|
|
|
Moderator
 
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 1:07:13 PM
Posts: 447,
Visits: 621
|
|
| I've been away the last 5 days helping a researcher friend, Chris Lechowicz (and 17-year-old protege helper Alan Rivero) on a project studying map turtles (genus Graptemys) in a little-studied river system in the Florida panhandle. Chris has to collect, measure, and mark as many map turtles each visit, usually twice per year, as he can catch. This time, we also squeezed in a 1-day visit to a second river up there too. Turtles were out in moderate abundance, including some 2008 hatchlings. Here are some of the highlights..... Alan (left) and Chris (background) snorkeling in a clear spring-fed creek. We found 2 herp species here under water. 
Alan spotted this brown water snake (Nerodia taxispilota) crawling on the bottom while looking for turtles. It's probably a sub-adult at about 2 feet in length. Normally we find these basking on cypress knees and roots along shore. Further below is a close-up of the snake the way we usually see them. 
Loggerhead musk turtles (Sternotherus minor minor) are by far the most numerous herp residents in the creek. This is a typically pugnacious juvenile posed on a cypress knee. 
You have to watch out handling them because they're constantly stretching their necks out to try and bite while being held. 
Here are some more loggerhead musks that were basking along the Chipola River. It was amazing how steep of branches they could climb up. 
Barbour's map turtles (Graptemys barbouri) were very wary on the Chipola. It wasn't uncommon for them to dive off their basking logs when we were still hundreds of feet away in our motorboat. 
There are 'other' turtles mixed here basking - probably yellow-bellied sliders (Trachemys scripta scripta) and cooters (Pseudemys concinna) besides the adult female Barbour's map to the right off by herself. 
I had hoped to find an alligator snapper like last time I visited this river two years ago, but no such luck this time.
********************* Bill Love / BLUE CHAMELEON VENTURES
|
|
|
|
|
Average Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 8:12:39 PM
Posts: 747,
Visits: 1,007
|
|
Sounded like you had fun.Nice pictures.
_____________________________________________I am training as a veterinary technician for cats, dogs and exotics. To me every animal needs a little help from a vet.
Cuban Rock Iguana and Rhinoceros Iguana Reptiles I own:
3.2.1 Green Iguanas (Godzilla, Charmilion, Larz, Esperonza,Izzy and Blaze.)
1.0.0 Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Sombra)
1.1.0 Eastern Box Turtles (Speedy and Shelly)
0.2.0 Common Snapping Turtles (Miss.Snappy and Radaga)
0.1.0 Red-Eared Slider (Rae)
1.0.0 Ball Python (Spikles)
0.0.1 New Caledonian Giant Gecko (Silver) Other animals I want to Own: Hyacinth Macaw and a Savannah Cat Animals I own: 0.1.0 Maine Coon (Kova)
0.1.0 Yellow Lab (Mia)
1.2.0 Sugar Gliders (Tejano,Blanca and Larissa)
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 2:45:24 PM
Posts: 1,117,
Visits: 809
|
|
Nice pics! As usual... Good job.
...I look out for you, you look out for me...Just to let everyone know, I am Reptile_Dude...I just changed my username. 
|
|
|
|
|
New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/27/2008 3:43:42 PM
Posts: 10,
Visits: 13
|
|
| Looks like a fun trip. The Loggerhead picture is hilarious, he looks shocked to have his picture taken.
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 2:45:24 PM
Posts: 1,117,
Visits: 809
|
|
Some of those turtles up in the trees...wow...
...I look out for you, you look out for me...Just to let everyone know, I am Reptile_Dude...I just changed my username.
|
|
|
|
|
Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 1:58:51 PM
Posts: 342,
Visits: 349
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 2:22:41 PM
Posts: 1,479,
Visits: 1,366
|
|
Wow, I would love to snorkel there! Nice finds and pics!
1.0 bearded dragon (Drake)
1.0.1 leopard gecko (Athena and Apollo)
0.0.1 occelated skink (Zahara)
0.0.2 wood frogs (Cloak and Dagger)
" Human kind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect." - Chief Seattle, 1855
|
|
|
|
|
New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 7:48:57 PM
Posts: 67,
Visits: 110
|
|
Nice pics
1.0 Burmese Python 0.1 Ball Python 1.0 Spider Ball Python
|
|
|
|
| | |