POST PRINT APPROVED PP344786-0009 MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001 JOURNAL OF THE VICTORIAN HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY

MONITORMONITORMONITORVOL. 11 No. 2 March, 2001 Aust $10.00

1. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Published by: The Victorian Herpetological Society Inc

Back issues of MONITOR are available for $12 per issue, (Except Vol 10 (2/3) $20) Price includes postage. Send cheque or Money order to: The Victorian Herpetological Society inc. PO Box 523, Somerville, 3912 Victoria. Available volumes 11 (1), 10 (1), 10(2/3), 9 (1), 9 ( 2), 8 (1), 8 (2), 8(3), 7 (1), 7 (2), 7 (3), 6 (1), 6 (2), 6 (3)

2. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Journal of the Victorian Herpetological Society Monitor Vol 11 No. 2 March, 2001

Monitor TABLE OF CONTENTS ISSN 1440-6241 My Say ... 4 - 5 VHS Committee President: Simon Watharow Mountain Dragons (Tympanocryptis Secretary: Peter Mantell diemensis) of Victoria: A Complex Issue. ... Treasurer: Steven Comber by Nick Clemann 6 - 8 Executive: Doug Wintle Executive: Scott Eipper A Field Trip to Flinders Island, Tasmania with a Dash of Chappell Island Please. ... Editor/Producer Simon Watharow by Simon Watharow 9 - 16 Asst Editors Ray Hoser, Peter Mantell, Steven Comber, Scott Eipper, Brian Barnett and Doug Locating the Southern Bell ... Just Wintle Add Water. ... by Mike Swan 17 - 18. Production assistants Ray Hoser, Angela Reid and Simon Beatty. Observations of Herpetofauna on a Field Trip in Eastern New South Wales ... by “ Monitor ” is published by The Victorian Scott Eipper 19 - 24. Herpetological Society Inc, Copyright 2001. Apart from any fair dealing, as permitted under the Photos ... 25 - 28 Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced or stored by any process without permission. A New Case of Hybridisation in Morelia Enquiries should be directed to VHS secretary. Pythons. ... by Ray Hoser 29 - 30 Any views or opinion are entirely those of the Croakings ... by Hopper 31 - 34 relevant author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Victorian Herpetological Society Whats News Mate ... 35 - 42 Inc. eHerper ... by Daavid Turnbull 43 - 44 Correspondence Herp Health ... by Dr. Brendan Carmel 45 - Editor 46 PO Box 1016, Research, 3095, Victoria Herp Tips ... by Tigger 47 Secretary of VHS Herp Book Review ... by Mike Swan 48 - 49 Po Box 523, Somerville, 3912, Victoria.

Cover photo: Lace Monitor (Varanus varius) All photos are captioned with author. Uncaptioned Mt. Ku - ringai National Park, New South Wales. photos are taken by the editor. Photo: Scott Eipper Photos published are the property of both the Victorian Herpetological Society inc and the re- Back cover photo: Blotched Blue - tongued Lizard spective author. Subject to full copyright and all (Tiliqua nigrolutea) Flinders Island, Tasmania rights are reserved. Photo: Simon Watharow.

3. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

My Say

We have now established the format of the “Monitor” An important decision was made at the March committee journal. The production side of the magazine is an art in meeting to find sponsors for the society. The monitor itself with many facets hidden from view during production. journal should be supported by sponsors, this has been We have started a new heading, “eHerper” written by voted in two ways. Daavid Turnbull, this will cater to the web surfing herps. The Herp Book Review and Herp Tips will also keep 1. Both inside cover pages of the Monitor journal will in running. Also we have included herp news from around future be dedicated towards sponsors. This is not new as the world for variety. We intend using these to encourage they were originally filled with promotional material for and further advances in keeping . Repcal calcium and Repcal Herptivite.

An exciting new website has been started by the VHS. It 2. We will also run a “food source” format in Monitor that was a proud moment when it first floated onto the web. will list private and commercial sources of food from Daavid Turnbull has spent many emails and coffee soaked around Australia. Private VHS members will be offered nights designing the site. It is anticipated that after 8 –12 to have their name, food sources available and phone months the site will be fully operational with a photo number free. Commercial or non members premises will gallery, monitor journal and field trip sections that will be given a box with details of the shop, food sources and detail trips by members and the committee. Also there prices with a number and email . will be a special members section where members can have a link. During the upcoming months please check Each “Food” section will be provided by State and the site and email us with your opinion or offer alphabetically with Town/Suburb in bold. This we hope suggestions. Photos can be placed in the gallery and will provide easy access to food suppliers for all herps in field trips you have been on will be added in due time. Australia. This will take time to reach all the commercial shops, but it is hoped they will see the benefit of being in The membership is increasing with more new members the journal. and as word gets around the society has restabilised itself. Always remember that the committee has been making The meeting on 30th March, held at the Knox City Council itself known and decisions have been made on many Building was again well attended with two great speakers issues ranging from Monitor production, new venues and Graeme Gillespie stunned us with photos and stories of ways of ensuring future success for the society. reptiles and on Sulawesi, Indonesia. Russell Traher, not to be outdone, took us through the Plans for an exciting speaker from Queensland have been development of the Perth Zoo exhibit and herps arranged and this will be our first interstate speaker in a found around that region. while.

4. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

An auction and raffle, well supported by donations from Graeme Gillespie (on Reptapet, Diamond Creek Aquarium and Pet Supplies, the left) receiving Boronia Aquariums, Mike Swan Herp Books and thanks and a bottle of Thermofilm plus several member donations, provided an red. ideal bargain for many. Over $900 was raised to put Photo: Daavid Turnbull. towards interstate speakers in the future. A special thank you to The Herp Shop which has supplied herp goods at cost for the VHS shop on meeting nights.

We were especially pleased with individual donations to the auctions. The meetings are certainly going to get more and more exciting as the year goes along. It is a tricky balance to keep themes and try to get a mix of topics for Russell Traher (on the meetings. We do try to keep both husbandry and field right) answering questions work in each night. after his talk on the design of the reptile house at the The VHS has a need for its own library. To start this off Perth Zoo. we intend to seek all the old issues of Monitor and tem- Photo: Daavid Turnbull. plates used to create Monitor. For each future journal, a cd will be kept for future use or reruns.

If any members who have spare old editions and would like to donate their old journals. It would be greatly ap- preciated. This will ensure that members and other inter- ested persons can access VHS journal information. Moni- tors dating from Volume 6(1) and back are needed.

The reptiles and displays held at each VHS meeting have been a real treat for many visitors, espe- cially beginners. The committee has been investigating Thanks for your support of the VHS. a display style unit to house these reptiles. This will free up committee time from bringing enclosures to meetings. The enclosures will stay at the venue unless used for future displays at other venues under the VHS banner.

