MINNESOTA

HERPETOLOGICAL

SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER VOL. 16 NO. 11

NovemberJ996

Russian or Steppe Tortoise Testudo hermanni

(illustration fromMarian Mlynarski's "Plazi i Gady Polski" 1966)

for more on Russian Tortoises see the Tortoise Trust Bulletin on page 5

MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Newsletter Volume 16 Number 11 November 1996

Contents

News, Notes & Announcements................................................................................. 1 Special Bulletin from the Tortoise Trust, London....................................................... 5 General Meeting Review by Michelle Stephan........................................................... 7 Ecoviews: Fun With a Frogger by Whit Gibbons....................................................... 8 Comparisons of Growth Between Capti ve and Wild Specimens of Pill/ophis

catellifer sayi by Randy Blasus....................................................................... 9 Notes from the Hinterlands. Chapter 7: Taxonomy It's Not Just for Breakfast

Anymore by Todd Daniels............................................................................ 11 Field Notes: Hibernation by Randy Blasus................................................................ 13 MHS Hands-On Policy.............................................................................................. 14 MHS Business............................................................................................................. 15 Calendar of Events..................................................... ................................................. 15 Classified Advertisements..... ...... ........... ..... ........ ........... ....... ........... ............... ........... 16

The Minnesota Herpetological Society is a nonprofit organization associated with the:

James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History University of Minnesota

MUS StateInent of Purpose: to further the education of the membership and the general public in care and captive propagation of reptiles and amphibians: to educate the membership and the general public in the ecological role of reptiles and amphibians; and to promote the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians.

MHS Board of Directors President Vice President Membership Secretary Recording Secretary Treasurer Editor Immediate Past President Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large

Gloria Anton Michael Gaunt George Richard Michelle Stephan MarH yn Blasus John Levell Bill Moss Donna Gaunt Nancy Haig Mark Schmidtke Barbara Radanke

SNAKEBITE EMERGENCY Hennepin Co. Regional Poison Center (612) 347-3141 Minnesota Poison Control System Local: (612) 221-2113 Out of State: (800) 222-1222

MHS VOICE MAIL:(612) 624-7065 E-mail: mnherpsoc@aol.com

President: Gloria Anton (612) 420-6158 Vice President: Michael Gaunt (612) 754-8241 ~ernbership Secretary: George Richard (612) 623-7620

~HS SPECIAL CO~~ITTEES

Education Chair: Sean Hewitt (612) 935-5845 Adoption Chair: Glen Jacobsen (612) 757-8268

Editor: John p, Levell (612) 374-5422

Minnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter is published monthly by the Minnesota Herpetological Society. Manuscripts and advertisements may be submitted in any fonnat, 3 112 inch IBM or Macintosh compatible disks preferred. The publication deadline farads is always the weekend of the MHS general meeting. Submissions should be sent to: MHS Editor, do The Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 ChurchSt. SE,Millllcapo­lis, MN 55455-0104.

© Copyright Minnesota Herpetological Society 1996. Contents lllay be reproduced provided that all material is reproduced without change and proper credit is given authors and the MRS Newsletter citing; volume, number, and date.

MHS Newsletter Volwne 16 Number 11

News, Notes & Announcements Upcoming Meeting Highlights The Vice-President's Report

December Program: Giant Snakes of the World Banquet Program: Collecting Stories from Tropical Con­tinental Islands Speaker: John C. Murphy

As most of you are aware, December brings two programs for the Society. The ftrst is on Friday night,Decem­ber 6th at the regular meeting place. The second is the following night during the annual Holiday Banquet in the Student Union Center on the St. Paul Campus. We've had some wonderful December speakers in the past, and this year proves to be just as exciting. Our guest speaker, John Murphy, is an Associate of the Division of Amphibians and Reptiles at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. He has come to talk about snakes ... big ones.

John's Friday night talk will be a verbal presentation of a forthcoming book that he has put together with the collaboration of Dr. Robert Henderson of the Milwaukee Public Museum. "Tales of the Giant Snakes: A Historical Natural History of Anacondas and Pythons" isn't available quite yet, but it should be out by early next year.

----- Nowthatthe eolder weather of winteris setting in, it's a good time to turn our attention away from the hibernating herps of our own backyards and wander to warmer climes. Which brings us to the Holiday Banquet presentation. John's other forthcoming book is titled "The Amphibians and Rep­tiles of Trinidad and Tobago."

HisSaturday presentation is titled "Collecting Stories from Tropical Continental Islands." As well as Trinidad and Tobago, John has also spent time on Borneo and in Sri Lanka looking for herps. For those of us that do our herping in Minnesota, this is an opportunity to see just how different it is collecting animals on tropical islands.

There have been a few animals going out recently as adoptions and I hope to see them back at the meetings for "Critter of the Month." Quite often these animals go up for adoption and are never heard from again, so it's nice to see how they are progressing in your care. Thanks to all who brought animals to last month's meeting.

Two more "Thanks" need to go out in this article. The frrstgoes to Todd Sajwaj for his presentation last month on the Blanding's Turtles at Camp Ripley. Those of us that have made it upthere in the pastknow how difficult his work is. And ftnally toour"Stealth Speaker," John Moriarty. Thanks for the brief overview of the turtles and some of the conservation efforts taking place around the state.

See you in December. Michael Gaunt.

General Meeting Loeation: Room 335 Borlaug Hall Date & Time: December 6, 1996 7:00 pm.

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Holiday Banquet Location: Student Union Center SI. Paul Campus Date & Time: December 7, 19966:30 pm. (see map on Inside back cover)

Horned Lizard Subject to Lawsuit In an attempt to protect a declining desert reptile

species, several groups recently brought legal action against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. The Tucson Herpetological Society (THS), along with Defenders of Wildlife, the Horned Lizard Conservation Society, and a THS member, flied suit in early September over the government's failure to list the Flat-tailed Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma mcallii, as a Threatened or Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The suit is simple: the government is required by the ESA to make a decision on listing within one year of an offtcial proposal to list. 0 n November 29, 1993, they published in the Federal Register a proposal to list the species as Threatened. More than two years later, they have never ftnalized that listing and the species remains largely unprotected.

Beyond that procedural issue is a very real conserva­tion issue. The Flat-tailed Horned Lizard has lost a large part of its habitat throughout its limited range in Arizona and California due to off-road vehicles, agriculture, suburban sprawl, military activities, and other human behavior. Re­maining populations have been isolated from each other and the habitat fragmentation continues. According to the Fish & Wildlife Service, about 95% of the remaining optimal habitat in California is threatened by one or more factors. Monitoring efforts have documented recent population declines in at least one area of optimal habitat. Without federal protection the species will ahoost surely continue to decline, perhaps to extinction in this country.

The suit asks for court-ordered listing of the species and for protection of its habitat.

Editor's Note: The preceding article, author unknown has been reprinted from the THS web site: http:// www.azstarnet.com/1Jsavary/announce.html.

November's "Critter of the Month"

Michael Gaunt False Map Tnrtle Graptemys pselldogeographica

Gordon Merck Great Basin Gopher Snake Pitllophis catenifel' desenicola

Dick Palmatier Burmese Python Python molllrus

Mark Schmidtke Everglades Rat Snake Elaphe obsoleta rossal/eni

John Moriarty Blanding's Turtle (hatchlings) Emydoidea blandingi

MHS Newsletter Volume 16 Number 11

Official Notification Prop'osed Changes to the By taws and Mem­bership Categories of the Minnesota Her­petological Society Ratification Vote.

Wbere: Room 335, Borlaug Hall, U of M St. Paul Campus. Wben: Decmember 6, 1996 - 7 :00 PM. Wbo: All Active MHS Members in Attendance.

It is the position of the MHS Board of Directors that member­ship categories for the Society need to be revised and that new Commercial Membership levels and annual dues be estab­lished. These proposed revisions and additions will help clarify tbe types of memberships available and establisb the number of annual complimentary advertisements available to commercial members, but will not change the status or current annual dues for the Basic, Contributing or Sustalningmember­sbip classifications. Commercial Memberships will be in­cluded in a revised defInition of "Corresponding Members" which will require a slight modifIcation to Article II, Section 2.02 of tbe MHS Constitution. In tbe proposed amendment to tbe MHS Constitution listed below deletions are designated hy strike tbrougb type, and additions are designated by bold underline. The final decision regarding the proposed revision to the MHS Constitution and the establisbment of New Com­mercial Memberships and Dues resides with the membership ofthe MHS present at tbeDecember 1996 general meeting and all active members are encouraged to attend and participate.

ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP Section 2.02 Active arid Corresponding Members

Current Constitution: Active and corresponding members sball be individuals wbo subscribe to the objectives and policies of this organization.

Proposed Amendment: Active and etltte;,ptlnding members sball be individuals wbo subscribe to the objectives and ad­bere to the policies of this organization. Corresponding members shall be corporations or organizations that sub­scribe to the objectives and adhere to the policies of this organization.

Revised Constitution: Active members sball be individuals who subscribe to tbe objectives and adhere to the policies of . this organization. Corresponding members shall be corpora­tions or organizations that subscribe to the objectives and adhere to the policies of this organization.

New Corresponding Membership Categories

Membersbip Type Non-Commercial (Exchange, Museums, etc.) Basic Commercial (Standard Business Card Ad)

Annual Dues $0.00

$25.00

Bronze Commercial $50.00 (Business Card + two 1/4 page ads or equivalent) Silver Commercial $75.00 (Business Card + two 112 page ads or equivalent) Gold Commercial $100.00 (Business Card + two Full page ads or equivalent)

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Rare Tortoise Species Threatened by Thieves

On the nigbt of 6 May 1996, in Ampijoroa, Madagas­car, two holes were cut in a cbain-link fence surrounding a captive breeding facility for Plowshare Tortoises (Geochelone yniphora), and 2 adult female and 73 hatchlings were stolen. The captive breeding farm in Ampijoroa is run by Don Reid, an Englishman who has spent tbe last 10 years propagating the species; the theft constituted half of the entire stock. The Plowshare Tortoise, listed in Appendix I of CITES, is one of tbe world's rarest and most valuable tortoises: only 400 to 1,000 exist. Highly prized by collectors, especially in the United States, Spain, Germany, and Japan, Plowshares sell for several thousand dollars each. The Plowsbare Tortoise is found in only two zoological institutions worldwide - the Honolulu Zoo and tbe Wildlife Conservation Society's SI. Catberine's Wildlife Survival Center in Georgia.

