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

I have run across colonies of feral sliders in Nassau (Bahamas), Baja California, Nevada, northern California, Japan (including in temple ponds in historic Kyoto!), Venezuela, St. Lucia and St. Croix.  Such sightings, of course, are not noteworthy, considering that this plucky survivor is well established in 25 or more countries on all continents except Antarctica (actually, when referring to animals with large ranges it’s standard to state “except Antarctica“…I’m not so sure this applies here for all I know there may be one paddling about some researcher’s outdoor hot tub!).  Parks in Korea, marshes in Brazil, ponds on Guam and countless other far-flung habitats all have their resident sliders.

It is, however, in New York where I have had most of my experience with feral populations.  Sliders, usually originating as released pets, are very common in waterways within NYC, but may also be found in relatively isolated areas as well.

Natural Habitat

Quiet, mud-bottomed waters with abundant vegetation and basking sites are considered to be the typical habitat in the northern part of the range, while tropical slider subspecies tend to occupy large rivers.  “Typical”, however, is a quite plastic concept as concerns this adaptable turtle.

New York‘s Resident Sliders

In New York, I have encountered red-eared sliders such unlikely habitats as Pine Barren’s cranberry bogs with highly acidic waters, shaded, fast-moving streams and tidal creeks bordering the Great South Bay (please see photographs).  They are also to be found in the Hudson River along the west side of Manhattan, watering holes in outdoor exhibits at the Bronx Zoo and in just about every park pond within NYC…the various natural and artificial waterways of Central and Prospect Parks have amazingly dense populations.

Along one stretch of the Bronx River which I have frequented since childhood, partially submerged shopping carts and car hoods are the most frequently used basking sites (the few logs that are available are rarely occupied by turtles!).

Further Reading

Detailed maps of the slider’s range in North America, as well as the US Geological Survey’s assessment of its impact on non-native habitats are posted at http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=1261

Marine turtles (popularly known as “sea turtles”) are well-liked by all, herpers and “other” people alike.  They are, in many ways, creatures of great mystery, yet opportunities to become involved in hands-on research with them abound.

My first field research outside of the USA was with green turtles (Chelonia midas) at Tortuguero, Costa Rica…a place I had been longing to visit since reading So Excellent a Fishe, written by legendary turtle biologist Archie Carr (if you are at all interested in sea turtles or the American tropics in general, please do not miss this book, there’s none other like it).

Archie Carr – the Visionary at Tortuguero

The Caribbean Conservation Corporation operates the world’s longest-running sea turtle monitoring program, and manages the now famous research station at Tortuguero.  It was the world’s only sea turtle protection organization when formed by Archie Carr in 1959, and remains the most influential.

The CCC has always relied heavily upon volunteer researchers, and many who have roamed Tortuguero’s beaches have gone on to interesting careers in herpetology…certainly my own experiences there are still an influence after nearly 25 years.  The 5 decades’ worth of data gathered by program participants forms the foundation of nearly all that is currently known about the biology of sea turtles in the Caribbean.

Volunteer Opportunities and Contributions

CCC researchers become involved in all aspects of marine turtle field work – counting and re-locating eggs, monitoring nest success, and, most thrilling of all, tagging the huge females at night as they finish nesting (often carried out while mounted on the turtle as she scrambles for the sea!).

Depending upon the season, participants may work with green turtles, 1,200 pound leatherbacks, or both.  Studies focusing on the area’s incredible diversity of birdlife (over 300 species have been recorded) are also conducted.  An amazing assortment of other wildlife, including jaguars, kinkajous, caiman, tarantulas of several varieties, jaguarundi, tapirs, and strawberry poison frogs, assures that you will be as awestruck as was I.

You can learn more at http://www.cccturtle.org/.  There are turtle tagging opportunities here in the USA as well… please look for future articles on diamondback terrapin tagging and other programs.

A recent article (Jan. 2009) in Physiological and Biochemical Zoology has shed light on why spitting cobras nearly always hit the eyes of whatever creature they are aiming for, be it secretary bird (a predator), gnu (a trample hazard) or person.

Perfect Aim Not Needed

Utilizing high speed photography and EMG tests, researchers established that the snakes contract their head and neck muscles just before ejecting venom.  The contractions rotate the head and jerk it sharply from side to side, so that the venom forms a complex geometric spray pattern as it approaches its target.  As long as aimed in the general direction of the face, the venom contacts the adversary’s eyes nearly 100% of the time.

Keeping Zookeepers on Their Toes

I have worked closely with several types of spitting cobras.  Like many Elapids (cobras and their relatives), they are alert and quick-moving, and seem, at least on the surface, to be quite intelligent.  These traits, combined with their ability to both bite and “spit”, renders them quite a handful in captivity, and they provide much fodder for zookeepers’ tales.