President Simon Watharow

5. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

MOUNTAIN DRAGONS (Tympanocryptis diemensis) of VICTORIA: A COMPLEX ISSUE

Nick Clemann Fauna Ecology Section Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Natural Resources and Environment PO Box 137 Heidelberg, Victoria 3084

DISTRUBUTION

The Mountain Dragon Tympanocryptis diemensis (Gray, Adult male and female Mountain Dragons are often quite 1841) is one of the most confusing reptiles in Victoria. different in size; females are usually bigger, reaching a As yet, nobody is quite sure whether it is a single species maximum snout-vent length of approximately 82mm, or a species complex consisting of three, and quite compared with approximately 65mm for males (Kent possible more, individual species or subspecies. In 1987). The average total adult length is approximately mainland Australia, the range of the “species” extends 155mm. from around Sydney, along the Eastern highlands to north HABITATS - east of Melbourne. West and south - west of here there are isolated populations known from the east of the Otway The Mountain Dragon inhabits open woodland and area (the ‘Anglesea’ Mountain Dragon), the Brisbane forests, open shrubland and open heath in montane to Ranges National Park and various localities in the vicinity alpine regions in south - eastern Australia. Whilst of Bacchus Marsh and Trentham. Further west one, or occurring in some tall forest habitat, the species favours possibly two, “forms” of Mountain Dragon occur in the areas of stunted, sparse or open vegetation, often on Grampians National Park (the ‘Grampians’ Mountain stony or sandy soils with rock outcrops. Winter retreats Dragon). The Anglesea Mountain Dragon is listed as consist of deeply buried logs and tree stumps. Mountain Critically Endangered in Victoria, and the Grampians form Dragons, particularly males, are territorial (Wilson and is listed as Data Deficient (NRE 2000). Mountain Dragons Knowles 1988 and Witten 1993). also occur on islands in Bass Strait and in Tasmania, The Mountain Dragon mates in spring and early summer, where they are not listed as threatened. and two to seven eggs are deposited in a shallow burrow IDENTIFICATION in open sandy or gravelly areas in late spring or early summer (Kent 1987and Ehmann 1992). The eggs hatch The Mountain Dragon is a small agamid (Dragon lizard). in late summer. These dragons prey on a variety of Dragons are a large family of lizards characterised by arthropods (Wilson and Knowles 1988 and Green and scales that do not overlap and an often spiny appearance. Osborne 1994), particularly ants (Ehmann 1992). They have well-developed limbs and a broad, fleshy tongue. All Dragons are oviparous (egg layers). Members CONSERVATION STATUS OF THE ANGLESEA of the Tympanocryptis are characterised either by MOUNTAIN DRAGON the absence of an external ear opening, or, if an external ear opening is present, a series of enlarged spinose The taxonomic status of the Anglesea Mountain Dragon scales along each side of the base of the tail (Cogger is uncertain. The population from the vicinity of Anglesea 2000). Three species of Tympanocryptis occur in Victoria; may be different from populations occurring to the north however the Mountain Dragon is the only Victorian in the Brisbane Ranges and several localities in or near member of the genus with an obvious external ear the Wombat State Forest. The relationship between these opening. The Mountain Dragon is the only Australian populations and the Mountain Dragons of the eastern dragon to occur in areas that receive a regular annual Victorian highlands and Grampians National Park is also cover of snow, and the only agamid that occurs in unknown. The Anglesea Mountain Dragon occurs at lower Tasmania. elevations than other members of this “species complex”.

6. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

THREATS As the Anglesea Mountain Dragon is not yet considered Green, K. and Osborne, W. (1994). Wildlife of the a species, little has been done to assess threats or begin Australian Snow Country: a Comprehensive Guide to conservation activities. Threats to this “form” of the dragon Alpine Fauna. Reed Books, Chatswood, New South probably include habitat loss and alteration due to Wales. clearing, coal mining, recreation activities, timber harvesting, firewood collection, fuel reduction burning and Kent, D. S. (1987). Notes on the biology and osteology wildfire, and predation by exotic or feral predators. This of Amphibolurus diemensis (Gray, 1841), the Mountain predation is probably made worse by habitat loss and Dragon. Victorian Naturalist 104(4): 101-104. alteration. As populations of this dragon occur close to towns, predation from domestic and dogs may also NRE (2000). Threatened Vertebrate Fauna in Victoria – be an issue. Similarly, introduced rats may prey upon the 2000: A systematic list of vertebrate fauna considered dragon, particularly in areas close to human habitation. extinct, at risk of extinction or in major decline in The development of infrastructure such as roads and the Victoria. Department of Natural Resources and subdivision of land for development is also a potential Environment, Victoria. threat. The apparently localised distribution and small population sizes of this dragon also make it vulnerable to Wilson, S. K. and Knowles, D. G. (1988). Australia’s catastrophes such as disease. Reptiles: A Photographic Reference to the Terrestrial Reptiles of Australia. Collins Publishers, Sydney. Retaining or providing suitable habitat is the key to the conservation of the dragon. The threats mentioned above Witten, G. J. (1993). Family . Pp. 242-254 in result in the loss of shelter, foraging habitat, rocks and Glasby, C. J., Ross, G. J. B. and Beesley, P. L. (eds) logs for basking, and the loss of prey species, and leave (1993). Fauna of Australia Volume 2A Amphibia and the dragon susceptible to increased predation from both Reptilia. AGPS: Canberra. native and exotic species. As Mountain Dragons prefer rocky slopes elsewhere, increased run-off and erosion This article may appear in a future Crocodillian. resulting from habitat loss and alteration are also likely to be destructive to the habitat of the Anglesea Mountain Nick Clemann is a professional herpetologist working Dragon. Conversely, dense regrowth or thick forest with for the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Re- extensive canopy cover may be unsuitable for the species. search, Department of Natural Resources and There is a pressing need to clarify the of the Environment (Victoria). He has a particular interest in Anglesea Mountain Dragon, and devise means to threatened species and threatening processes and conserve it. Surveys are urgently needed to determine urban herpetofauna. the precise distribution of this dragon, as is research into the impact of exotic predators, microhabitat preferences, mining and firewood collection, and the lizard’s response to fire. REFERENCES

Cogger, H. G. (2000). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. (6th Edition), Reed Books, Frenchs Forest, New South Wales.

Ehmann, H. (1992). Encyclopedia of Australian : Reptiles. Angus and Robertson, Pymble, New South Wales.

Gray, J. E. (1841). Description of some new species and four new genera of reptiles from Western Australia, discovered by John Gould, Esq. Annual Magazine of Natural History 7: 86-91.

7. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Habitat type for the Mountain Dragon (Tympanocryptis diemensis) near Lake Dartmouth in North - eastern Victoria. Photo: Geoff Brown

Mountain Dragon (Tympanocryptis diemensis) highlands in North - eastern, Victoria. Photo: Geoff Brown.

8. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

A FIELD TRIP TO FLINDERS ISLAND, TASMANIA WITH A DASH OF MT. CHAPPELL PLEASE

Simon Watharow PO Box 1016, Research, 3095. Victoria. Email: [email protected]

INTRODUCTION

Flinders Island (Lat -39, 50 Long 147, 49.9) lies to the heathland and tussock grassland. Granite ranges provide North - east of Tasmania and has a surface area of 1376 denser woodland and in Mt Strzelecki some areas also km sq. It lies in the region known as the Furneaux Group contain moist forested gullies. (See map 1.and map 2.), which includes the well known Mt. Chappell Island, as well as the lesser known Clarke Wildlife on this island is surprisingly large, dynamic and Island and Cape Barren Island. Roughly 950 people live very diverse. Flinders Island has 150 species of birds, on Flinders Island, agriculture and fishing are the two 16 native mammals, 12 species of reptiles and 6 main sources of employment. recorded.

