and we want to keep it that
way," Integral Energy's general manager network operations, Drew Ferguson,
said. "Our network covers the habitat of some of the world's most venomous
snakes … We want our staff to know how snakes behave and what to do if they
encounter one.''
The message is
respect for snakes, not fear.
"Snakes
have never had a very good public image, let's face it," said Mr Burns,
who has had a lizard - the Burns Dragon - named after him in honour of his work
with reptiles.
"If you
want a villain for a story it's gotta be a snake in Australia because you don't
have lions, tigers or grizzly bears."
In a special
open-air enclosure at Integral's Hoxton Park depot recently, Mr Burns released
an eastern brown snake from a long sack. It is the world's second most venomous
snake, with "a don't-muck-around-with-me attitude", Mr Burns said.
Most deaths by
snake bite in Australia are caused by eastern browns.
Mr Burns's
personal occupational health and safety might suggest a new line of work. But
the snake handler, who keeps about 40 venomous snakes at his Blue Mountains
home, would not dream of it.
"I'm not
a brave person but I'm not stupid either, there's a risk involved," he
said. "But if I can save one life teaching people to avoid or fix snake
bite, it's well worth it."
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION 25
September 09 Crocs get spa treatment
A zoo near
Launceston has taken steps to ensure its two latest inhabitants do not feel the
cold.
Tasmania Zoo
has taken delivery of a pair of two-metre freshwater crocodiles.
They are are
used to tropical temperatures but they will not be too cold in their new
enclosure.
They will have
their own hot pool and 42 degree basking light.
The Zoo's Rob
Warren has completed a special handling course for the reptiles.
"I went
up to Queensland and it's all about handling, movement, them stalking you, not
being in the wrong spot," he said.
"Then of
course if the animals did happen to escape, what you do, how you recapture it,
how do you restrain it to get the animals safely back into it's enclosure with
no injuries."
The reptiles
live for up 100 years.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/australian-news/6101946/crocs-get-spa-treatment/
WWF (Frankfurt, Germany) 25 September 09
Begegnungen der neuen Art:
„Vampirfrosch“ und „Alien -Gecko“
Allein im
vergangenen Jahr wurden im Einzugsgebiet des unteren Mekong 163 neue Tier- und
Pflanzenarten entdeckt, so der aktuelle WWF-Report „Close Encounters“ –
Begegnungen der neuen Art“. Darunter sind ein vogelfressender Frosch mit
Fangzähnen und ein Leoparden-Gecko, der mit seinen orangen Katzenaugen, den
spindeldürren Gliedern und der fluoreszierenden Haut aussieht wie ein Wesen aus
einer fremden Welt. Kaum entdeckt sind sie schon stark von Lebensraumverlust
und Handel mit Wildarten bedroht. „Die neuen Funde zeigen, dass im „Greater
Mekong“-Gebiet vermutlich noch hunderte Arten auf ihre Entdeckung warten“, so
WWF-Süßwasserexperte Martin Geiger. „Sie drohen auszusterben, ohne jemals von
Forschern gesichtet worden zu sein.“
Insgesamt
100 Pflanzen-, 28 Fisch-, 18 Reptilien-, 14 Amphibien-, 2 Säugetierarten sowie
eine „flugfaule“ Vogelart wurden im Einzugsgebiet des unteren Mekong jüngst
beschrieben. Zu den kuriosesten Arten zählen eine getigerte Grubenotter, eine
rubinrote Odessabarbe sowie der Nonggang-Schwätzer, der seine Flügel nur in
Gefahrensituationen benutzt. „Der entdeckte Leoparden-Gecko ist eine
biologische Sensation“, so Martin Geiger. „Seine grellen Katzenaugen und das
Fleckenmuster könnten ihm jedoch zum Verhängnis werden. Sie machen ihn zu einer
Goldgrube für Reptilienhändler.“
Ein Teil
der neu entdeckten Arten lebt in sogenannten Insel-Habitaten, also in
isolierten Lebensräumen. Werden diese „Inseln“ zerstört, so verschwinden
bestimmte Tier- und Pflanzenarten für immer von der Bildfläche. Im Greater
Mekong Gebiet, das sich über Kambodscha, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam und
Südwest-China erstreckt, stellt die Verbauung der Flüsse, die Umwandlung von
Wald in landwirtschaftliche Flächen, der Bergbau und die Zerstückelung der
Landschaft durch Strassen und Infrastruktur eine große Gefahr für die
biologische Vielfalt dar. Über 240 große Staudämme sind in der Region bereits
gebaut oder konkret in Planung. Diese
seien für die bekannten und noch unentdeckten Arten, vor allem auch die wandernden Fischarten wie den Riesenwels oder
die Riesenbarbe, eine Katastrophe. „Grenzübergreifende Schutzgebiete, die auch
die Dynamik des Mekongs und seiner Nebenflüsse wahren, sind für den Erhalt der
außergewöhnlichen Artenvielfalt unabdingbar“, fordert WWF-Experte Martin
Geiger.