An international manhunt is now on as reports of "Plowshares for sale" come in; however, no arrests have been made so far in connection witb tbe carefully planned tbeft. It is believed that the tortoises were for sale even before they were stolen. Experts suspect tbat tbe surviving hatcblings have been split up and are being sold everywhere from Canada to Holland to Tokyo.

Because the Plowshare Tortoise takes 15-20 years to reacb sexual maturity, captive breeding of tbe species is a diffIcult and slow business, which, so far, has been successful only in Ampijoroa. The small homeland oftbe species near the Bay ofBaly in Madagascar is also in jeopardy. Bush fIres set by local peasants to sprout new grass for Zebu Cattle herds destroy the Plowshare's habitat, and it has been reported tbat feral pigs eat Plowshare eggs and fragile young tortoises.

Plowsbare hatchlings range in size from ping-pong balls to softballs and are the color of bamboo with hexagons burned into tbem. It is not until the tortoises are about five years old that they develop the distinctive "plowshare" prow on their underside. This strange protuberance of the shell under tbe bead is the male animal's figbting gear. It is used to flip a foe on his back to gain victory in the apparently essential 'duels between male Plowsbares tbat take place before they become aroused enough to mate witb a female.

Madagascar, tbe fourth largest island in the world, is the native habitat of many of the world's rare reptiles, includ­ing 144 species of frogs, two-tbirds of the world's cbameleons, and many tortoises and geckos. Eighty percent of its species occur nowhere else. All Malagasy tortoises are endangered

, and protected; tbe Plowshare has been protected by a govern­ment decree since 1931.

Editor's Note: The preceding article, author unknown, originally appeared and has been reprinted from the August 1996 edition of Traffic USA. JPL

Some Experts Question Link of Parasite, Frog Deformities

State scientists studying malfonned frogs in Minne­sota and. several other states are skeptical of reports from a Califomla researcher that a snake-<lwelling parasite is the culprit in the defonnities.

"Parasites might be one of the contributors (to the malfonnations)," said Mark Gernes, a biologist with the Min­nesota pollution Control Agency. "But I think there might be more than one cause. The bottom line is, more work has to be done on all the possible causes."

Gemes and several other Minnesota scientists believe that .chemical toxins, possibly coming from new herbicides, pesticIdes or other sources, may be playino a significant role in the frog deformities. b

Gemes doesn't believe the snake parasites, called flukes, could explain the entire phenomenon for a couple of reasons.

Firs~ some of the malfonnations found in local frogs, such as oddly shaped pupils in the eyes, don't seem to fit the parasite theory, which holds that when the parasites attach themselves to tadpoles, they physically disrupt cell fonnation m the frogs.

Second, the ,!,alformations appeared suddenly, going from almost none dunng 15 years of careful samplmg of frogs by Mmnesota researchers to high numbers in the past two years.

During the past 15 years, Gemes said, University of Minnesota professors David Hoppe and Robert McKinnell have, looked at about 20,000 frogs "and until last year, they dldn t see any gross defonnations."

The parasites cited by the California researcher have always been present at some level, Gemes said, and it seems likely that if the parasites do cause the malfonnations, Minne­sota scientisis would have found them earlier.

The sudden appearance of defonned frogs has be­come an international mystery since they were discovered in August 1995 by elementary school students from Minnesota New Country School in LeSueur. The students came across the frogs while on a nature walk, and since that time malfonned frogs have been reported in 47 Minnesota counties and in other states ranging from California to Missouri.

Indicators of Pollution Frogs, with their penneable skin and a.life cycl~ th~t is both aquatic and land-based, perfonn a functIOn that IS slll1i1ar to what canaries once did for coal miners.

"They are fairly signiflcant indicators of health in our envir~lllment," Gemes said - which is why he wants to know what m the past two years caused frog populations throughout Mmnesota and II or 12 other states to suddenly go from next­to-zero malfonnations to rates as high as 67 percent.

"We ask ourselves what has changed in the environ­ment in the last two years," he said.

. . G.ernes COlllll1ents followed a report Tuesday that a bIOlogIst SIX years ago at SIerra COlllll1unity College east of Sacramento, California, confmned a link between the snake parasite and defonnities in salamanders and frogs found in a pond. While his data is old, it shows a mechanism by which the malfonnatlOns could ~e happening. His data reportedly ruled out ch~ml~a1 contammatlOn as a cause, though it is such contammation that many scientists believe to be the likely cause of the current wave of frog defonnities.

The Califomia biologist, Charles Dailey, said the

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MHS Newsletter Volwne 16 Numb'efl1

parasites probably are link to frogs with five or six legs and 0t!'er defonrutles dIscovered last week in a pond about 200 mdes northeast of Aptos, near Nevada City in the Sierra foothills.

Suspects in a Mystery Gemes, who has read only newspa­per reports of Dailey's findings, did not say they were wrong, but he said they seemed "incomplete."

. The Minnesota scientists working on the mystery are looking at chenucal contammaoon as the most likely cause, but they are also domg research on the parasite idea and are aware of a less likely theory that increased ultraviolet radiation from tbinning of the ozone might be playing a role.

The reports of malfonned frogs keep coming in, Gemes satd, WIth 164 receIved so far from Minnesota, other states and Canada. In Minnesota 47 counties have reported fmding at least two malfonned frogs, and 40 of those counties have reported finding them at more than one location.

Of the Minnesota reports, Gemes said, 21 have been confmned by professional biologists.

"This is early onin the investigation," he said. ''Right now it is all speculation."

Gemes and other Minnesota scientists are doing their research with a $123,000 grant from the Legislative Commis­sion on Minnesota Resources.

Distribution of Counties Reporting Deformed Frogs in Minnesota

More Infonnation: Deformed Frogs on the Web

* Thousand Friends of Frogs: Program of the Center for Global Environmental Education at Hamline University, S,t Pau!. Fund~d br the Minnesota Legislature, this cltlZ~ns network IS bemg developed as a central repository for lllformatlOn. http://www.hamline.edu/depts/ gradprog/cgee,progs!cgee.frogs/Frogs,mainbtn1l

* Minnesota New Country School: The middle-school students who reported the discovery of large numbers of deformed frogs in Minnesota in SUlllll1er 1995. Theirpage bas photos, information and links to other frog related sites. http://mncs.k12,mn.uslfrog/frog,htnll

E~i~or's Note: Thepreceding article, written by Jim Dawson, ongmally appeared (starting on page I) in the Oct. 23, 1996 edition of the Mpls StarfTribune. JPL

MRS Newsletter Volume 16 Number 11

Sea Turtles Can Travel a Third of the Planet

GAINESVILLE, FL. - By using natural genetic "tags" an international team of scientists has demonstrated that sea turtles migrate further than any other marine animal except seabirds.

Their findings were verified recently after Mexican biologist Antonio Resendiz tagged and released into the waters into the waters off Mexico (a Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Caretta caretta -Editor's Note) and later was discovered in Japan, over 7,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean.

University of Florida biologist Brian Bowen has, for years, been leading a team of researchers studying juvenile Loggerhead near Baja California, Mexico, that had traveled to Mexico from nesting beaches in Japan.

"What we have demonstrated with molecular mark­ers was that the Baja turtles were coming from Japan. But we couldn't verify they were returning," Bowen said. "This one turtle verified that."

Finding the birthplace of the sea turtles is important because researchers are finally able to track the turtles across oceanic expanses as the juvenile animals migrate long distance from the nesting colony to feeding areas.

As adults, the turtles instinctively migrate back to the nesting colony were born, but these migrations are increas­ingly dangerous to the turtles as a growing number of man­made hazards block their path. Thousands of sea turtles die every year in nets designed to catch fish and shrimp. In order to understand the impactofthese deaths, it' s necessary to know which nesting colonies are producing the turtles killed in fishing nets. Since sea turtles return to the area where they were born, and do not interbreed with other nesting popUlations, each nesting colony contains unique DNA segments. These genetic markers can be used to identify the turtles far from the nesting colony.

Juvenile Loggerhead Turtles were known to feed off Baja, California, but for 20 years their origin was a mystery because there were no nesting colonies nearby. The genetic markers link these turtles to the nesting beaches in Japan, and demonstrate that they traverse the entire Pacific Ocean, ap­proximately one third of the planet. This migration puts the turtles in danger from drift nets and longline fisheries, which drown about 4,000 turtles per year in the North Pacific.

"The genetic data have strong conservation implica­tions because they allow wildlife managers to identify the source of animals killed on the high seas," Bowen said.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the High Seas, nations that host the developmental habitat for migratory marine animals have jurisdiction over these animals as they roam the open ocean. Since the Loggerhead Turtles hatch in Japan and mature in Mexico, the United Nation Convention gives these countries a legal means to control the slaughter of sea turtles.

Biologists in Mexico and japan are now lobbying their governments to take action against anyone found killing turtles in their waters.

Editor's Note: The preceding article, author unknown, has been reprinted from the falll996edition of Wildlife Rehabili­tation Today 8(1). Now the question remains, "Can we really expect the government of Japan do actually prohibit the drown-ing of sea turtlesT JPL

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November Raffle Donors Kathy Boron Bill Moss "Jake" Jacobsen

Cloth Bag, Glass Turtle, Toy Gators Snake Figurine Aquariums

A portion of the proceeds from MHS raffle sales are alJocated to the MRS Conservation Fund. Congratulations to alJ the winners and thank you to everyone who donated items and/or purchased raffle tickets.

M.H.S. Photo Contest Now is the time to start taking pictures. If you have

already taken a few, then it' s time to sort through them looking for that perfect photo. This contest is scheduled to take place in the month of February during the annual "White Snake Sale." Prizes for first, second and third place in each category and a "People's Choice" will be awarded.

Here are the RuJes:

1. Prints may be entered by any current MHS mem­ber. 2. A contestant may enter up to five prints. 3. All entries must be turned in at or before the January meeting or postmarked by December 31, 1996. 4. Entries will be returned if accompanied by a self­addressed stamped envelope. Entries may also be picked up at the February meeting. S. Prints may be 4" x 6", 5" x 7" or 8" x 10". They should be mounted on cardboard or mat board that is at least 8" x 10", but no larger then 11" x 14". Framed prints are discouraged. 6. The entrants name, address, and category needs to be on the back of every print mat. Do Not place names on the front of prints.

The Three Categories Are:

1. Herps in a Natural Setting 2. Herps with People. 3. Herp Miscellaneous (i.e. Captive setting or other creative format).