Weather patterns on Flinders Island are generally mild. Two important factors on Flinders Island contribute to a Rainfall is heaviest in the winter months, May to October larger fauna species density and diversity, no foxes and and range from 600mm to 800mm per year. The mean rabbits. Unfortunately there are feral cats, introduced minimum temperature for July is 6.0 degrees celsius and rodents and feral pigs. Land clearing for cattle and sheep the mean maximum in February is 22.5 degrees celsius. grazing is still very evident. Winds are predominantly westerlies, which may blow for several days particularly late winter and early spring. The I was invited to collect Blotched Blue - tongued Lizards coastal waters and Bass Strait are subject to variable (Tiliqua nigrolutea) and venomous over 7 days winds and high seas. for the Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory out of Geelong Hospital. Dr. Steven Graves and Dr. John The island geology is granite based with large formations Stenos are researchers into Flinders Island Spotted that occur at Strzelecki Range and Mt. Killiecrankie. Fever. These reptiles can carry burdens of Ticks Highest peak is 756m on Mt Strzelecki. (Aponomma hydrosauri) which harbour the infectious agent known as Rickketsia honei. Incidental bites by these The main and larger lagoons exist on the eastern side of ticks on humans, cause the Flinders Island Spotted Fever the island notably Cameron’s Inlet. The deep calcareous disease. Clinical signs of post tick bite are a spotted rash sandy soil structure on this island supports woodland, and fever over the body, this is treatable with antibiotics. heathland and grassland. Low lying areas are a mix of Our job was to collect reptiles for tick collection and collect two gravid Blotched Blue - tongued Lizards (T. nigrolutea) for the laboratory.

Mt. Killiecrankie granite rock outcrop surrounded We prepare to fly to Flinders Island for the first by open woodland, Flinders Island, Tasmania. time.

9. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Map 1. Location of Flinders Island from Victoria and Tasmania.

Map 2. Map of Flinders Island, Tasmania.

10. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

FLINDERS ISLAND DIARY

Day 1 Day 2 On the 10th of February we loaded our luggage and took We again searched some more promising habitats, an happy snaps of each other, met the research team and old derelict farm with scattered sheets of iron had herp their families. The plane was a twin engine affair, which written all over it. We observed numerous had the lowest ceiling clearance of any plane I have been (Leiolopisma sp) and White Skinks (E. whitii) but no in before, forcing an almost crawl to my seat. The plane snakes or Blotched Blue - tongued Lizards (T. nigrolutea). ride was smooth and highly entertaining. After an hour in We did find a Wombat (Vombatus ursinis) asleep in the the air, a glance down from our descending craft confirmed sun. Later in the day we travelled to the main town that we were to land in Killiecrankie on a grass strip about Whitemark and visited the local shops, which were well four hundred metres long. stocked thankfully even with my favourite Moccona coffee. The “locals” were exceptionally friendly and helpful It turned out that our pilot Russell was a bit of a “snakie” especially with ideas on areas to find reptiles and more himself having caught several snakes around his or his importantly the use of their properties, which ultimately neighbours house for removal. While we were unpacking revealed the best source of Blotched Blue - tongued our gear and settling into the house, Russell went for a Lizards (T. nigrolutea) for the research project. walk down the road and came across a Lowland Copperhead (Austrelaps superbus). He managed to tail A local naturalist Anna Stewart took us to some local the but reluctantly let go because he was without haunts where snakes were regularly seen. One area at a snake bag. Trousers Point was a small dam with large tussock grass clumps. Here we bagged a male Lowland Copperhead (A. superbus) which was seen by Angela partially Russell, Angela and I spent the afternoon searching for protruding from a tussock grass. As the day was cool additional animals but only succeeded in skinks, Metallic and cloudy the snake was an easy catch. It revealed some (Leiolopisma metallicum), Whites Skink (Egernia ticks, which were gratefully removed before releasing the whitii), Tussock Skink (Leiolopisma entrecasteauxii) and snake back to its original location within an hour. a gravid Blotched Blue Tongue (T. nigrolutea) under a small iron sheet. No other snakes were seen though we searched several ideal areas.

Mt. Chappell was an ever present view while herping on the Island for Chappell Island Tiger Snakes (Notechis ater serventyi).

11. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Chappell Island Tiger Snake (Notechis ater serventyi) moments before capture. Photo: Angela Reid.

A Chappell Island Tiger Snake collected (Notechis ater serventyi) Photo: Angela Reid

While safely restrained the ticks are removed by Dr. Graves. Photo: Angela Reid. Big to me is defined by weight not length. I have collected Day 3 four or five foot snakes before but they did not weigh 2 kilograms. These snakes have evolved to prey on Today we were booked on a boat ride captained by our Muttonbird nestlings (Puffinus tenuirostrus). They grow host Allan Wheatley to travel to the elapid “Hilton” quickly and become thicker. Photos taken, the snake was Chappell Island. To visit the island permission must be released back to the same location where he quickly obtained from the Aboringinal Land Council of Tasmania. retreated down a mutton bird hole. This was almost not given, due to a television documentary crew reportedly observed stealing snakes The group moved on to another spot, several holes were from the island the previous week. After we demonstrated examined using tongs and a torch for Mutton birds (P. our permits and goodwill, permission was given. tenuirostrus) or snakes None seen, we continued on. Another black tiger (1.5 m) lay loosely in sight, again a The one hour trip by boat turned out to be reasonably quick grab and this time placed in a bag for “tubing.” This bouncy and at the end we all ended up pretty wet. Allan involves placing a plastic tube in front of the snakes head backed the boat into a cove and we jumped off to the which usually easily slides into the tube and enables the rocky coast and re - checked our gear. Snake tools at snake to be grasped around the body and leaves the head ready we began our scout for the snakes. Barely had we inside the tube safely. This technique is a safe method of crossed a ridge when a black shape was seen under a restraint for large elapids and pythons. This was the first boxthorn bush. Our first Chappell Island Tiger Snake time I have used it in the field. Ticks were removed and (Notechis ater serventyi) was quickly tailed and then the snake was released back to the spot where captured. pinned to remove ticks. A hesitant Dr. Stephen Graves pulled off ticks and we both admired the strength and I can see what the island does to a herpetologist, it size of the beast. While comparisons are made in terms definitely has a spell binding aura about it. Handling the of size to Melbournes snakes, this snake was the biggest large snakes brings back the feelings of catching my first tiger I have ever caught, yet I knew that it was below snakes and the exhilaration of handling large elapids, average for this island. Many people ask “whats the which I must have lost somewhere, but I found it again on biggest or most dangerous snake you have ever caught.” this island, I would have loved to have stayed on the island all day or even all week, but an alert went out on the radio after we had been on the island for only an hour. Small craft were being warned about strong seas, reluctantly we boarded the boat for another wild open 12.seas ride back. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Day 4

