That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information

Inspired by fellow Bronxite John Kiernan’s wonderful book A Natural History of New York City, I have searched for reptiles and amphibians in just about every corner of the Big Apple.  An amazing array of species manage to hold on here and in other cities around the world (Reticulated Pythons are regularly encountered in Singapore and Bangkok) – in fact, I cannot cover all of NYC’s species in a single article.  Today I’ll take a look at big city snakes.

Snakes of NY State

New York State is home to 17-18 species of snakes, most of which once dwelled within NYC limits. Three of these – the Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake and Eastern Massasauga – are venomous.  Read More »

Many interesting amphibian and reptile field research reports are published in professional journals such as Copeia, Herpetologica and Herpetological Review, and are not available on the internet.  Unfortunately, such journals are usually quite expensive (if well-worth the price).  From time to time I’ll provide summaries of interesting articles that I come across.  Today’s report is drawn from Autumn, 2010 publications and covers 2 unusual feeding records.  The observations were made in Florida and, as might be expected, both predator and prey (Cuban Treefrog, Spectacled Caiman, Walking Catfish) were non native species! Read More »

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Please see Part 1 of this article to read about the conservation of the Marsh Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) and to see what it’s like to work with them in captivity. 

Natural History

Marsh Crocodiles are aptly named – despite being powerful swimmers, they favor the calm, plant-choked waters of swamps and marshes over swift-moving rivers (the species name, “palustris”, is a reference to their habitat).

Their range extends from Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan through India and Sri Lanka.  Read More »

I’ve been very fortunate in having spent many years working with Crocodilians in both captivity and the wild while remaining (more or less!) intact in the process.  Today I’d like to introduce the Marsh Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) and highlight a unique population that thrives in a most unexpected locale.

Threats

Marsh Crocodiles, also known as Muggars, are equipped with immensely broad snouts (the croc world’s widest) and may reach 16 feet in length.  Their large size and propensity to colonize canals and other man-made water bodies renders them a threat to people in some areas. Attacks are not unknown – this, along with a fondness for livestock and commercially important fish, has doomed several populations to extinction.  Read More »