ALLENTRIES are eligible for the People' sChoiceAward! This is voted on by the membership in attendance at the February meeting. Prizes tobeawarded to winners will include various gift certificates and MHS Bucks. Marilyn Blasus.

November Refreshments For bring refreshments to the November meeting the MHS says Thanks for the cookies to Mosa Thurston and Thanks for the "Fruit by the Foot" Candy to Fred and Liz Bosman.

MHSNewsletterVoltirlJe 16Number 11' ....• / .'

Special Bulletin from the Tortoise Trust, London:

1,000 Tortoises Murdered By Swedish Cus­toms and Agricultural Authorities. World-wide Boycott of Swedish Goods Launched in Response.

The incident began when a Syrian national known as Amro Hassan entered Sweden at Arlanda Airport, Stockholm, with a consignment of 1,000 Horsefield's Tortoises (Testudo horsefieldi) but without the necessary import permit The Syrian also had a Russian partner in this enterprise. Swedish customs and agricultural authorities immediately impounded the consignment The animals were housed in a large shed and were provided with neither heat, food, or drinking water. They were also sprayed with a cold water hose daily. At this point, the authorities deviated from standard practice, as neither the Swedish Herpetological Society nor other reptile consultants available to them in Sweden were advised of the seizure or asked for technical advice on how to handle the animals. It is evident that the episode was intended to be handled entirely in secret Ralph Tramontano, editorofthe Swedish Herpetologi­cal Society's publication SNOKEN, says that "The Depart­ment of Agriculture in general is very secretive when it comes to regulating and usually tries to control, excessively in my opinion, who is allowed to know what they are considering."

News of the affair finally leaked out late Wednesday evening (Editor's Note: Oct 23, 1996?), and a Tortoise Trust member in Sweden E-maiJed us at once when it became apparent from news reports that the authorities were: a) keep­ing the tortoises in unsuitable conditions and, b) seriously contemplating killing them all.

The Tortoise Trust responded by immediately post­ing messages to Internet Newsgroups including rec.pets. herp and scLbio.herp, and simultaneously alerted by E-mail many other contacts around the world to the plight ofthese tortoises. Early on Thursday morning we received additional informa­tion from a contact in Sweden. The authorities were now claiming that all of the tortoises were "too sick" to survive and that therefore, they should be killed at once. Our effort to save the animals moved into high gear. We faxed a fonnal offer to the Swedish Embassy in Britain offering to meet full costs of sending the animals back to Tadzjikstan. We also offered to provide expert advice on maintaining the tortoises properly or on veterinary aspects. We are advised by the Swedish Em­bassy that this offer was forwarded by fax within 60 minutes to the Minister of Agriculture in Sweden. Via the Internet, we requested conservationists, tortoise enthusiasts and animal welfare supporters to fax urgent letters to the Department of

5

Agriculture in Sweden pleading for the tortoises to be saved, or a least for a delay whilst a rescue could be organized. At this point, we were contacted by WWF-Sweden who supported our call to save the animals and who were desperately trying to persuade the authorities to change their minds. We are aware that many people around the world did fax their concerns to the Swedish authorities: faxes were sent from as far away as Japan, the U.S., South Africa and Australia. Veterinary surgeons, biologists and ordinary tortoise enthusiasts all pleaded with the authorities to think again.

As more details emerged, it became clear that the authorities were determined to slaughter the entire shipment by freezing them to death. We again faxed an urgent note to the authorities informing them that this is no longer regarded as a particularly safe or humane method of reptile euthanasia. Like our previous requests, this too was ignored.

The media is Sweden were contacted directly, and news of our offer to help find an alternative home or to repatriate the tortoises to Tadzijkistan was widely broadcast SAS Airlines offered to fly the tortoises free of charge back to Moscow. The media in Britain were also advised of the increasingly desperate nature of the fight to save these animals. Efforts continued through Thursday, well into the night, to publicize their plight and to persuade the authorities to back down. Dozens offaxes and hundreds ofE-mails were sent to over 16 countries. Direct pressure on the Swedish authorities in Stockholm was also maintained, but by this time the officials involved had all become "unavailable' and were refusing to return our calls.

On Friday morning (24th October [Editor's Note: 25th?]) we learned the worst Operatives of the Ministry of Agriculture had worked all through the night to slaughter the tortoises by freezing them to death in order to avoid the world­wide storm of protest which they knew was rapidly building up. AlIl,OOD Horsefield's Tortoises were now dead.

The lie that the tortoises were sick and that none could be saved was finally exposed when a spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, in a TV interview, attempted to blame "CITES regulations" for the slaughter! It further emerged that only 48 hours earlier, Sweden had considered admitting the

MHS Newsletter Volume 16 Number 11

tortoises but that they also had "concerns that they might be sold." None of this accords with the present "official line" that all 1,000 tortoises were too sick to be saved.

It now seems that the Department of Agriculture officials, headed by veterinarians Karin Cerenius and Ernst Meher!, were deternnined from the beginning to press ahead with the slayings to set an "example" to other potentially illegal importers.

It is perfectly true that the tortoises were in poor condition - a state not helped by the abominable conditions they were kept in by the Ministry of Agriculture for a week. It defies belief, however, that 100% of a 1,000 strong consign­ment were so ill that euthanasia was the only viable option.

It has also emerged that "illegal" animals of all kinds are ROUTlNEL Y destroyed in Sweden, and that it is very rare indeed for an illegal shipment NOT to be killed.

The Department of Agriculture must also answer as to why no external, independent reptile experts (including specialist reptile veterinarians) were consulted during this incident, and why veterinary advice that their method of euthanasia was inhumane was entirely ignored. They must also answer as to why the kil1ing was carried out in such apparent haste.

Campaign Objectives:

The Tortoise Trust is appalled at this horrific and utterly barbaric incident which is a disgrace to civilized stan­dards of behavior toward animals. Everyone who worked so desperately to save the tortoises is extremely upset, trauma­tized and angered by these events. Tortoise Trust Director, Andy C. Highfield, says "I have worked in animal welfare and conservation for 25 years, and this is the single worst incident I've ever encountered. I an completely sickened by the actions of the Swedish authorities. We must not let the murder of these harmless creatures go unpunished and their deaths must not be in vain. We must ensure that nothing like this ever happens again."

To this end the Tortoise Trust is coordinating a world­wide boycott of all Swedish goods and services. Volvo cars, Sandvik tools and Hasselblad cameras are all specific targets of this economic campaign. Swedish timber products are also subject to this boycott which will remain in place until Karin Cerenius, Ernst Mehert and the Minister of Agriculture, Annika Ahnberg, resign or are sacked.

We also demand a change in the policy towards seized animals. The present practice is barbaric, biologically wasteful and achieves absolutely nothing. Far better that confiscated animals are either returned to the wild or accom­modated in zoos or with caring, responsible private keepers. We will campaign for this in Sweden, and will also press for concerted action throughout the EC (Editor's Note: the Euro­pean Community) to achieve the same objectives.

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Action Details:

I. An Internet WWW site is now being prepared to offer full details of this case and all the latest campaign news. Support materials: Bumper Stickers, Badges, Posters: In preparation. You can also obtain details from the Tortoise Trust on lOOI05.555@compuserve.com or by mail from our office, Tortoise Trust, BM Tortoise, London, WCIN 3XX, England.

2. A massive petition is being organized for presentation via the Ee. The purpose is to embarrass the Swedish government who has a reputation for endlessly lectoring other countries on their alleged human and animal rights abuses.

PLEASE WRITE LETTERS OF PROTEST TO:

Annika Ahnberg Department of Agriculture S 103 33 Stockholm Sweden Phone: +46 8 405 100 Fax: +468 2064 96

Karin Cerenius National Board of Agriculture 55182 Jonkoping Sweden Phone: +46 36 ISS 800 Fax: +46 36 715114

Copy all protest letters to your local Swedish Embassy or consulate and inform them that you will be supporting the boycott of all Swedish products and services as a direct result of killing these tortoises.

Re-post tbis notice in as many places as possible. The text may be reprinted in newsletters or in infornnation leaflets. It may also be transmitted and posted by E-mail.

ATTENTION ALL U.S. READERS: JEOPARDY­BOYCOTT TORTOISE TIE-IN

We are asking you to write protest letters to the game show Jeopardy cIa your local television networks or cia Sony Productions (see http://www.sony.com) advising them of the aforementioned boycott and the reasons why, and asking them to immediately cease giving free publicity in the fornn of VOLVO automobile prizes on its programs. We can't under­stand why eitheraJapaneseor Americanautomobilemanufac­torer wouldn't jump at the opportunity of taking their place and we can only assume VOLVO must have given everyone on the show a car. Today, Sunday (10/27) at least one college student refused to attend the college-JEOPARDY try-out at the NY HILTON HOTEL as a result of the tortoise slaughter.

MRS Newsletter VolWlle 16 Number 11

General Meeting Review By Michelle Stephan, Recording Secretary

The speaker for November's general meeting was Todd Sajwaj, a graduate student from tbe University of North Dakota (UND). His graduate work is a Camp Ripleyworking on a study of marsb dwelling turtles including the Painted, Chrysemys pieta, the Snapping Turtle, C/zeJydra serpentina, and the Blanding's, Emydoidea blandingi. His presentation focused specifically on our state's endangered Blanding's Turtle.

Now, Camp Ripley is a military reservation of approximately 88,000 acres of forest, prairies and wetlands. It is also a playground for military men (Editor's Note: and women too!) and their equipment, i.e. tanks, machine guns, etc., etc. To Todd it feels like "Biology in Bosnia." Forothers wbo bave only been up tbere a few times, it is a little unnerving to be out in the quiet, solitary woods one minute and then out of the blue there are guns firing in the not so distant back­ground. One other small problem is that the military people in that area are really not so fond of the biologists tbe government allows into camp to do researcb. They are not bostile by any means, but they let researcbers know that tbey are outsiders.

Blanding's Turtles are shy and fast little creatures, so studying them for long hours at a time is extremely interesting. Not exactly. You see, by the time a person see's a Blanding's Turtle in the wild (if you see Blanding's Turtle in the wild), it bas already spotted the intruder and has easily retreated to the murky waters orits habitat. Once in the water, it can stay under for up to 45 minutes and a long, boring, and sometimes cold wait in the marsh is tbe only chance of finding the animal again. These are extremely secretive animals. Otber turtle species remain basking to the point where if you were quick enough you could grasp them, but not these little guys. They are long gone by that point in time. Binoculars and patience are tbe best ways to witness tbese creatures.