At last after three days of poor weather the sun emerged up and placed struggling in the car. Spirits back at the from wherever it had been hiding. Angela and I felt more camp were brighter with some herp success after several confident when we went to a small creek and Angela cool and disappointing days. Incredulous looks were given captured her first Lowland Copperhead (A. superbus) for when I emerged with a defiant and very upset Wombat the trip. This brought some cheer at the camp after a dry (V. ursinis). We deticked the Wombat (V. ursinis) and on reptile spell. Quickly de – ticked and released, we climbed our way out to Valentines dinner at the Whitemark Pub back into our respective cars and went our separate ways released it back to its original location. to collect some more herps. Day 6 A good source of Blotched Blue - tongued Lizards (T. nigrolutea) was to be found at a house owned by an irrate Another warm morning found us lounging in the sun 80 year old woman who was tired of “Those sneaky lizards drinking coffee and swapping ancedotes. Dr. Steven eating her fruits and being a nuisance”. Elliott traps were Graves, Angela and I bundled into a car and headed off. situated around the house perimeter, after one Blotched We again went down along the Strzelecki National Park. Blue - tongued Lizard (T. nigrolutea) was observed under Along here while having an animated discussion we drove the house when we arrived the previous day. The Stenos over our first reptile on the road not having seen one for clan John, Johnny and Tina arrived and collected four the last four days. Luckily it was not hurt, it was a little lizards including several gravid animals. One lizard went surprised as were we. The Blotched Blue - tongued Lizard into a trap but was so big that his tail prevented the door (T. nigrolutea) was quickly stripped of its tick burden, then from shutting. Johnny picked up the trap seeing that the released on the roadside near a bush. door was open he got a shock by the weight and the sight of a lizard in the trap. We continued on but this time we saw another Blotched Blue - tongued Lizard (T. nigrolutea) in the distance, Angela and I tried our luck at a spot in Lady Barron at the crossing the road and quickly captured it for tick removal. southern end of Flinders Island. A wildlife reserve nearby It was clearly not impressed with the interruption and yielded Angela a gravid Blotched Blue - tongued Lizard proved a useful photographic subject (see back cover). (T. nigrolutea) and I tailed a placid (1.5m) male Lowland We continued down the white sand road and saw several Copperhead (Austrelaps superbus), the largest of the trip. The snake was in the shade of a heath bush along the distinct dragons running into dense heathland, a slow margins of an empty lagoon. The same spot had crawl was tried to either capture the Mountain Dragons numerous Skinks (Leiolopisma sp) and White Skinks (E. (Tympanocryptis diemensis) or at least obtain a precious whitii) were seen scuttling about. photo. Both were denied. Mountain Dragons (T. diemensis) were observed basking on the bright white We continued on back up around the Strzelecki National sand road, but when disturbed were quick to flee into the Park and to Anna Stewart’s house to see if snakes were dense heath several metres in where visibility is minimal. out and about up there. A quick twenty-minute scout around through tussock grass swamps showed nothing. A quick drive through Cameron’s Inlet revealed this to be While reversing the car out a shout was heard, Anna an excellent Tasmanian Tiger Snake (Notechis ater spotted a snake in her glass house. The glass house was humphreysi) haunt with sloughs and a small 600 mm a cool region, designed to house her native ferns. We snake seen fleeing into more scrub. The lagoon is an scurried out of the car and observed a Lowland excellent place for bird watchers as well, largely coastal Copperhead (A. superbus) situated in the entrance coiled heathland with large areas of tussock grass. On the way around a small fern. It seemed odd that we were to catch back we pulled over for a roadkill copperhead male that a snake in “snake controllers” mode. Angela tailed the was again larger than the usual Victorian specimens. Our critter into a bag for an appointment with our tick last evening was a “John Stenos barbecue feast” with specialists. chicken fillets, sausages, hamburgers, and fresh Kingfish caught off the rocks by the host that morning.This was On the way back we spied a wombat (V. ursinis) ambling topped off by a fresh lobster quickly consumed by the along the side of the road, orders from “management” seafood lovers. were that a wombat was needed and as such, it was bailed

13. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Whites Skink or Rock Skink (Egernia whitti). On Flinders Island referred to locally as Rock Skink.

Day 7

We awoke to another sunny herp promising morning, REPTILES however our plane was to leave at 11.30am and there Lizards was still time for a quick drive and habitat photo session. AGAMIDAE We all packed the bags, boxes and left for the grassy Mountain Dragon (Tympanocryptis diemensis). runway down the road after we heard the plane fly in over Small dragon superficially similar to Jacky Dragons, the holiday house. appear to be in good numbers on this island and strongly associated with heathland and granite woodland. We flew back to Avalon airport amidst the air show, which Observed on two very sunny mornings with only light was evident as fighter jets roared above us while we winds, basking on white sand roads. loaded the cars to head home. As with most field trips you inevitably look forward to the home trip. SCINCIDAE Whites Skink or Rock Skink (Egernia whitti). Flinders Island may be reptile deficient in species diversity On this island referred to locally as Rock Skink. Abundant but its remoteness, strong community sense and an in most habitat types grassland, disturbed, open and opportunity to observe other native fauna at close hand closed forests especially in granite regions, coastal gave it a thumbs up. shores along tussock grass and around coves amongst rocks. HERP OBSERVATIONS Abundant on the island and is quite active even in cool AMPHIBIANS overcast conditions. Seen darting from rock to rock or All species listed were metamorphs and seen in a moist basking in the open, builds small but sometimes complex woodpile in disturbed region well away from water. tunnels and burrows in soil often under rocks or iron sheets or other objects lying down. Individuals seen HYLIDAE regularly under the same homesite and these appeared Southern Brown Frog (Litoria ewingi). shared with juveniles in some instances.

MYOBATRACHHIDAE Three Lined Skink (Leiolopisma duperreyi). Common froglet (Crinia signifera sp). Only observed in disturbed habitat regions but would Banjo / Pobblebonk frogs (Limnodynastes dumerilli). occur in several other habitats. Metallic Skink (Leiolopisma metallicum). Seen in disturbed habitats and grasslands. A common skink in areas across Southern Australia.

14. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Lagoon at Lady Barron, Flinders Island, Tasmania where Low- land Copperheads (Austrelaps superbus) were seen around wa- ters edge in the shade. Disused rubbish away from the waters edge was a haven for Whites skinks (Egernia whitti) and a gravid Blotched Blue - tongue (Tiliqua nigrolutea).

Tick (Aponomma hydrosauri) being removed from a Low- land Copperhead (Austrelaps superbus). Tweezers were used to grasp the ticks and it is easier, if they come off the first time.

Blotched Blue - tongued Lizard (Tiliqua nigrolutea).The main research purpose was to col- lect these lizards and remove the ticks for the laboratory.

15. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Bougainville’s Skink (Lerista bougainvillii) (with tail loss) common on Chappell Island and Flinders Metallic Skink (Leiolopisma metallicum) Flinders Island, Tasmania. Island, Tasmania.

Spotted Skink (Leiolopisma ocellatum). was from Lady Barron, had a tick burden of over 60 Endemic to Tasmania and the surrounding islands, specimens. Flinders Island animals have a larger snout observed once in an open region adjacent to coastal to vent length and weight compared to mainland animals. heath/forest on coastal shoreline. White Lipped Snake ( coronoides) None Small – scaled Skink (Leiolopisma pretiosum). observed but reports were that it is common around the Diurnal endemic to Tasmania and other Bass Strait swamp locations. islands. Seen in heathland and open forest. Tasmanian Tiger Snake (Notechis ater humphreysi) Bougainvilles Skink (Lerista bougainvillii). Common on the island usually unbanded brown, yellow Observed once on Flinders Island, basking in the morning or black morphs seen on island populations concentrated on small sheet of iron near dense ground vegetation on on lagoons, coastal swamps and farm dams. One roadkill sandy soil. Mt. Chappell Island also had these lizards was collected and one 600mm snake observed in under iron, rocks and near low shrubs. roadside swamp heathland at Camerons Inlet.

