Do journals lead traffickers to newly-described reptiles?
When a newly-identified reptile is described in scientific literature, it’s not just exciting for biologists. It also catches the eyes of wildlife traffickers, ...
reptiles
Urbanization may lead to Puerto Rican boa decline
Increasing urbanization in Puerto Rico may cause declines in the territory’s endangered boa population. The Puerto Rican boa (Chilabothrus inornatus) is the ...
Wild Cam: Solving the hatchling sea turtle mystery
Small satellite tags glued onto green sea turtle hatchlings are revealing where the reptiles go immediately after they leave the beaches of central Florida. The ...
JWM: Hog-nosed snakes need sandy dunes for nesting
Saying eastern hog-nosed snakes are a little prickly is probably an understatement. When Laura Robson, a master’s student at the University of Ottawa at the time, ...
eDNA can root out hidden Louisiana pinesnakes
The best way to track down a cryptic pinsesnake may be searching for trace DNA left in the soil around its prey. Louisiana pinesnakes are notoriously hard to find, ...
‘Forever chemicals’ may threaten Pacific sea turtles
A female hawksbill sea turtle unwittingly ingested many of the chemicals in her body while feeding off the coast of northern Oahu for several years before 2012. By ...
Prescribed fires boost snake diversity in longleaf pine forests
Flames and snakes don’t just go well together on motorcycle decals and heavy metal album covers. According to new research, prescribed fires every few years in ...
JWM: Predators overharvesting bog turtle eggs
Predators are stopping many bog turtle eggs from hatching and growing to adulthood. The bog turtle is the smallest turtle in the U.S., measuring only about three to ...
Building a better wall to keep ratsnakes off the road
Researchers in Ontario are looking into whether a great wall could keep snakes from getting onto highways that can be lethal to them. Canada’s two populations of ...
Wild Cam: Lights deter sea turtles away from deadly nets
Sea turtles have long held a special place in the traditional stories of Ghanaian fishing communities. In a story that varies depending on the community and who’s ...