These animals' life history is a bit of a mystery to scientists. One reason is their secretive nature, tbe other is that few researchers have the time or funding to do long tenn studies on these, or any animals. This is especially true for a turtle that takes 14 years to become sexually mature and can live as long or longer than humans.

The best basic data scientists bave obtained about these animals is from their nesting sites. Tbese sites show that Blanding's Turtles prefer sparse vegetation with an open canopy and loose, sandy soil for nesting. They lay about 15 - 20 eggs per clutch, and they probably nest every year. Not all these eggs hatch though. They are a delicacy for a lot of animals, it does not matter how well the female bides her nest. Wben a nest is found by researchers at Camp Ripley, a large wire cage is placed around it to deter some of the hungry predators. But little can stop a tank operator who has decided

7

to leave tbe road and go "cross country 6 incbes from a nesting site!

One otber way researcbers obtain infonnation about Blanding's Turtles is by fitting tbem witb radio transmitters. The 28 turtles at Camp Ripley that bave transmitters on tbem are able to give scientists a clue bow far an individual animal can travel, wbere tbat animal spends most of its time, and bow long it is active in a day or nigbt. One unfortunate thing is these devices bave batteries tbat wear out witbin a few months or a year depending on type, and tbey are not cbeap eitber.

Thennoecology is anotber aspect in the turtle's life that scientists would like to know more about. Again, a more advanced transmitter is glued onto tbe animal and read-outs are taken of the temperature variations the animal endures in a day, a week, or amontb. These types of recorders are also placed into nests to see temperature variations during incubation. Useful and mucb needed infonnation for researcbers searching for answers to the life bistory questions of the elusive Blanding's Turtle.

Great talk Todd. I wish you well witb all your researcb and witb your scbooling. Also, congratulations on the ll8 hatcbling Blanding's Turtles at UND!! Great job and lots of luck!

€Jj ::;.:.::.F m English Spot Dutch

Jim's Rabbit Shack Where Spots Are Tops

dfJ JIM DALUGE . .' ~ ' .... 8700 Jaber Ave. N.E. ~ ~ :~,

' . . " Monticello. MN 55362 Polish (612) 295·2818

SECORD'S EXOTIC ANIMAL HOUSE BILLY SECORD - (612)920-1987

LABQESI ~BQQl!CEB. QR SMALL EXQTIC MAMMALS IN MINNESOTA!

HEDGEHOGS, DUPRASIS, ZEBRA MICE, PYGMY MICE, GIANT AFRICAN POUCHED RATS, IlRDS, MOUSE LEMURS, BRUSH-TAILED KANGAROOS, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE! - U.S.D.A LICENSED

MRS Newsletter Volume 16 Number 11

ECOVIEWS By Whit Gibbons "FUN WITH A FROGLOGGER"

Technology and the environment. The positive, such as air conditioning, cars, hydro-electric plants can also be negative: ozone depletion, smog, dammed rivers. But for tecbnology with two positives, try frogloggers and the discov­ery of rare frogs.

A froglogger is an automated recording system, a tape recorder designed to start and stop automatically when no one is around to operate it. Many birds, insects, frogs, and mam­mals communicate by sound. So a well-placed recording system can keep track of numerous forest sounds when no one is tbere.

Some tecbnology that seems simple is taken for granted after all the bugs have been worked out and someone shows us wbicb buttons to push. Such appears to be the case with the froglogger after work by Charles Peterson of Idabo State University and Micbael Dorcas of the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. Tbey tinkered and toyed with automated recording systems for purposes of detecting frog calls. Tbe product is a recording device boused in a weather -resistant box and programmed to record for intervals from a few seconds up to a minute or more eacb bour.

An internal clock, audible to the listener, announces tbe time wben each recording begins so that ecologists can know wben certain sounds were made. A solar panel keeps the battery charged, and the recorder can go for a week or more before tapes need to be changed. Then begins the real fun with a froglogger. The tapes must be listened to and the sounds identified.

At a recent froglogger "party," six of us sat in my living room listening to tbe stereo play sounds of the night. The froglogger, programmed to record for a one-minute interval eacb bour from dusk till dawn, had been placed alongside a natural wetland at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Calling frogs can be detected in this way because frog choruses often take place over a period of several hours. With the froglogger tapes, we were able to compress two full weeks of nigbttime frog calls into a three-hour session.

We settled back to listen. Nigbt in the forest away from city sounds is full of music, and we recognized most of the songs we heard. The rapid chuckling of leopard frogs and the clicking of cricket frogs were heard on every night. On cool nigbts we heard the cheeps of spring peepers, on warmer ones the banjo-like strums of bronze frogs. We also recognized a distant, mournful train whistle. Two barred owls challenged each otber with their "who cooks for you aliT hoots. The next day we confmned that the distinct crash we heard during a windy night was that of a dead pine tree that had stood near the froglogger station.

8

We rnay never know the identity of other sounds on the tape. Did we really bear a coyote bowling? Was the large animal splasbing through shallow water at the edge of the wetland a deer, wild pig, alligator? But the most significant sound, and one we could all identify, was not unlike an old man snoring-the mating call of the gopher frog, one of the rarest amphibians in the eastern United States.

Tbe call was recorded on two tape segments during a rainy nigbt. Gopber frogs are so rare tbey are known to be in only a bandful of locations in Soutb Carolina. In some years during tbe last two decades none bas been seen or heard anywbere in the state for tbe entire year. The froglogger bad confmned the gopher frog's occurrence at a wetland wbere it was fonnerly unknown.

Frogloggers are destined to become a major environ­mental sampling tool. To elevate the technology furtber, Mike Dorcas is working with Ontario Hydro Tecbnologies, a com­pany developing computer software to identify frog calls. For example, a tape from a froglogger can be digitized into a computer sound me. The file can then be played into the software program for tbe computer to identify the calling species of frogs. The software can also eliminate sounds, sucb as passing trains or traffic, that migbt make it more difficult to bear frogs calling. Tbe more rapid interpretation of sound tapes will result in a tecbnology that will be of enonnous value in environmental assessments of vocal animals.

If notbing else, the froglogger bas answered one question tbat bas nagged people for centuries. A tree falling in tbe woods does make a sound, wbetber anyone is there to hear it or not.

Editor's Note: Dr. J. Whitfield Gibbons is professor of ecology at the Vniversity of Georgia and is tbe division bead at the Savannab River Ecology Laboratory in Aiken, Soutb Carolina. In addition to his numerous articles in scientific journals, Whit is probably best known for bis many books including; Their Blood Runs Cold: Adventures with Rep­tiles and Amphibians and The Lire History and Ecology of the Slider Turtle among otbers. Dr. Gibbons also writes a weekly ecology column for various newspapers (including the New York Times) and he has kindly provided the preceding article for publication in tbe MHS Newsletter. Other short stories on ecology by Whit Gibbons may be found in another ofbis books, Keeping all the Pieces, a tiUe which is amust read for everyone interested in natural history. JPL

·~~

"".

You and your family art hmby invited to attend the Minnesota

. Herpetol09lca1 Society's 1996 Holiday Banquet on Saturday, becember ith

6;'50 to 10:)Opm.

::.: :::: ,;! :::::::.:::::!!:!=::::,;:::::::::;::::=::::!:::=:::::=:=:::::::::::::::!::::::::::::::::!=:: ::'::

. .. .. RSVPbyNov~~ber22,1996~0·· •..•.•

Minnesota Htrpetol09lca1 Society at .Sett Mustum of Natural History, 10

re'.. ,,, .. , .... Street South East, ···············N\f11fileavolis, Minnesota 55455-0104 .•

The HERPERS'1996 HOLIDAY BANQUET

Hosted by: MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7,1996 TERRACE CAFE, ST. PAUL STUDENT CENTER ST. PAUL CAMPUS UNNERSITY OF MINNESOTA

SOCIAL HOUR: 6:30 - 7:30 POILUGK DINNER: 7:l0 SPEAKER: FOLLOWING DINNER

6:30 PM TO 10:30 PM ~~;:! 4P'~~~

$5.00 PER PERSON (except children who can sit on parent's lap)

MRS will be providing coffee, wine, beer, pop and water. Tableware will be provided. People attending are asked to bring a food item and its necessary serving utensils.

PLEASE MAKE RESERVATIONS BY NOVEMBER 22, 1996. DETACH FORM AND SEND WITH A CHECK PAYABLE TO MINNESOTA

~'--rl'L SOCIETY AT:

* NAME (S)

PHONE NUMBER

Minnesota Herpetological Society Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church Street South East Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104

CONTACT MARILYN BROOKS BLASUS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT 925 - 4237.

- - - CUT HERE - - -

* * * * * * * NUMBER OF ADULTS

NUMBER OF CHILDREN

NUMBER OF FREE CHILDREN (those who can sit on parent's lap)

TOTAL NUMBER ATTENDING

TOTAL MvIOUNT ENCWSED $

FOOD YOU ARE BRINGING: (CIRCLE ONE PER FAMILY)

*

APPETIZER SALAD VEGETABLE BREAD MAIN DISH DESSERT IEI' ME KNOW WHAT IS NEEDED

New Publication Announcement Amphibian & Reptile Conservation is a new quarterly

journal devoted to the worldwide preservation and management of amphibian and reptile populations and diversity. This 81/2 x 11 inch "glossy magazine" format journal is peer reviewed, features both color and blw photography, and its intended readership includes both amateur and professional herpetologists. The Pre­miere Issue (Vo!. 1, No.1, Fall 1996), featuring articles on amphibian declines, rattlesnake roundups, the wildlife trade, and more, has recently been completed and is scheduled for mailing in early December 1996. Having had the good fortune of examining an advanced review copy of A & R Conservation 1.1, this editor can honestly say that the publication looks great and a subscription to the journal is a "must" for everyone interested in the conserva­tion of the world's herpetofauna. Subscriptions to the journal may be obtained from: Amphibian & Reptile Conservation; Journal Subscription Department; 2255 N. University Parkway # 15; Provo, UT 84604-7506; at an annual subscription rate of only $18.00. JPL

A Belated, but Heart Felt Thank You to Jody and Roger Statz! Not only did you guys put on a great MHS Picnic this summer, complete with the most exciting and competitive Turtle Race in years, but you also donated ail the supplies as welIas the prizes for our turtle racing superstars. Way to go guys, you really did a super joband I hope you can do it again next year. By the way, I do believe a certain racing Leopard Tortoise is in serious need of testing for illegal substances, as he would not only bury the harebut he can probably give ajet a run for th"money. Anyway, Thanks for everything. JPL

Recent Book Releases Kaleidoscopic Tree Boas - The Genus CoraUus of Tropical America. By Peter J. Stafford and Robert W. Henderson. 1996. Krieger Pub!. Co., Malabar, FL. 53 color photos, blw photos & fuawlngs, 86 pp., Hardcover.