Blotched Blue - tongued Lizard (Tiliqua nigrolutea). Chappell Island Tiger Snake (Notechis ater serventyi) Beautiful patterns are evident on these lizards on the Two snakes collected lay loosely in the open near a island. Observed on road basking, occasionally under muttonbird hole. Showers had only just stopped and the rubbish (iron sheets etc) and are common around temperatures were in the low teens. premises. Especially any that border large habitats suitable for these animals. ACKNOWLEDEGMENTS Thanks to the Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory Most well known lizard on the island. These lizards are for this opportunity. For friendship, good meals and an also seen up on Mt Strzelecki National Park. The majority adventure thanks to Graves Family, Steven, Moira, Darcy of lizards captured were female, heavily gravid which and Louie, Stenos Family, John, gravid Tina and Johhny. indicated Spring mating. Birth probably occurs in late Locals residents, Allan and Margaret Wheatley, Sailor February to March depending on temperatures. Two and Anna Stewart. Thanks to Peter Mantell, Steven gravid lizards captured and brought back to Geelong Comber and Scott Eipper for proofing the article. hospital had litters simultaneously at 10.30 am on March 7th, 2001 of eight and five young. Simon Watharow has written several articles on reptiles around Melbourne and Victoria. A professional snake Snakes handler.

ELAPIDAE Lowland Copperhead (Austrelaps superbus) Usually seen near water, e. g. Lagoons, creeks or farm dams. Associated with grass tussocks. The largest snake which

16. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

LOCATING THE SOUTHERN BELL FROG

………………………JUST ADD WATER ?

Mike Swan 15 George Street Lilydale Victoria 3140

As a young boy growing up in the late 1960’s in the outer Frog (L. raniformis), Green and Golden Bell Frog (L. eastern suburbs of Melbourne, I was fortunate to spend aurea) and New England Bell Frog (L. flavipunctata) in many summer days collecting snakes and lizards, and south eastern Australia, and one Dahl’s Aquatic Frog (L. swimming in local dams filled with large, green frogs. dahli) in the tropical north of the Northern Territory and These frogs were of course , the Southern Bell or Growling Gulf country of Queensland.(Barker et al., 1995) All are Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis). This was once a typically diurnal, though also active at night, usually widespread and ubiquitous species occurring in both observed basking amongst reeds around the edges of permanent and ephemeral wetlands across Victoria. still bodies of clean, freshwater. Since the early 1970’s this frog appears to have undergone a serious decline in numbers throughout its These well-built frogs are primary habitat invaders and range.(Jarvis 1997) Similar in general appearance to the have a tadpole development that can be either quite rapid American Bull Frog, (Rana catesbeiana), it may be that or may pause, depending on temperature and weather the name “bell frog” is a corruption of bullfrog. conditions for the time of year.

At such a young and impressionable age, these bright There are now examples of this species and others in the green creatures with their turquoise blue thighs and deep complex considered to be absent from particular areas droning call of “Craawwaaark,croc,croc,croc”, appeared and then appearing when suitable sites become available. to be one of the most attractive frogs I had ever seen. I These include the Sydney Olympic site at Homebush, am pleased to say that 35 years later, I still feel the same where some 50-100 Green and Golden Bell Frogs L. way. aurea (considered as seriously declining over most of the Sydney area and much of NSW) appeared in the Thinking back on these local dams that contained so many flooded, abandoned brick pit. This area was marked for Southern Bell Frogs (L. raniformis), I can’t help but wonder development of tennis courts and an artificial lake. This if the orchardists who originally excavated the dams, to presented the Olympic environmental watchdogs with the supply water for their prized fruit crops, were inadvertently opportunity for $15 million worth of conservation “frog farming”. If we imagine these areas before white programs to take place. The water management scheme settlement, as tussock grass and Eucalypt woodlands provided for wetland landscaping, resulting in a tenfold dissected by steadily flowing creeks, the availability of growth in the local frog population. The project also suitable habitat (i.e. still freshwater) for Southern Bell contributed to a greater understanding of Green and Frogs (L. raniformis), must have been limited. Backwaters Golden Bell Frog ecology. of creeks and naturally occurring billabongs would have provided such habitats. However, with the introduction of Victoria’s “Open Range Zoo” at Werribee is another permanent farm dams, the availability of additional lotic, example where Southern Bell Frogs established a freshwater, may have helped increase bell frog population in an artificial creek, developed by the Zoo. populations to “abnormal” levels, or at least in part, offset The Werribee Open Range Zoo story is particularly populations lost in the destruction of natural wetlands. interesting given a situation of dry, western basalt plains, and when the Zoo just “added water”, Southern Bell Frogs Southern Bell Frogs (L. raniformis) belong to the “Litoria appeared in the still and very slow moving sections of the aurea complex”, which consists of six species of similar, waterway. Prior to this event in 1996, Southern Bell Frogs large frogs, with two species Motorbike Frog (Litoria had only ever been heard calling in a natural billabong moorei) and Yellow Spotted Bell Frog (L. cyclorynca) approximately 1 kilometre from the centre of the Zoo, on confined to south western Australia, three Southern Bell

17. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

the other side of the Werribee River. Southern Bell Frogs are suspected of traveling great distances overland in REFERENCES search of new wetlands to colonise. Barker, J.,Grigg ,G. & M. Tyler (1995) A Field Guide To This artificial creek area has developed thickened Australian Frogs. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, vegetation and now supports a healthy colony of bell frogs NSW. .A population that initially consisted of a few individuals has become a situation where Zoo visitors can observe Jarvis, K. (1997) Decline in the as many as 100 individuals in a variety of sizes. (Litoria raniformis) Population. In The Spotlight 3(1): 13-15. Whether we have unintentionally helped to increase or decrease populations of Southern Bell Frogs, the Mike Swan has been an herpetologist for over thirty years. unfortunate fact remains that these beautiful frogs are Currently working at the Melbourne Zoo. he also runs not as evident as they have been in the past. Mike Swan Herp Books and is an well known reptile photographer. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Chris Banks reviewed the manuscript and Russel Traher made comments to earlier drafts. Kwai Chang provided information on the “Open Range Zoo” Southern Bell Frog colony.

Typical habitat for Southern Bell Frog Southern Bell frog (Litoria raniformis), (Litoria raniformis). Werribee, Victoria. Photo: Mike Swan.

18. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

OBSERVATIONS OF HERPETOFAUNA ON A FIELD TRIP ALONG EASTERN NEW SOUTH WALES

Scott Eipper 65 Grange Rd, Caulfield East, 3145 [email protected]

INTRODUCTION Family

This paper is basically a list of species found in a recent Eastern Master’s Snake (Drysdalia rhodogaster) field trip to a few locations in New South Wales. Other One individual was found under a fallen rotted log. species noted within the paper have previously been recorded there by Adam Elliot or myself. To make for ease Red bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) of reading, I have split this paper into localities so One was observed on the side of the road after being hit confusion will not occur. Scientific names will follow by a car the previous day. Cogger, (2000). EDEN BERMAGUI (Lat -37 deg 3.9 min, Long 149 deg 54.1 min) (Lat. -36deg 25.9 min, Long 150 deg 5 min) Near the Victorian border on the South Coast of New On the South coast of New South Wales in the region South Wales. Methods employed included active known as the Saffire Coast. Methods employed to find searching throughout the day and driving quiet roads at herpetofauna were active searching in the morning and night. The region was visited once for 5 days from the afternoon. The region was visited from the 23rd of 5th of December, 1999 to the 10th of December, 1999 September, 1996 through to the 1st of October, 1996. and again for 3 days from the 8th of January, 2001 to the The region is mainly farmland with patches of wet forest 11th of January, 2001. It is mainly farmland surrounded and Coastal heath land. Wallaga Lake National Park is by dry and wet eucalypt forest; Coastal heath land is also about eight kilometres to the North. common on the tops of the cliffs. Bed Boyd National Park is located North of Eden, a large park that helps keep the Family AGAMIDAE diversity in the region for both flora and fauna.

