The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) announced last week that it has captured, tagged and released the 99th and 100th alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) in Buffalo Bayou, located in Houston, TX. The 99th turtle, a 131lb male is nicknamed J.J.…
Zoo Knoxville's Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Campus (ARC) opened early this month after an extensive $18 million, 2.5-acre expansion dedicated specifically to reptiles and amphibians. The ARC now features 85 species of reptiles and amphibians, including 38 endangered reptile and…
If you live in the state of North Carolina, or are visiting the state and happen to see a pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus), timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) or the Carolina pigmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarus), the…
Florida's non-native reptile pet rules go into effect April 29, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting a series of Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag (also known as a microchip) days to help reptile keepers who…
The effort to return California red-legged frogs (Rana draytonii) to Southern California, which has been ongoing by Robert Fisher from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative Program for more than 20 years, began to move the needle…
Mississippi just gained an additional 38 gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in the wild as the Nature Conservancy earlier this month released the reptiles at three different tortoise burrows. The team wrote that after the released near the burrows, several tortoises…
For many egg laying reptiles, temperature of the eggs during incubation determines the sex of the hatchling. For example, a 2017 study of green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchlings on Australia’s Reine Island found that 99 percent of the sea…
Researchers have discovered a new marsupial frog species in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest that is part of the Gastrotheca genus. The frog, Gastrotheca gemma, is green in coloration with a coarse, granular and patternless dorsal skin. Its irises are turquoise…
The yellow-spotted night lizard (Lepidophyma flavimaculatum) is generally the only species in the family Xantusiidae that is occasionally available in the United States reptile hobby. Native to parts of Mexico and Central America, with proper care, yellow-spotted night lizards make…
Guinevere, a bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) in British Columbia, Canada is in need of some funds to help pay for her ovariectomy, which is the surgical removal of her ovaries, and her keepers are seeking a bit of love from…
Someone stole Calypso, a yellow-footed tortoise (Geochelone denticulata) from the Riverland Nursery in Fort Myers, Florida, and the folks at the nursery would like her back. The tortoise has been at Riverland for many years and even has her own…
The habitat of the Illinois chorus frog (Pseudacris illinoensis) in the state is threatened by a proposed 30,000-acre wind farm project in Mason County, Illinois, that scientists say could change the way the frogs sense and capture their prey buried…
A video of an Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator) climbing up a shelf in a 7-11 in Bangkok, Thailand has gone viral. The video opens with the giant lizard seemingly trying to open the cold case with his nose, (perhaps…
When it comes to reptiles, it seems as though there is always another stone to turn over as we are always learning new significant information about them, such as the animals’ habitat preferences, diet or physiology. For years, rumors of…
Chinese and German researchers have discovered a new to science venomous snake that was confirmed to have killed renowned herpetologist Joseph B. Slowinski in 2001. The snake, Suzhen's krait (Bungarus suzhenae) is named after Bai Su Zhen, the snake goddess…
The most critically endangered crocodile species in the world, the Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) can climb steep hills, a behavior that was unknown by researchers studying the species until now. The reptile, which has seen steady declines that now there…
The United States Department of Justice has charged a South Carolina man with violating the Lacey Act for allegedly trafficking in spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata), eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina), and 15 Gaboon vipers (Bitis gabonica). Ashtyn Michael Rance, 35,…
The Galapagos tortoise is captive bred in many countries around the world to ensure the survival of these species, yet some smugglers tried to smuggle 185 baby tortoises out of the Galapagos Islands. The babies, wrapped in plastic wrap ostensibly…
From turtles and tortoises to iguanas and lizards, a complete and balanced diet is critical for the health and longevity of reptiles. Complete means all nutrients required for the species’ age and lifestyle are included, and balanced means all nutrients…
