Category: conservation

Herp Update: Fall turtles, Field trip with salamanders, Concert—September 19, 2022

Baby Snapping Turtle emerging from nest. PHoto by Pat Perry and used with permission.

Recent Herp Activity We have received quite a few reports of baby Snapping Turtles emerging over the last week (see the Pat Perry photo).  Snapping Turtles emerge from their underground nests in the fall of the same year that the

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Herp Update: videos, snake hotels, ratsnake, vernal pools—July 12, 2022

New herp videos available Our Herp Atlas videographer and editor Matt Gorton has posted a couple more of our short videos on YouTube. Snake Hotels Putting out artificial cover is a time-honored method of survey and monitoring for snakes. Many

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Herp Update: Field Trip Winner, Cellamanders, Exotics – March 1, 2022

Field Trip Winner One of the promotional gifts during our annual fundraiser is entering anyone who contributes $200 to $999 in a drawing for a free herp field trip in Vermont for them and up to ten friends. Yesterday, I

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Herp Update: Critical Habitat Protection – February 11, 2022

Spiny Shoftshell turtle basking on a barkless log, in the sun. Photo copyright Josh Lincoln and used with permisson.

Protection of Critical Habitat Herpers, as of this week, the state of Vermont has for the first time designated specific areas of habitat as critical habitat to be protected for two state-listed species. This has been in the works for

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Herp Update: Publications, Fundraising, Conservation Course – December 27, 2021

Herp Update: December 27, 2021, Happy Holidays! Upcoming Scientific Publications Although one of our major goals is to communicate directly with Vermont residents, we frequently supply data or articles that are communicated to other scientists and the public through peer-reviewed

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Herp Update: Saturday Night? – December 10, 2021

Continuing Amphibian Activity Herpers, looking to replace Christmas movies with herping this weekend? The current weather forecast is for wet and warm (near 50°F) tomorrow evening (Saturday) either before or after dinner. I may not be able to make it

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Herp Update: Safety, salamander crossings – March 27, 2021

Herpers, in portions of the Lake Champlain Basin everything came together last night.  Kate Kelly and I were investigating some previously unvisited locations in Rutland County.  On our return we swung by two crossing sites near Fern Lake in Leicester

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Herp Update : crossing zone results, Mudpuppies

Herpers, once again conditions were perfect for amphibian movement last night and I have two sets of herp reports to share.  The women of the Kelly family (K, M, and A) checked the North Street crossing area in New Haven

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Mudpuppy Rescue and Rally

Green Frog tadpole and young Mudpuppy

Herpers, both the Mudpuppy rescue effort and rally went well last night. Thanks go to Ira Powsner and all his efforts to raise public awareness of the impacts of lampricides on Mudpuppies. So, far his petition has received over 1000

Herp Update: October Herping and Lampricides

Herpers, the widely varying temperatures so far this month have made herp activity hard to predict.  On October 14, I received two reports of Eastern Milksnakes.  Milksnake is a snake I consider to be a heat lover, yet these reports

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