Jacky Lizard (Amphibolurus muricatus) Family HYLIDAE Three individuals collected, two were basking on dead tree stumps. One was on a telephone pole and jumped to Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea) the ground and ran into a burrow to evade capture. Five Individuals found on a road approx 40 kilometres South of Eden. Seen at night after and during a heavy Family SCINCIDAE rainstorm. All were large individuals being about 75mm+.

Warm Temperate Water Skink (Eulamprus heatwolei) Thirteen individuals observed on a beach among rocks that had fallen from a cliff. Two individuals were clearly gravid.

Garden Skink () Five individuals found around the house I was staying in. All had regenerated tails.

Blotched Blue Tongue (Tiliqua nigrolutea) One individual was found under a bush along a fence line, it was of the “Alpine” form.

Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea)

19. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Blue Mountains Tree Frog (Litoria citropa) Common Scalyfoot (Pygopus lepidopodus) One individual found on a road at night about three hours One individual was collected on a road at night after rain. after a shower at dusk. She was gravid with 2 eggs clearly visible.

Peron’s Tree Frog (Litoria peronii) Family VARANIDAE Five frogs observed at the same time and locality as Green and Golden Bell Frog (L. aurea). Lace Monitor (Varanus varius) Three individuals observed, two were up trees during the Family MYOBATRACHIDAE day while one was dead on the road

Striped Grass Frog (Limnodynastes peronii) Family SCINCIDAE Twenty - two individuals observed. All were active on the roads at night, commonly after rain had fallen. Black Rock Skink (Egernia saxatilis) Seven lizards were observed along a creek co-habitating Spotted Grass Frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis) with Gippsland Water Dragons (Physignatus lesuerii Three individuals observed under an old mattress, howittii) during the day. amongst long grass and bushes along a creek. White’s Skink (Egernia whitii) Family AGAMIDAE Four individuals were observed foraging along the sand dunes, on the beach near the campground. Jacky Lizard (Amphibolurus muricatus) Two individuals were collected around clumps of grass Warm Temperate Water Skink (Eulamprus heatwolei) at the base of large trees, in the camp ground off an ocean Two individuals were observed in the campground inlet during the day. along with the Jacky Dragon (Amphibolurus muricatus).

Gippsland Water Dragon (Physignathus lesueurii howittii) Garden Skink (Lampropholis delicata) Four lizards were observed, along a creek during the day Two individuals were observed, around the campsite. basking on rocks. Family BOIDAE Family PYGOPODIDAE

White - Lipped Snake (Drysdalia coronoides). Silver Skink (Eulamprus tenuis). Photo: Scott Eipper.

20. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

SCONE (Lat - 32 deg 2.9 min, Long 150 deg 52 min)

Situated on the top of the Hunter Valley about 220 kilometres North - West of Sydney. It is inside a valley with the Barrington Tops National Park approximately 50 kilometres to the east. The region is predominantly farmland but does contain patches of dry eucalypt forest. 4 weeks in total, have been spent in the region in the last 5 years both being from the 23rd of December, 1996 to the 6th of January, 2001. The 26th of December, 2000 was spent at the Barrington Tops National Park in which the results will be included within this paper.

Diamond Python (Morelia spilota Methods used included snorkelling in the Pages River. spilota) Active searching during the day and night and also driving on quiet roads at night and during the day.

Diamond Python (Morelia spilota spilota) Family HYLIDAE Three individuals were observed, two were roadkills. One individual was found active on the road at night. Green tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) Other suspected reports of this snake have been in 5 frogs observed on the roads at night after a very brief areas along a creek in the region. shower at dusk.

Family ELAPIDAE Rocky River Frog (Litoria leseurii) Three individuals were observed on rocks at night on the Highland Copperhead (Austrelaps ramsayi) banks of the Pages River. Two frogs were small and bright One specimen was found dead on the road after being yellow (males) while the third was a lot larger and a dark hit by a car. brown (female). While photographing this particular frog it changed colour to a light brown very quickly. White - Lipped Snake (Drysdalia coronoides) 3 individuals observed, all diurnally active and all were Peron’s Tree Frog (Litoria peronii) a light brown/tan colour. One individual observed while spotlighting on a road at night. Eastern Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) Two individuals have been found, one was found in a Family MYOBATRACHIDAE roadside drain, it was small approximately 600mm in length and reddish with light banding. The other specimen was found dead on the road during the day after being recently hit by a car.

Red Bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) Five individuals were observed as roadkills. Including a heavily gravid specimen. Dissection revealed nine near fully developed young.

Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis) found two juveniles (one banded and one unbanded) under sheet of iron in coastal heathland.

Small eyed Snake (Rhinoplocephalus nigrescens) Four snakes were observed active on the road at night and a further two specimens were dead on road. Pages River, Scone NSW, habitat for Murray Turtles (Emydura macquarii gunnabarra) and Long - necked Turtles (Chelodina longicollis). Photo: Scott Eipper.

21. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Banjo frog (Limnodynastes dumerilii) One individual found under a piece of tin, under a tree in a paddock.

Striped Grass Frog (Limnodynastes peronii) Two frogs were found on the road at night.

Family CHELIDAE

Long Necked Turtle (Chelodina longicollis) One individual was observed, in the Pages River while snorkelling. Habitat in Scone NSW, where a Spotted Black Snake (Pseudechis guttatus) crossed the road Murray Turtle (Emydura macquarii gunnabarra) from. Photo: Scott Eipper. Twenty - five turtles were observed over two days while snorkelling along the banks. Ranging from adults to Skink (Anomalopus leuckartii) juveniles, one was observed while spot lighting along a Five lizards all found under fallen rotting timber. road at night. Skink (Carlia tetradactyla) Family AGAMIDAE Three individuals observed, 2 males with breeding colours. The lizards were collected at night under Jacky Dragon (Amphibolurus muricatus) cardboard boxes along a dirt road. One individual found dead on the road. Snake eyed Skink (Cryptoblepharus virgatus) Eastern Water Dragon (Physignatus leseurii leseurii) Three individuals were observed on the wall of a house One young male was observed on a river flat. and were quite used to human traffic so observation was easy. Eastern Bearded Dragon (Pogona barbata) Two individuals, both observed in the early morning. Copper Tailed Skink ( taeniolatus) Two individuals observed, one basking on a Grass Tree Family GEKKONIDAE in the Barrington Tops, the other among a rock outcrop.

Tree Dtella (Gehyra variegata) Brown Rock Skink (Egernia modesta) One lizard observed, while spot lighting at night on a tree Three individuals observed under rocks in a rocky outcrop trunk of a large gum tree (Eucalypt sp). on a slope.

Family SCINCIDAE White’s Skink (Egernia whitii) Two individuals were found basking on a rock.

Murray’s Skink (Eulamprus murrayi) One individual observed near a dam in a bush.