Coral Snakes of the Americas - Biology, Identifica­tion, and Venoms. By Janis A. Roze. 1996. Krieger Pub!. Co., Malabar, FL. 63 color photos, 49 color pattern drawings, blw photos and fuawings, 38 maps, 328 pp., HardcoverlDJ.

Amphibians & Reptiles of New Mexico. By WilliamG. degenhard~ Charles W. Painter and Anfuew H. Price. 1996. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, NM. 147 color photos, b/w fuawings, range maps, 431 pp., Hard­coverlDJ.

The Amphibians and Reptiles of the Yucatan Pen­insula. By Julian C. Lee. 1996. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. 213 color photos, blw fuawings, range maps, 500 pp., HardcpverlDJ.

A Monograph ofthe Colubrid Snakes of the Genus Elaphe Fitzinger. By Klaus-Dieter Schulz. 1996. Koeltz Scientific Books, Havlickuv Brod, Czech Republic. 419 color photos, blw fuawings, range maps, 439 pp., Hard­coverlDJ.

MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY Membership Application

Name(s): __________________________________ _

Adfuess: ________________________________________________ ___

City: _____________________________________ State: ~ Zip Code: ___________ _

Phone: __________ Fax: _________ ---,-_E-Mail: ____ ---------

Herpetological Interests: _________________________________________________________ __

Include above information in the annual MHS Phone Directory: Yes ___ No ___ Date of Birth: ___________ ___

Membership Level: Sustaining $60 ___ Contributing $30 ___ Institutional $25 ___ Family $15 Basic $15

Membership Type: New ___ Renewal ___ Driver's License Number: ______________________________ _

Are you currently or soon to be a University of Minnesota Student? ___ (check if yes)

Mail application (please enclose payment) to: Minnesota Herpetological SocietYi Attn. Membership Secertary; Bell Museum of Natural History; 10 Church st. SE; Minneapolis, MN; 55455-0104. PLEASE MAKE ALL CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS PAY ABLE TO: MinnesotaHerpetologicalSociety. Membershipsnlll for twelvemonths from date of joining. Receipts provided upon request only. Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing.

MHS White Pages Update The following names, addresses and phone numbers represent additions or corrections to the current MHS membership directory. These changes should be added by "cut & paste" or otherwise noted in your copy of the MHS White Pages.

Melissa Arndt Katy Halvik 2418 Cohansey St. 5356 Hampton St. NE Roseville, MN 55113 Prior Lake, MN 55372 (612) 486-4846 (612) 445-0530

Vanessa Bray 4242 Reservoir Blvd. Columbia Heights, MN 55421 (612) 781-5871

Walter Breckenridge 5800 St. Croix Ave., Apt 511 Minneapolis, MN 55422

Tony Gamble 3836 Nicolett Ave., Apt. 205 Minneapolis, MN 55409-1355 (612) 535-1583

Samuel Habeck 10070 County Rd. 19 Rogers, MN 55347 (612) 498-8253

Linda Johnson 5025 Clear Spring Rd. Minnetonka, MN 55345 (612) 935-5356

Connie & John Levell P.O. Box 389 Lanesboro, MN 55949 (507) 467-3076

Dewey Moulton Moulton Farms 2448 looth St NW Oronoco, MN 55960 (507) 281-9036

Julie Raymond 321!6 Douglas Dr. N Crystal, MN 55422 (612) 647-6148

Lost and Found FOUND: A black carry bag with dolphins (the whales, not the fish) on the outside and napkins on the inside was found while cleaning the room following the November general meeting. The bag can be claimed by contacting Gloria Anton at (612) 647-4479.

LOST: One viable egg ofAllosaurusJragilis Cope. If found, please maintain in a warm, humid enviroument at a tempera­ture of at least 80 degrees F. This egg is critically important as part of my college research project so please contact Arthur C. Doyle at 1800 LOST WORLD as soon as possible. Thanks.

LOST: Our Marbles. Iffound pleasecontacttheMHS Boardof Directors at 1 800 LOONY TOONS.

LOST: Two Cobras and a "harmless" little Bandy-bandy. If found they should be gently stroked and fondled until they can be returned to Grace Olive Wiley in care ofChicago'sBrookfield Zoo Reptile House.

Overdue Library Books! The following individuals have Minnesota Herpeto­

logical Society Library materials (hooks, videos, etc.) which are now 4 months or more overdue. The Library has been developed, through both purchases and donations, to function as a reference resource for ALL members of the MHS and the timely return of all borrowed materials is imperative if every­one is to be given a FAIR CHANCE of accessing needed information, so if you have any overdueMHS Library PROP­ERTY please return it ASAP. Outstanding books and other library materials can be returned in person at the monthly general meetings, by contacting the MHS Librarian Karin Rea at (612) 457-8107, or by mailing to: theMHS Library; clo the BellMuseumofNaturalHistory; 10 Church St. SE;Minneapo­lis,MN 55455-0104. Severaloftheseindividuais are no longer members of the MRS, so if you know the whereabouts of any person on this list please contact a member of the MHS Board of Directors or call Karin Rea at the number listed above. Your help in recovering these materials will not only be greatly appreciated, but will benefit every member of the Society as well.

JENNIFER BANKS DIANE BLACKMAN BRUCEBRECKY DAVID BURTON PETER CORCORAN LISADARMO GRETCHEN EmS KARL HERMANN K-CEELAWRANCE HAROLD LUMLEY TONY MUNYON KATE ROSENBERG CHARLES SCHUCK TODD SMILEY DON STACY

1 BOOK 1 BOOK 1 VIDEOTAPE 3 BOOKS 1 VIDEOTAPE 1 BOOK & 2 VIDEO TAPES 2BOOKS 1 VIDEO TAPES 1 BOOK 4 BOOKS 1 VIDEOTAPE 1 BOOK 2 VIDEO TAPES 1 BOOK 2 MAGAZINES

Elections are Coming! Elections are Coming! If you want to have a say in what happens in your Society, consider mnning for a position on the MHS Board of Direc­tors. The annual election is held at the March general meeting and all individual MHS members are eligible to hold office. Your input is vitai to the continued growth of the MHS so please feel free to "pitch in." For more information contact Gloria Anton at (612) 647-4479 or talk with one of the current Board members at the next general meeting.

MRS Newsletter Volume 16 Nil1nber 11

Comparisons of Growth Between Captive and Wild Specimens of Pituophis catenifer sayi By Randy Blasus

Ever since I acquired my fIrst snake, I have been occupied with questions on the captive care requirements of my critters. At fIrst, I felt concern especially about even the simplest procedure, namely their feeding. Initial questions were very basic. "How do you keep snakes? How do you feed them?" Later tbey became more specifIc. "Were the animals getting enough sustenance? How much food is too much? How does the captive animal's activity level match those of their wild relatives? Can an animal's growth be pushed tofast? Is obesity a problem to the animal's longevity?" There were, and are a number of publications out there that address some of these issues. Still, I wondered, where did that information originate? Was it conjecture, simple trial and error orresearch.

Ambiguous information on herpepocuJtural prac­tices still exists. An example would be an article in the September/October 1996 issue of Reptile & Amphibian Magazine where author Jonathan Wright discusses Varia­tions Within Populations of The Bullsnake. Most of the article is concerned with color, but other differences are also discussed. The author says that "Bullsnakes need to be fed more than other ... (colubrids) ... due to a higher metabolism" and .. that unless these fIrst years of more vigorous growth are capitalized on through frequent feedings, maximum size po­tential is not likely to be reached in adulthood." However he does not mention how frequently nor how much food is to be given to achieve this.

Later in the article the author mentions "Hibernation is necessary for most northern specimens; even if the hobbyist does not cool them down, they fast anyway and loose weight ifkept to warm." This conflicts with infonnation provided by other authors including Jeff LeClere whose article in the Augus~ 1996 (Vol. 16 No.8) issue of the Minnesota Herpe­tological Society Newsletter states that .... Bullsnakes are often gluttons eating as many food items as are presented to them." Author Kenneth Kelly, in his book The Professional Keeper's Guide to Bullsnakes, Pine Snakes & Gopher Snakes, not only agrees with LeClere but also mentions that wild-caught specimens may not adapt as well as captive-bred. This also agrees with my opinion of the species in general.

At this point, I decided to try to use scientifIc litera­ture along with my own observations to find an answer to one of my questions. Is the growth pattern of a captive Bullsnake comparable to those in the wild? I began by searching out information on wild populations and by monitoring my Bullsnake's size on his feeding log. My literature needs were met by a visit to the Fish and Wildlife Library on the campus

9

of the University of Minnesota. This place holds much information that can be useful and interesting. Most of the Library's resources are on subjects other than herps. While some ofthe material can be difficult to follow, a sizable portion of it can be easily read and proves to often be entertaining.

A couple of sources were soon located that gave the information that I needed. One is a rather archaic study done by one Ralph H. Imler circa. 1945. Some parts oftbis study are disturbing. Here, the focus was on bow to reduce the popula­tion of Bullsnakes and their predation on migratory waterfowl eggs. However the data provided on the Bullsnakes is relevant and the insight one receives from gazing into the methodology of the no-so-distantpast provides a dramatic contrast to today.

The second reference used here comes from a study performed by Dwight R. Platt in Kansas. The author's main concern in this case is with the average growth rate ofBullsnakes. This is a much more technical study, ftlled with statistics and jargon which makes it more difficult to read then the previous reference. Here, much information needed to be sifted through to provide the essential data that I would need to make my comparison.

Summarizing my data and that of the two technical sources would be my next task. The measurements from each study do not match exactly because of styles of measuring. Platt uses snout to vent length (svl) in millimeters while the other data is represented in inches and uses total length (tI). The taillength ofthe specimens from the former study would need to be conjectured for accuracy, but here provide a close approximation of size. Those measurements expressed in metric were converted to inches (25.4 mm = 1") and rounded to the nearest sixteenth of an inch.