http://www.wwf.de/presse/details/news/begegnungen_der_neuen_art_vampirfrosch_und_alien_gecko/
POST
GAZETTE (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) 23 September 09 Caring
for reptiles brings focus, ambition to Carlynton students (Linda Wilson
Fuoco)
Two turtles -- Cleo and
Tut -- are bringing science to life for students at Carlynton Junior-Senior
High School.
When teacher Dave Cosnek
purchased the turtles 12 years ago, they were the size of silver dollars. The
shell of Cleo is now 10 inches long -- slightly, but noticeably longer than the
shell of Tut, who is male.
They have thrived and have
grown, thanks partly to students in eighth-grade physical science classes, who
help care for the reptiles.
"The turtles are cute
and they are interesting, but it takes a lot of work to care for them,"
Mr. Cosnek said. He stresses that to students, especially those who express an
interest in buying a reptile pet for home. The care and maintenance needs of
the turtles is incorporated into the curriculum when his classes reach the
reptile section in their textbooks.
Cleo and Tut are
hieroglyphic turtles, which explains why students gave them the names of
ancient Egyptian royalty. They are aquatic turtles in the slider family. Not
native to Pennsylvania, they generally are found in the southern U.S. states,
Mr. Cosnek said.
"We learn from
them," Mr. Cosnek said, as he watched Tut and Cleo paddling through the
water with their webbed feet. "They provide education about reptiles and
wildlife conservation. They give students a relation to nature."
Many people think that the
size of pet reptiles can be controlled by the size of the tank they are kept
in. People think that reptiles will not outgrow their tanks.
That is not true,
according to Mr. Cosnek and to spokesmen at the Western Pennsylvania Humane
Society. The shelter often takes in pet turtles, snakes and other reptiles that
people are unwilling or unable to keep.
Last year, Mr. Cosnek and
student turtle keepers were worried that Tut and Cleo might need a bigger tank.
One of the students volunteered the efforts of his father, who works for a
glass company.
The student and his father
built a 155-gallon tank, which holds 90 gallons of water. Tanks that size sell
for $1,000, Mr. Cosnek said, so the donation was appreciated. The family has
asked not to be identified.
The bottom of the big tank
has an elevated portion on one end with a ramp that Cleo and Tut use to climb
out of the water onto a dry area where they can bask under heat lamps.
Mr. Cosnek said they need
to spend about 20 percent of their time out of the water so that their shells
do not rot or succumb to a soft shell disease that could be fatal.
Their tank has a filter,
which keeps water circulating. The filter has to be cleaned at least once a
week. Turtle feces are regularly vacuumed out of the water, and old water is
replaced with fresh water about every other day. A thermometer must be checked
regularly to make sure the water stays in the mid-70 degree range.