Eastern Water Skink (Eulamprus quoyii) One individual was observed basking on a branch protruding over a creek.

Silver Skink (Eulamprus tenuis) Two individuals were collected at night in hollowed out fence posts.

Three toed - skink (Hemiergis decresiensis)

Skink (Anomalopus leuckartii). Photo: Scott Eipper

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Pale Headed Snake (Hoplocephalus bitorquatus) One individual found dead under a log in the Black Cutting One individual was observed at night on the trunk of a region. large tree.

Skink (Lampropholis caligua) Eastern Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) One individual found in the area known locally as the One road kill was observed. Black Cutting this is part of the road from Scone to Gloucester that also goes through the Barrington Tops Spotted Black Snake (Pseudechis guttatus) National Park. One individual was observed crossing a road late in the afternoon. Garden Skink (Lampropholis delicata) Two individuals were observed in the leaf litter, along a Red Bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) creek. Three Individuals were observed all crossing roads late in the afternoon. Grass Skink (Lampropholis guichenoti) One individual was observed under a rock, in dry eucalypt Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis) forest. One large individual was found under a sheet of tin.

Eastern Blue Tongue (Tiliqua scincoides) SYDNEY Three individuals all found under tin The capital city of New South Wales. The largest Family COLUBRIDAE population of any Australian city. Habitats are highly varied ranging from coastal heath to wet eucalypt forest. One of Green Tree Snake (Dendrelapis punctulata) the most diverse regions in Australia for Herpetofauna. Single slough found that keyed out to being this particular National Parks visited in the region include Royal National species, the slough was found on the sides of the Black Park to the south and Mt Ku-ringai National Park to the Cutting road. north. Methods employed included driving roads at night and active searching at night and during the day. Family ELAPIDAE

Common Death Adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) One dead specimen was seen in a local store, on talking to the owner he said that the snake had come from “up near the black cutting”. This is quiet believable as the habitat up there (wet dense eucalypt forest) has never been farmed and is effectively virgin bushland.

Murray Turtle (Emydura macquarii gunnabarra), Sandstone habitat in Mt. Ku - ringai National Park, numerous individuals were observed while lizards observed here, Eastern Water Dragon’s snorkelling the Pages River, Scone, NSW. Photo: Scott (Physignathus leseurii leseurii) and Leseur’s Velvet Eipper. Gecko (Oedura leseurii).

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Family MYOBATRACHIDAE She Oak Skink (Cyclodomorphus michaeli) One individual found under a cardboard box. Striped Grass Frog (Limnodynastes peronii) One individual found under a pot plant. Eastern Water Skink (Eulamprus quoyii) Five individuals found basking at 7 am in an old drainage Spotted Grass Frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis) ditch. Four individuals found at night on a path. Garden Skink (Lampropholis delicata) Family HYLIDAE Two individuals found amongst leaf litter

Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) Weasel Skink (Saproscincus mustelinus) One Individual found in a toilet block, within the grounds One juvenile individual, was found under a rock with a of the Royal National Park. scorpion of a similar size.

Peron’s Tree Frog (Litoria peronii) Eastern Blue Tongue (Tiliqua scincoides) One individual found under the eaves of a ruined house. One sub-adult lizard, was found under a large sheet of tin. Family AGAMIDAE Family ELAPIDAE Jacky Dragon (Amphibolurus muricatus) One lizard observed, basking on a dead tree. Red bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) One small adult found on the road in the late afternoon, Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus leseurii leseurii) had been hit by a car and was still alive when I found it. Fifteen lizards of both sexes were observed, along a creek. Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis) Two Individuals found under the same piece of tin. Family GEKKONIDAE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Leseur’s Velvet Gecko (Oedura leseurii) Two individuals found together under a sandstone rock. Thank you Raymond Hoser and Simon Watharow for reading and proofing the draft. My Father Colin and Family VARANIDAE Brother Luke, for putting up with me yelling stop at every road kill and sheet of tin I saw. Finally to Adam Elliot on Rosenberg’s Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) accompanying me on trips and being able to use his One specimen dead on the road at night, however it was records, which added a number of species to this paper. not a fresh kill. REFERENCES Lace Monitor (Varanus varius) One individual found about ten metres up a large Eucalypt Cogger, H. G. (2000) Reptiles and Amphibians of sp tree. Australia. Reed New Holland, Sydney. 808 pp. 6th revised edition. Family SCINCIDAE Scott Eipper Specialises in keeping elapid snakes of Copper Tailed Skink (Ctenotus taeniolatus) the genus Pseudechis. Also enjoys keeeping taipans, Three individuals were observed basking on sandstone death adders and crocodiles. exfoliations.

24. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Lowland Copperhead (Austrelaps superbus), collected from Flinders Island, Tasmania in a tussock grass clump.

Blotched Blue - tongued Lizard (Tiliqua nigrolutea) gravid, collected from Killiecrankie, Flinders Island, Tasmania.

25. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Southern Bell Frog (Litoria raniformis), Werribee , Victoria. Photo: Mike Swan

Hybrid Centralian Carpet Python (Morelia bredli) cross Murray Carpet (Morelia spilota metcalfei). Photo: Ray Hoser.

26. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Lace Monitor (Varanus varius) “Bell’s form” Mt. Ku - ringai National Park, NSW . Photo: Scott Eipper.

Mountain Dragon (Tympanocryptis diemensis) from highlands of North - eastern, Victoria. Photo: Geoff Brown.

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Mt. Killiecrankie, Flinders Island, Tasmania. Granite outcrops and woodland habitat for Rock Skinks (Egernia whitii), Mountain Dragons (Tympanocryptis diemensis) and Blotched Blue - tongued Lizards (Tiliqua nigrolutea).

Chappell Island Tiger snake (Notechis ater serventyi) inside a tube which was used to safely restrain the snake while the author and Stephen Graves removed ticks. Photo: Angela Reid.

28. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

A NEW CASE OF HYBRIDISATION IN MORELIA PYTHONS.

Raymond Hoser 41 Village Avenue, Doncaster, Victoria, 3108, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]

INTRODUCTION

Most herpetologists are familiar with the Carpet Pythons The first two cases are detailed in Hoser (1989). This (Genus Morelia). In recent years these snakes have been author knows nothing of the latter case other than photos kept in ever greater numbers in captivity, (Hoser, 1089, on an internet website called “marvelous mutants” 1993,1996). operated by Wulf Schleip in Germany.