The initial review ofthe references was performed to see how well they compared. Results of both studies (Imler and Platt) are discussed by Platt. The two studies are quite similar except that the Kansas specimens had a higher first year growth rate. Further comparisons show other similarities. Platt's estimate of a snout to vent length for a five year old animal ofl245 mm (ca.1100 mm1svl), is comparable to the data of Imler (49"- 1244.6 mm- in five to six years): He also states tbat Bullsnakes of 1100 mm svl would be five years old, while one of 1200 mm svl seven to eight years old. Platt was able to accurately follow his subjects over· several years. Imler, however, could not accurately follow the growth of second year individuals, but instead analyzed their probable growth from his data.

Several factors can cause variation in the growth rates

MHS Newsletter Volwne 16 Number 11

TABLE 1. GROWTH interesting tidbit to note is that no significant dif-ferences in

SOURCE HATCHLING I YEAR 2 YEARS 3 YEARS growth rate could be deter­mined between the sexes in ei­ther study. Lastly, the bibli­ographies from each of these pa­pers can be used to further the in­vestigation.

Platt (svl) 360 mm (14 3/16") 790 mm (31 1/8") 950 mm (37 3/8") 1030 mm (40 9/16")

Imler (tl) 14" - 17" 27" - 40" + 7" or 8' (34" - 40") no data

Captive (tl) 16 112" 37" (30" May) no data (45" Nov.) 54"

of these animals. Feeding rates and prey populations provide the main influence while other factors that weigh on total growth are the active season length and overall ecosystem productivity (platt 1984).

Information from both studies and from my captive animal are compared by showing the length at hatching and in each succeeding year. Data taken at times other then the anniversary is noted in parenthesis (see chart). By referring to the chart, we can see that the captive animal is doing very well. Even by the end of the first year the c<lptive exhibits a greater length then those in natural populations.

The captive animal was fed one to food two items on a weekly to biweekly basis, a moderate dietary amount (Kelly 1993). Conversely, a higher amount of food may have in­creased its growth even more. However, without more fre­quent measurements of the captive animal's length for growth rate comparison, we cannot realize any differences in feeding rates. Also, we must conjecturehowmuchinfluencemay come from the length of the active season. The captive only entered into hibernation in his third winter, and then only for breeding purposes. The possibility exists that if the snake had entered dormancy in each season, his length may have been more similar to that of wild specimens. The constant optimal temperature probably contributed to the snakes ability to as- . similate food as well.

Other interesting information can be extracted from these studies as well. Imler provides a useful analysis of diet composition. Mammals were a little more than half of their diet, the rest came from bird eggs and nestlings. A conflict occurs between these studies on the feeding behavior of the hatChlings, however. Imler found no evidence offeeding in the Bullsnakes' first fall, nor directly after emergence from hiber­nation. Plat~ however, noted feeding behavior for most Bullsnakes in their first fall. Differences in these two studies may be due to sampling size and length of time in seasons each study encompasses. Imler also marked some snakes to deter­mine their movements and transplanted a couple to check on their ability to return to their original location. The serpents did not display any "homing" behavior in this test. Another

10

All this points to some of the im-portant informa­

tion that can be assembled on a species by using data gathered on its natural history to come closer to ideal captive care situations. The less that is known about an animal in captivity the more important such studies become.

Literature Cited:

Imler, Ralph H. 1945. Bullsnakes and Their Control on a Nebraska Wildlife Refuge. Journal of Wildlife Management 9(4):265-273.

Kelly, Kenneth. 1993. The Professional Keeper's Guide to Bullsnakes, Pine Snakes & Gopher Snakes A Guide to the Snakes of the Genus Pituophis. Reptile News Press, 1-60.

LeClere, Jeff. 1996. Snakes of Minnesota Bullsnake (Pituf)phis catenifer sayi). Minnesota Herpetological SOCiety NewsletterI6(8):6-8.

Platt, Dwight R. 1984. Growth of Bullsnakes (Pituophis mekllwleucus sayi) on a Sand Prairie in South Central Kansas. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Special Publication 10:41-55.

Wright, Jonathan. 1996. Variations Within Populations of the Bullsnake. Reptile & Amphibian Magazine No. 42:16-22.

STALE

ERle THISS (612) 470-5008

FAX (612) 470-5013

464 second Street. ExcelsIor, MN 55331

MHS Newsletter Volume 16 Number 11

Notes from the Hinterlands (Dodge County in Southeastern MN) By Todd Daniels Chapter 7: Taxonomy; It's Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

Dear John,

Hi there! Howdy! Salutation! I wish you'd stop that jlatltation.

- traditional Dirge County greeting reservedfor the morning after the annual beer, brats and bean feed (known in other locales as "Independence Day")

Well, its been a pretty neat summer out in the sticks (and stones) of Dirge County. I've continued to conduct Important, Insightful, Landmark Field Research (i.e. dinking around in the water, weeds and mud because I'm old enough that no one can tell me I can't dink around in the water, weeds and mud) and have had lots of fun learning new things about MN herps. I have synthesized this knowledge into a compre­hensive View of Life which I will set to paper one day, as my personal Magnum Opus which can double as herp cage sub­strate. Maybe it'll win a Bull-itzer Prize or something.

The goal of one project was to increase the amphibian presence hereon the acres. To this end, we had dug holes about 10 x 20 feet each, near the bigger pond. The bigger one, Wally's Pond by name, has green sunfish and bass in it. Although frogs and Toads lay there eggs in it, I'm sure predation on eggs, tadpoles and adults takes a big toll. So these little fish-free pondettes were supposed to make life easier for our moist-skinned herps.

It worked really well. Lauri and I followed the tadpole activity from spring through summer. Toads seemed to go first, and there were zillions of toad poles this year. Next came bigger ones, most of which were Leopard Frog tadpoles, going from tadpoles to adults as late as the last week in August. I saw Green Frogs on occasion, but am not sure how to tell green tadpoles from leopard tadpoles (leopard tadpoles don't have spots). The fish-free pondettes produced a lot of amphib­ians, and the Leopard Frog numbers were at an all time high. There were late tadpoles, a little bigger than toadpoJes, which hatched in August. I thought this was pretty late in the summer. I haven't figured out what the turn into yet, maybe they're a kind that exists in larval form over a winter. We haven't seen any salamanders, but we hope the fish-free environment will lure them: Build it and they will come.

On the more cerebral research front, I was sitting in the kitchen the other day talking with Lauri about nothing in particular, and the "R word" (ride) was spoken. Maggie, the 2 3ln3 year-old Rottweiler, scrambled to her feet and ran over to Lauri. "Do you wanna go for a ride?" Lauri asked, and I saw Maggie's 2-inch long dock tail just explode into activity at the word "ride." T7zat remind me of something, I thought.

And then it hit me. Ijumpedran outside and into the old barn and climbed

11

up into the hayloft. "It's up here, somewhere, I know it is," I muttered, fumbling around in the 15 years' worth of junk I'd put up there JustIn CaseINeedIt Someday. Eventually I found what I was looking for in the smelly, dimly lit, spider infested hayloft: an old feed sack filled with dry leaves. I grabbed two handfuls ofleavesandran back into the house. I held the leaves over Maggie's tail and said "Ride!' Sure enough, it sounded just like a Timber Rattlesnake! Could it be I had stumbled upon ahere-to-forunrecognizedphylogeneticrelationship,orsome­thing?

I next got out the timing light to further explore this phenomenon. I lured the Research Subject into the darkened bathroom with a piece of liver, turned on the timing light and said "Ride!" The strobe effect of the timing light allowed me to measure wags per second (WPS), axis of rotation (AOR), torsional declivity about the anchoring point (IDA TAP), and other cool higher mathematical stuff with snappy acronyms. Eventually, I had to suspend this line of research becauseLauri bad one too many cups of coffee earlier and she doesn't "Recite Shakespeare" outside like me. I left the bathroom, grumbling that Linus Pauling's wife probably didn'(interrupt his Nobel Prize-winning Vitamin C research. At least not at such a crucial point, or something.

Lauriresponded that if] ended just one more sentence with "or something," she'd give me something to think about. I waited about 10 seconds, hollered "OR SOMETHING!' through the closed door, and ran giggling maniacally from the house. Maggie thought] was deserting her again and maybe heading for the airport to fly to California. So she tackled me before] reached the bottom step and sat on my busted body until Lauri carne outside to give me something to think about. Under 100 pounds of drooling duress, ] promised to changemy ways. It was very painful to me, or something.

Even the most unbiased of Scientific Researchers occasionally have to make assumptions to further their inquir­ies. So I just assumed Maggie's WPS, AOR, and IDATAP were identical to the values for the Timber Rattlesnake, at least until proven otherwise. And even the most dedicated of amateur herpetologists probably won't want to spend time in a darkened bathroom with a strobe light and a Timber rattle­snake pissed off enough to be "wagging his tail." So itisn'tlike anyone is likely to prove my assumption incorrect, and live to tell about it.

Now I turned my attention to phenotypic similarities between Rotties and "Timbies." ] carefully noted that both animals have two eyes, two nostrils, a tongue that spends a lot of time hanging outside the mouth, teeth that no one wants to come into contact with, and between zero and four limbs. Hey, is it just my imagination, or are these two creatures pretty darn close to identical?

MHS Newsletter Volume 16 Number II

I considered behavioral similarities, too. Both ani­mals are very interested in small rodents, are diurnal or crepuscular, spend time lying on the ground in a state of apparent inactivity, and don 'tappreciate morons bashing them on the head and cutting off their tail.

Have established near-identity between the twocrea­tures, I had to tackle the thorny issue of convergent evolution. Were the Rottie and Timbie genetically closely related, or was it that their appearance and behavior were caused to be similar due to them exploiting the same ecological niche? And do big words and convoluted sentence structures really impress the chicks? Having used upmy allotment of assumptions, I turned to the Great Sovereign of Science. In other words, I fished a nickel out of my pocket and flip it. "Heads genetically similar. Tails, Convergent evolution," I said.

Maggie, mistaking the nickel for a sliver ofbeefliver, leaped up and swallowed the Great Sovereign of Science near the apex of its vertical travel. I cursed, and had to follow the Accursed Canine the next morning on "potty patrol" to learn whether the coin landed heads or tails. Boy, the crap one goes through in the name of Science! Literally.

The coin landed heads up. 'So the Rottie and Timbie are genetically similar.

Time for taxonomy. How should one reassign these animals to better reflect their true relationship to each other? I recited that old college crutch, "King Philip Cried Oh For Goodness Sake." Remember that one? Kingdom, Phylum, Class Order, Family, Genus, Species. I looked at my watch. The Red Green show was gonna start pretty soon, so I figured I'd skip right to assigning the generic and specific name, and then back track to the rest another time. So what sounds better: Canis domesticus and Canis Iwrridus? Or Crotalus maggius and Crotalus Iwrridus? You decide. I gotta catch the Red Green show. Those Canadians at Possum Lodge make us Dirge Countians feel a little more worthy.