In the summer, Mr. Cosnek
takes the turtles home, where Cleo and Tut live in an outdoor pond.
"I think they prefer
living in the tank at school," Mr. Cosnek said with a chuckle. "They
are very interactive. They come to the side of the tank when people come to see
them and they follow you when you walk back and forth in front of the
tank."
Former students like
Shaquille Wilson, a former turtle keeper/helper, often stop by to visit. Though
he is now a 10th grade student who takes biology, Shaquille said Cleo and Tut
have made him think he might want to study herpetology, which is the study of
reptiles and amphibians. At home, he now keeps a leopard gecko as a pet.
Shaquille said his initial
interest in reptiles was sparked by watching The Crocodile Hunter, a wildlife
documentary television series starring Steve Irwin, who died in 2006 after
being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb.
Mr. Cosnek has been
interested in reptiles since he found a red-eared slider turtle in a creek when
he was 10 years old. He did his research, learning how to feed and care for it,
"and I built an elaborate habitat in our yard."
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09266/999960-57.stm
LA VOIX DU NORD
(France) 22 September 09 La police découvre à Maubeuge une vraie
caverne de pirates, avec crocodile en prime (Sébastien Ducrot)
Un
bébé crocodile vivant dans une cave d'immeuble squattée par des individus non
identifiés : c'est la découverte peu commune que les policiers de Maubeuge ont
effectuée vendredi, au beau milieu d'un fatras de véhicules et de matériel
hi-fi volé.
Titi
était son petit nom, et le manège de nombreux enfants des environs qui lui
amenaient de la nourriture a fini par attirer l'attention. Un bébé reptile de
l'ordre des crocodiliens, sans qu'il soit possible pour l'instant de déterminer
s'il s'agit d'une des vingt-deux espèces de crocodile recensées ou d'un caïman,
vivait depuis apparemment de nombreuses semaines dans une cave du bâtiment Le
Normandie, aux Provinces-Françaises.
Installé
dans un vivarium à moitié rempli d'eau, il restait dans l'obscurité, au beau
milieu de motos, de mobylettes, de scooters et de pocket-bike volés, ainsi que
de matériel hi-fi à l'origine douteuse et des armes factices. Les policiers du
commissariat de Maubeuge, qui auraient eu vent de son existence, ont effectué
une descente dans le sous-sol de l'immeuble, vendredi midi. Au motif que la
détention d'un tel animal étant illégale et nécessitant des précautions et de
l'espace, des mauvais traitements pouvaient être suspectés.
Le
propriétaire de l'animal, ainsi que le ou les receleurs du matériel volé, n'ont
pas été identifiés. La cave où le saurien a été découvert, ainsi que les autres
où les engins motorisées regorgeaient, disposaient de barrillets bien
différents des autres portes des parties communes, récemment changées par le
bailleur social Partenord : les individus squattant les lieux les auraient
aussitôt remplacées par des serrures dont eux seuls avaient la clé. Selon nos
informations, dans les autres caves, du mobilier d'appartement entreposé
permettait semble-t-il des réunions.
Titi
le croco, pour sa part, était apparemment nourri de poissons rouges vivants par
des enfants des environs. Et cohabitait avec plus de 300 grammes de résine de
cannabis, 25 grammes d'herbe et 2 000 E en liquide, pour traces des activités
présumées des occupants de la cave. Quel était l'avenir de la bestiole, appelée
à grossir rapidement ? Difficile à dire. Les policiers ne croient pas à la
rumeur prévoyant des combats organisés contre des chiens d'attaque une fois que
la bête aurait atteint une taille adulte - et serait devenue ingérable.
Le
crocodile a été confié au zoo de Maubeuge dans l'attente d'une solution de
replacement, le parc ne disposant pas d'infrastructures adaptées, a-t-on appris
hier après-midi. Malgré des contacts répétés avec la direction du zoo et la
mairie de Maubeuge, il n'a pas été possible de photographier l'animal hier.