Perhaps He Thought They Needed Exercise?

In one very bizarre incident from my Bronx Zoo days, a visitor held his son up so that the child could kick in the glass of an exhibit housing 3 black-necked spitting cobras (Naja nigricollis)!  As might be expected, the breaking glass caused a great deal of agitation to both the snakes and some of the other visitors…I say “some of” because nearly as many people were pushing towards the exhibit as were running away (those wacky New Yorkers!).  Fortunately, all emerged unscathed, and the snakes were recovered quickly.

Cobra Hunting to Start the Day

Another zoo adventure began when, still bleary-eyed after a few mugs of espresso very early one spring morning, I discovered that 3 red spitting cobras (Naja pallida) had vacated their holding cage overnight.  The ancient plastic goggles I used around spitters were fine for exhibit work, but rendered me nearly blind in the dim, cluttered recesses of the reptile house’s basement and storage areas.  Lifting the goggles briefly to peek under something was terrifying, but so was leaving them on and seeing only unidentifiable shadows.

One colleague, goggles perched on his forehead, spied a snake and grabbed it with tongs, neglecting to lower the goggles in the excitement.  Fortunately, the trapped serpent vented its wrath by biting the tongs, and not by spitting at my partner’s face!  After a few sweaty, suspense-filled hours, all 3 snakes were re-captured…whereupon I ordered new goggles!

I’ve also had run-ins with the spitting cobra’s much larger relative, the king cobra…please see my article A Close Call With a King Cobra http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2008/06/ for more cobra tales.

Image referenced from Wikipedia, first published by LA Dawson, and shared under the Creative Commons Share Alike-2.5 License.

The Partnership for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (http://www.parcplace.org/) presents a unique opportunity for hobbyists and others to work in the company of professional herpetologists.  The organization is unique and, in my opinion, far-sighted, in focusing on common as well as rare amphibians and reptiles.  Membership is open to all interested persons.

Working groups are established to address species native to each of 6 geographic regions in the USA, as well as in Canada and Mexico, and volunteers are always welcomed.  Current initiatives range from monitoring smooth green snake populations to assessing vernal pond habitats.

Frog and salamander enthusiasts can participate in the National Wildlife Federation’s “Project Frogwatch” (www.nwf.org/frogwatchUSA) or the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/naamp).  Amphibian deformities, an increasingly common concern, can be reported at www.nbii.gov/portal/server.pt.

State wildlife agencies often support volunteer-based conservation initiatives.  Links to the individual agencies (they all have different names) of each state may be found at http://www.fishwildlife.org/ or on the PARK website noted above.

I grew up “knowing” green iguanas to be largely arboreal lizards of thickly-forested habitats.  In time, I was able to confirm that impression by observing them high in the canopy of a Costa Rican rainforest, and in the tall trees of Tortuguero Island, Costa Rica…where, in accordance with what I had read, they dove into the river when disturbed.

So I was quite surprised, upon arriving in Venezuela’s flat, largely treeless llanos, to find these flooded grasslands well-stocked with the huge lizards.  I was there to study green anacondas (also a surprising find, given my past impressions, but we eventually tagged over 500) but found it impossible to limit my attention to them, so overwhelming was the diversity of wildlife.

The green iguanas grazed on the flat, treeless terrain like so many cows…in fact, they were often among cows, as much of our work was on a cattle ranch.  When threatened (i.e. by me trying to catch one), they took off at incredible speeds and dove into the water.

One stout brute of 5’11” in length (please see photo showing side-view) absolutely refused to enter the water when he reached its edge.  He held his ground, thrashing his tail (please see photo showing cut left on my arm by a smaller animal’s tail) and lunging at me.  Once subdued, I was able to see that he had numerous old wounds that had likely been inflicted by piranhas, and was missing several toes.  Perhaps his stretch of the river had a particularly aggressive piranha population, and he preferred a battle on land to another swim!

I’ve included a photo of typical iguana habitat in Venezuela’s central llanos country, to perhaps show you why I was so surprised to find the lizards there (the creatures in the foreground are capybaras, world’s largest rodent).  Also included is a photo of another reason that an iguana might choose to run or fight rather than swim – a huge green anaconda basking at the surface.

Today we can see ample evidence of the green iguanas’ adaptability right here in the USA – feral animals live in areas ranging from beaches to suburban gardens throughout south Florida!

Detailed information on green iguana behavior and typical habitats is posted by the Green Iguana Society at:

http://www.greenigsociety.org/inthewild.htm