I settled into the comfy recliner in front of the TV, took a swig from the bold blue twelve-ounce can and mur­mured, "Taxonomy. It's not just for breakfast anymore." And waited for Harold to introduce his "Uncle Red." And fell asleep in the recliner, blissfully unaware that Carolus Linnaeus was spinning in his grave at approximately 6.02 gadzillion revolutions per minute.

Well that's enough (and perhaps too much) from Dirge County. Todd.

Editor's Note: Dear Todd,

I really don't know hOlV you. manage it, but I must admit that you've really pulled off( or piled on) OIwtlter one, or something (sorry Lauri). Your insightful, tlwught provok­ing and impeccably researched examination of the similarities between these two "tail waggers" has undoubtedly revealed tlte true e;Went of their inter-relationships. Asfor the question ofnomellclature I must defer to your oWlljudgment, as after all only all Australian would be as qualified as yourself to reclassij)' these species. By the way, I sincerely appreciate you agitating old Carolus as well, since his general attitude toward snakes was Toadally bullcrapicus(ltow's that for creative Latin). Anyway, I'd better stop now as I can see that I'll have to spend tlte next 3 months devising a method ofpoaciling yet OItother of the extremely rare and well guarded MHS Coffee Mugs. As a/ways give my regards to Lauri and Maggie, and ask them if maybe they can hit you harder next time, or something. Be talking at you soon. John

12

• Reptiles. Amphibians. Invertebrates· Small Mammals. Fish· Birds· Complete Una of Cages, Food, Books & Supplies for ALL Animals

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2363 University Ave. W., SI. Paul, MN 55114 (612) 647- 4479

~~r.:" BloomIngton Veterinary "Ji'~ Hospital, P.A.

8830 Lyndal. Avenue South. Bloomington, MN 55420

TEL: 884-3228 • FAX: 884-7357 J.A. Sweeney DVM W.H. Sweeney DVM

Hospital Hours M-T-W-T 8:00 AM TO 9:00 PM FRIDAY 8:00 AM TO 6:00 PM SATURDAY 8:00 AM TO 1:00 PM

1'Iease Ask Jo()I" nr. Weh"r

SPECIAL NOTICE Several "orphaned" Green Iguanas and Burmese Pythons are as yetunadopted and are in need of good homes. These animals are of various sizes, dispositions and physical condition, and may be adopted by anyone including out-of-state individuals. Shipping charges may apply. If you are willing and able to provide care for a homeless Iguana(s) or Burmese Pythons please contact the Adoption Committee Chairperson, Glen Jacobsen at (612) 757-8268. Thanks!

SHOPLIFTERS EATEN

WITHOUT WARNING!

MHS Newsletter Volume 16 Number 11

Field Notes lID

lID

HIBERNATION

by Randy Blasus

Tiger salamanders are widely known for their fosso­rial habits. These animals are seldom visible except when they begin their biannual migrations. In the spring, they leave their upland hibernacula and journey to ponds and marshes in order to breed. The late fall finds the salamanders leaving the areas thatthey foraged in all summer to return tosuitable hibernation spots or dig in where they are at that moment. Other than these times of apparent abundance, the creatures are seldom seen.

This observation concerns the peculiar hibernation location of a few of these animals. The incident occurred in mid winter (December - January) while searching for a tire that lay buried under about a foot of snow. The area in concern bordered an undisturbed wooded plot on a section of rural property. The tire was lifted and under it, on top of a mass of leaf litter lay, several small to medium Tiger salamanders apparently in a hibernation torpor. The animals were left otherwise undisturbed after the observation.

The animals were found on the authors childhood residence in northern Minnesota, Bemidji to be exact. The property is bordered on the South by the Mississippi river. The surrounding habitat, while inhabited by people, still hasa good portion of forest intact. The canopy is mainly Oak, Birch and numerous other upland hardwood species. Soil conditions vary greatly here. The land near the river consis 'ts of a dense, fme clay mix (where the animals were found). Less then a mile north of the river, it turns into a fme white sand.

Here we can ask some questions about salamander hibernation tactics and freeze tolerance. Can they survive these conditions? Is the snow and leaf litter enough of an insulator? Unfortunately this encounter doesn't answer these as it was never known if these animals were successful in their activity (ie. did they survive the winter in this manner). These sala­manders did not appear to be more then the CUlTent years crop as they were not very large, so one can speculate that they stopped at the first likely spot to winter. Perhaps the ground was too hard and they were caught unawares above ground. Only further research can tell.

This column's purpose is to present interesting observatiolls, other findings and reports of amphibians and reptiles from fellow MHS members. The timing and content of this column will depend all the number of contriblllions received and on personal experiences. Anyone interested ill submitting mate­rial to Field Notes please contact Randy Blasus at (612) 925-4237.

13

For Sale or Petting Zoos Parties or Promotions

ANIMALS OF WALTON'S HOLLOW Exotic & Farm Animals

Bill & Jean Walton 5425 Peterson Road

White Bear Lake, MN 55127-6713 (612)426-8163

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

MHSlPapa John's Pizza Annual Fund Raisers

For the second year in a row Papa John's Pizza ® has offered Minnesota Herpetological Society members an unique opportunity to raise funds for our society. The pizza company operates Concession Sales Stands at various sporting and cultural events in the Twin Cities area in which they utilize individuals from local non-profit and charitable organizations, church groups, etc., to staff the Papa John's booth. For each event at which their pizzas are sold, Papa John's needs a commitment from six members of the participating organiza­tions to work one "shift" of approximately five hours in length. In return for each complete "work crew" provided, Papa John's will donate $150 to the organization to which the individuals working the booth belong. For the most part the actual physical work involved entails little more than taking orders andringing up sales (the pizzas are made by the "pros" of Papa John's), although one or two "pizza runners" are necessary to transport the pies from the mobile ovens to the concession stand area (perfect for all you physical fitness aficionados). In addition to raising funds for their society, all participants get free pizza (both during the event and to take home), a chance to watch at least part of the event, and a really, really cool Papa John's baseball hat. As a participant in last year's MRS "Pizza Marathon," I must admit that it was really a lot of fun. Anyway, the MHS has again signed up to do some "really big shows" again this year, and so far we're scheduled to do fourUniver­sity of Minnesota, Golden Gophers home hockey games at Mariueei Arena on the Minneapolis Campus. The dates and times for those games are: Saturday - Nov. 16, 199611:30 am - 4:00pm, Friday - Dec. 27,19965:30 -IO:oopm, Friday -Jan. 10, 1997 5:30 - 10:00 pm, and Saturday - Jan. 11, 19975:30-10:00 pm. In addition, the MRS may also sell pizzas at some other events as well, including Golden Gopher home basket­ball games, and the State High School Boys Hockey Tourna­ment. For moreinformation on these games or to join our work crew call Marilyn Blasus at (612) 925-4237.

MHS Newsletter Volume 16 Number 11

MHS HANDS-ON POLICY

Overview: MHS provides a public service by exposing the public to various reptiles and amphibians for the purpose of educating them about the natural history, the characteristics, and the biological value of reptiles and amphibians. This should be an enjoyable experience for the animal handler as well as the public. The following policy will ensure safety for the public, the handler, and the animal(s). For purposes of defInition, a Hands-On is any event in which MHS members participate in the public eye with live animals. This would include schools, nature centers, zoos, shopping malls or any other public event or place where participants are representing MHS.

1.0 General 1.1 The Public Education Coordinator will oversee Hands-On events. The Pnblic Education Coordinator reports to the

MHS Board of Directors. 1.2 A copy of the current MHS insurance policy shall be at all Hands-On events. 1.3 All events shall be supervised by the Public Education Coordinator or an experienced MHS member approved by the

Public Education Coordinator and/or the MHS President. 1.4 A copy of this policy will be signed and dated by every participating MHS member no less than one time per year.

Participants under 18 years of age will also have this policy signed by their parent or legal guardian.

2,0 Participants of MHS Hands-On Events 2.1 All participants must be current members of MHS in good standing. 2.2 All participants must be in compliance with 1.4. 2.3 Participants 14 years of age and under will be under direct supervision of a parent or guardian. 2.4 Participants 15 to 18 years of age may participate as individuals only when adult MHS members are present and must have a wlitten pennission slip on file signed by a parent or guardian.

3.0 Animal Handling and Personal Conduct at MHS Hands-On Events 3.1 No venomous animal will be used at a Hands-On event. This includes venomoid and de-fanged animals. Special case

exceptions to this only with the approval of the Public Education Coordinator and the MHS President. 3.2 Animals known to secrete toxic skin substances must be displayed in an enclosed container. 3.3. Pnblic safety is of utmost importance. Animals used at public events where public contact is involved shall not have any

history of aggressive behavior unless the head of the animal is in full control at all times. 3.4 Participants will never allow the public to touch or come in contact with the head of a display animal. 3.5 Participants will never allow the public to take control of a display animal. 3.6 Participants will always demonstrate safe handling practices when in the public even if these practices do not necessarily

apply to this particular animal. Example, handler shall not allow a snake to complete a full loop around the handler's neck.

3.7 All lizards capable of fast movement will be harnessed while in public so as to eliminate the possibility of escape into a crowd.

3.8 Participants will always handle animals with respect and dignity. 3.9 The public will be treated respectfully at all times. 3.10 Participants must recognize that some people are extremely fearful of reptiles and/or amphibians. At no time will a

participant attempt to force their animal on a member of the public. 3.11 Animals will be on display only at the display site of the event. Participants are not to enter or leave the area without

fIrst concealing their animals. Preferred methods would be by bagging or boxing. 3.12 Display cages, if used, must be of sturdy design and capable of being securely locked if not attended.

4.0 Failure to Comply 4.1 Failure to comply with sections 2 and/or 3 may result in loss of participation privileges at the current Hands-On event. 4.2 Repeated violations per 4.1 may result in permanent loss of participation privileges at MHS Hands-On events. 4.3 Failure to comply will be enforced by the event supervisor or the Pnblic Education Coordinator. 4.4 Participation suspension may be appealed to the MHS Board of Directors.

Approved by the MHS Board of Directors 5 Oct., 1996

14

MHS Newsletter Volume 16 Number 11

M.H.S.Business November Board Meeting Highlights By Michelle Hewitt, Recording Secretan}

October 1996 Treasurer's Report Prepared by Marilyn Brooks Blasus

The November Board of Director's meeting of the MHS was held on Nov .. 2,1996 at George Richard's home. A quorom was present. The board took the following actions:

We discussed changing some Board positions; i.e. taking the editor of the board and replacing him with a "Publication's Secretary," making the Member-at-Large posi­tions less arbitrary in their duties, and adding additional board positions. '

A motion was made that any unhealthy animals brought into the adoption committee may be dealt with at the discretion of the adoption committee chalr with approval from the presiding or highest ranking officer available. 9 Yes, 0 No.

We encountered a problem with the U ofM's insur­ancepolicy allowing us to have alcohol at the Holiday Banquet without putting us on theirinsurance. It was negotiated to have a one time insurance policy for this occasion. A motion was made to spend $69 on an insurance policy to allow alcohol to be served at the Holiday Banquet. 9 Yes, 0 No.

Beginning Che<:kbook Balance:

Income: Membership Raffle Sales Donation Fines Other

Total Income:

Expense: Newsletter Misc. PrintingiPostage Program Library Books Supplies Refreshments Other

Total Expense:

Net IncomelLoss: Ending Checkbook Balance:

510.00 114.00 24.00 82.64 10.00

834.00

258.55 20.00 50.00 0.00

127.89 29.94 455.52

A motion to make a Budget Committee of at least three people to make the Budget for 1997. 8 Yes, 0 No, 1 Abstention.

Funds Allocated to Unpaid Expenses:

Presented and accepted: Secretary's report, Treasurer's report, and membership report.

Funds Available:

Conservation Fund Balance:

Calendar of Events

2,245.94

1,574.64

941.90

632.74 2,878.68

0.00 2,878.68

200.00

Dec. 6, 1996 MHS General Meeting. Speaker: JOHN C. MURPHY. Program: GIANT SNAKES OF TIlE WORLD. BOrlaug Hall, U of M St. Paul Campus. 7 pm.

Dec. 7, 1996 MHS ANNUAL HOLIDAY "POTLUCK" BANQUET. Speaker: JOHN C. MURPHY. Program: COLLECTING ON TROPICAL CONTINENTAL ISLANDS. Tickets $5.00. U ofM St. Paul Campus Student Union. For more info Contact Marilyn Blasus (612) 925-4237.

Jan. 3, 1997 MHS General Meeting. Speaker: TO BE ANNOUNCED. Borlaug Hall, U ofM St. Paul Campus. 7 pm. Feb.7,1997 MHS ANNUAL "WHITE SNAKE SALE" SILENT AUCTION and photo contest. Borlaug Hall, U ofM

St. Paul Campus. 7 pm. For more info or to donate items Contact Marilyn Blasus (612) 925-4237. Mar. 21·23, 1997 2nd Annual Midwest Exotic Pet Seminars. Hyatt Regency Woodfield. SChaumberg, IL. For more info

Contact: MEPS clo J.B. Broederle, DVM. Burnham Park animal Hospital, Chicago, IL. 60605, (312) 663·9200. June 25·July 2, 1997 77th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Icthhyologists and Herpetologists. University of

Washington, Seattle, W A. For more info Contact: Robert E. Espinosa, Dept. ofBio1.l314, University of Neveda, Reno, NV 89557·0015, (702) 784-4565, Fax (702) 784·1369, E·mall espin _r@unr.edu.

Aug. 2·10, 1997 3rd World Congress on Herpetology. Prague, ZbynekRocek, Dept. of Paleontology, Acad. of Sciences, Rozvojova 135, 16500 Prague 6 ·Suchdol, Czech Republic. Phone 422·24311421, Fax 422·24311578, E-mail rocek@gli.cascz.

15

MHS Newsletter Volwne 16 Number 11

Classified Advertisments 1.0.0 = male, 0.1.0 = female, 0.0.1 = unsexed, c.b. = captive bred, o.b.o. = or best offer

For Sale: 2.1 Adult Leopard Tortoises $650. Also 1.1 Adult Redfoot Tortoises $250. All healthy, long tenn captives. Call Mark (612) 822-7996.

0.1 Varanus albigularis (White-throated Monitor, Approx. 3 ft. $150 o.b.o. Will consider tradefor python orboa. Alsocage 18" x 18" x 5 ft. $100. Contact EmHy or Tyler (612) 466-2439

0.1.0, c.b. Adult Green Iguana, approx. 31/2 ft. Including many extras: large kennel, heat rock and heat lights, $150 o.b.o. Contact Lisa (612) 545-8669 or (512) 342-5553.

1.1 Malaysian Blood Pythons. Male 4+ ft and Female 5+ ft. Both good red, female spectacular. $600.00 for the pair. Contact Sally at (612) 647-0661.

Baby Boas, Boa eonstrierorc.b. 4/30/96, fed & shed $50-$75. Will deliver to MHS meetings. Call Sarah at (612) 223-0407.

Hog Island Boas, c.b. 5/96 $200-$275 @, Yearling "Keeper Select Holdbacks" $325 @. Brazilian Rainbow Boas c.b. 4/96 from Orange Red adults, $225 females only. Columbian Rainbow Boas c.b. 4/96, males $65, females $85. Albino Speckled Kings c.b. 7/96 $40. Albino and Hetero Cams $20. Hetero for albino Bulls $40. Will deliver to Twin Cities. Call Mark Wendling (319) 857-4787 (Iowa).

1.0 Dumeril's Boa, Aeralltopizis dumerili, c.b. babies 10/95. Feeding well on small mice. $250 Call Connie or John (612) 374-5422

Rabbits -Fryer size, current listed market price. Discounts for orders of 6 or more. Rat size $1.50 ea. or 6 for $7.50. Adults $2 ea when available. All sizes currently available. Call Jim Daluge (612) 295-2818.

Wanted: ALL THE SHED SNAKE SKINS IN THE WORLD, Always, to use at hands-on programs to give to kids. Bob Duerr (612) 541-0362.

C.b. Eastern or Westem Hognose (Heterodon platirizillosor H. nos;ells), Milk Snake(Lampropeltis triangulum), and native turtles. Prefer 94-95 hatchlings. Call Michelle or Chris at (612) 578-9003

16

Herp related news clippings, original articles, artwork, car­toons' etc. for publication in theMHS Newsletter. Authors and artists will receive compensation in the form of volunteer hrs, good towards one "priceless" MHS coffee mug. Send submis­sions to: MN Herp. Soc.! Editor, cia Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church SI. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104.

Miscellaneous: BREEDING INVENTORY SURVEY: Everyone keeping live reptiles and amphibians is asked to contribute to this annual report. Please submitthe following info currentJ an. 1 st of each year: (1) Inventory of collection, list numbers and sex, (2) list of all species bred during the previous year, (3) any longevity records, (4) please print clearly; your name, address and telephone number as you want them listed, (5) please do respond. Send info to: Frank Slavens, P.O. Box 30744, Seattle, WA 98103. Fax: (206) 546-2912.

SEA TURTLE SURVIVAL LEAGUE, announces its' line of eco-promoting sea turtle merchandise, for a free catalog write: Sea Turtle Survival League, P.O. Box 2866, Gainesville, FL 32602-2866 or call (800) 678-7853.

MHS Rodent Sales Mice

Pinkies $6.00 dozen Fuzzies $6.00 dozen Hoppers $7.50 dozen Adults $9.00 dozen

Rats

Small Pups $10.00 dozen Large Pups $15.00 dozen Adults $12.00 six

$24.00 dozen

For pickup at monthly meetings only. Orders must be placed at least one week in advance of date of meeting at which frozen rodents are to be delivered. Place orders with Tina Cisewski at (612) 856-2865.

MHS Merchandise: In addition to rodents, the MHS offers an assortment of herp related sales items including; books, magazines, posters, t-shirts, notecards, buttons, stick­ers, decals, and patches. Look for the merchandise sales area at the far right side of the meeting room. Transactions can be handled before the meeting, during the break, or after the meeting as time permits.

All proceeds from MHS rodent and merchandise sales go toward the operating costs of the society snch as: speaker fees, library purchases, charitable donations, etc. The MHS is a completely volunteer run, non-profit organiza­tion.

Advertising Rates and Instructions

Classified Ads: Are flm free of charge to paid members. NOll-member rates are ten cents per word. per month. Ads may nm three (3) consecutive months, after which time they Blay be fe-submitted. Business Cards: Institutional members may run one standard sized business card free of charge. NOll-memberratc for stuudanl sized business cards is $5.00 per month. Display and Expanded Size Ad Rates: Ad Size Month 3+ Months 1/4 Page ,10.00 $7.50 1 h Page ,20.00 $15.00 Page S40.00 525.00 (All prices are per month)

6+ Months S5.OO $lD.oo SI5.00

Submissions: Alladvertisements should be submitted to the; MHS Editor, Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Minnesota Herpetological Society. MHS Ad Policy: The MHS aSSLUlles NO RESPONSIBILITY regarding the legality or health of any animal, or the quality or legality of any product or service advertised in the MHS Newsletter. Any ad may be rejected at the discretion of the Newsletter Editor. Due to space limitations Unpaid and Complimentary advertisements are subject to occasional omission.

Location of MRS Monthly Meetings

Amphibian & Reptile Information

Specific questions concerning amphibians and repti les are best answered by contacting the following individuals at the numbers provided. Please remember to be reasonable about the time of day and how frequently you call.

Amphibians & Reptiles in Minnesota Greg Kvanbeck (612) 533-7723 John Moriarty (612) 647-1334

Large Boas & Pythons Karl Hennann (612) 730-6265 Glen Jacobsen (612) 757-8268 Terrestrial Turtles John Moriarty (612) 482-8109 Glen Jacobsen (612) 757-8268 Amphibians Greg Kvanbeck (612)533-7723 John Meltzer (612) 263-7880 Crocodilians Jeff Lang (701) 772-0227

1694

UllrIJelnre"1f1 Av.

Other Snakes John Meltzer (612) 263-7880 Jeff LeClerc (612) 488-6388 Aquatic Turtles Gary Ash (612) 753-0218 John Levell (612) 374-5422 Lizards Nancy Haig (612) 434-868 Bill Moss (612) 488-1383

36

194

I L ofM St p~uII

MINNESOTA

HERPETOLOGICAL

SOCIETY BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

10 CHURCH STREET S. E. MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55455-0104

AOORESSCOARECTlON REQUESTED

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POSTMASTER: DATED MATERIAL

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PAID Mpls.MN

Pennit No. 2275