Although illegal in some states, hybridisation of different Hybridisation is shunned by purists as a waste of time races or species has occurred. The purpose of this short because the off-spring cannot be used as stock to release (abridged) paper is to give an account of a previously back into the wild. Or at least they shouldn’t be. However unrecorded hybridisation case between two Morelia commercial and other concerns make many keepers pythons here in Australia. hybridise their snakes when they can. As already mentioned, the merits of either argument are beyond the This paper follows the taxonomic arrangement for scope of this paper. Australasian Pythons as designated by Hoser (2000). For other arrangements and citations, please refer to HYBRIDISATION – A NEW CASE FROM AUSTRALIA Hoser (2000). In late 2000, the author became aware of another captive It appears inevitable that the names as used in Hoser hybridisation of Morelia pythons from Australia. (2000) will become generally used within two decades Hybridisation of species in captivity is illegal in South and that is why it is the classification system adopted Australia. here in this paper. This paper does not discuss the relative merits of hybridisation (for or against) at great length. The breeding involved a male Murray/Darling Carpet Python (Morelia metcalfei) from Morgan, South Australia, HYBRIDISATION - GENERAL Lat: 34°02’S Long: 139°40’E and a female Bredl’s Python (Morelia bredli) from Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Lat: There has been a substantial amount of literature detailing 23°42’S Long: 133°52’E. 22 eggs were laid and eighteen breeding activity in both wild and captive Australasian eggs hatched on 16 January 1997. The 18 hatchlings pythons at both the species and subspecies level. Refer have all grown to maturity. The snakes appear to be docile to Hoser (2000) and sources cited within for further and intermediate in characteristics between the parents. sources. The snakes are most like the Murray/Darling Carpet Python (Morelia metcalfei) dorsally, but ventrally are most It also is presumed that all Morelia species (as classified like the M. bredli. Because of the illegality of the breeding by Hoser (2000) and others) will hybridise in captivity, (contrary to state wildlife laws) further details cannot be (refer to Hoser 1999 and to a lesser extent, this paper). provided here. Furthermore it is known that the following hybridisations in captivity involving Morelia have been done. However a photo of one of the hybrid offspring, as an adult snake measuring about 2 metres in total length taken Jungle Carpet Python (Morelia cheynei) X in November 2000 is provided with this paper. Water Python (Katrinus fuscus fuscus) Jungle Carpet Python (Morelia cheynei) X ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Scrub Python (Austroliasis amethistina) Green Tree Python (Chondropython viridis) X Various assistance’s, mainly in the form of providing Carpet Python (Morelia sp). literature or providing of study specimens in their care was provided by numerous people, including those listed at the end of Hoser (2000).

29. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

LITERATURE CITED

Hoser, R. T. 1989, Australian Reptiles and Frogs, Pierson Australian Pythons’, Herptile 24 (2): 61-67 and cover. and Co. Sydney, Australia:238 pp. Hoser, R. T. 2000. ‘A revision of the Australasian Pythons’, Hoser, 1993. Smuggled:The Underground Trade in Ophidia Review, 1:7-27. Australia’s Wildlife, Apollo Books, Mosman, NSW:160 pp. Raymond Hoser has been a herpetologist for over 30 Hoser, R. T. 1996. Smuggled-2: Wildlife Trafficking, Crime years. He’s published over 100 papers and nine books. and Corruption in Australia, Kotabi Publishing, Doncaster, His principal interest is elapid snakes of the genus Victoria:280 pp. Acanthophis.

Hoser, R. T. 1999. ‘Hybridisation in Carpet Snakes Genus: Morelia (Serpentes:Pythoninae) and other

Hybrid Centralian Carpet Python (Morelia bredli) cross Murray Carpet (Morelia spilota metcalfei). Photo: Ray Hoser.

30. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

CROAKINGS by Hopper

Cane Toad Invasion

Well it finally happened, “Cane Toads in Kakadu”. Unlike many species of frogs, Toadlets are specialist Australia’s most unwanted Anuran has reached one of breeders that have mastered the art of the seasons. Many the world’s greatest National parks. This potential species of frog will often breed whenever it rains, but not ecological disaster comes as no surprise to many but has Toadlets. The Pseudophryne Genus of frogs occur in happened a little to quick for everyone concerned. many types of habitats and environments, including the Specimens have been found within the boundaries of the most hospitable of all, the sphagnum bogs high up on Mt. park and some have been heard calling. Kosciuszko.

The federal government has promised $2 million dollars This Genus of frogs are terrestrial breeders, meaning that to the CSIRO to help fight the pest. The fight is expected they spawn on the land. Once a male has found a suitable to take a least ten years, by which time the Toad is site, usually in a small depression in the ground, under expected to make its way through Kakadu, across to vegetation, at the base of a grass tussock or even the Darwin then onwards West, towards The Kimberleys and impression made in the ground by the hooves of large The Pilbara region. livestock. Whatever the location these breeding sites are always in flood zones be it large or small. These small Let’s all hope that the fight is successful and the spread depressions or nesting chambers, are also useful, as they of this environmental tragedy can be halted. help to resonate and reverberate the call of the male, which helps to make the call louder and travel further, Autumn Calling thus increasing the chances of attracting a mate. Once a mate is attracted to the nesting site the pair spawn and The end of summer normally signals the end of the the eggs are deposited and fertilized in a clump on the breeding season for most Reptiles and Amphibians but ground. After the pair has spawned the female leaves for us “southerners” the fun is just beginning. At a time the nest and the male remains to guard the eggs. A single when many enthusiasts are preparing for next seasons male may breed with several females over the breeding breeding those a little more unusual and yes even season meaning that one single nest can contain several FOOLISH, are dusting off the cold weather clothes and groups of eggs. This may also be beneficial in diversifying seeking out the Autumn breeders. the gene pool within a single population of frogs.

The autumn breeding Frogs of the Southern region of The male remains with the eggs until seasonal rainfall the country, are to most, relatively unknown and for good floods the breeding area. This process often takes several reason. The species in question are far form obvious and months. If seasonal rain is late the eggs remain moist by don’t jump out at you when you are looking for them. The drawing moisture from the surrounds. Once sufficient rain Pseudophryne or “Toadlet” group of frogs are those that has fallen and the site is flooded the male moves away to revel in colder conditions from April through to September. the spring feeding grounds. It is now the tadpoles develop and metamorph in the more typical and well-known fashion.

31. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

So if you are looking for something to do during autumn and early winter check out one of Australia’s most interesting and unusual group of frogs. If you are searching for Toadlets remember too look closely and more importantly listen very carefully as the call of the male is more often than not the only effective way of locating this very cryptic little frog.

REMEMBER! IF YOU FIND A TOADLET OF SOME DESCRIPTION, THEN IT IS BEST LEFT ALONE AS IT MAY INTERFERE WITH THE BREEDING PROCESS OF THE FROG. SOME TOADLETS ALSO SECRETE SMALL AMOUNTS OF TOXINS, AND ALTHOUGH THEY ARE GENERALLY NOT DANGEROUS TO PEOPLE THEY Habitat at Holey Plains State Park for several CAN POSSIBLY CAUSE IRRITATION IF YOU WERE TO species of frogs in Victoria. Photo: Peter Mantell. RUB YOUR EYES AFTER HANDLING THEM.

By the way if you happen to be a potential predator like a bird or lizard and are reading this article, I would recommend that you don’t eat a Toadlet ‘cause they probably don’t taste too great either.

Catch you in the next issue.

“Hopper”

Smooth Froglets (Geocrinia victoriana) in amplexus. Photo: Peter Mantell.

32. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

FROG WATCH

WE CAN SAVE THE MERRI CREEK AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION – FRIENDS OF MERRI CREEK 12 November 99 Rare frog found near Gosford backyard It’s rare, beautiful and in serious danger. The Growling Grass Frog is a spectacular brilliant green and mottled A new, fairly healthy population of the endangered green brown with iridescent blue and purple legs. It can sit in and golden Bell Frog has been found by backyard frog the palm of your hand. This rare and beautiful is watchers on the central coast of New South Wales, considered vulnerable to extinction by both the State Australia. It is one of only half a dozen healthy and Federal Governments. populations, each numbering 200 or so adults, in New Growling Grass Frogs were very common in the Merri South Wales, where the frog has declined dramatically Creek until the 1970’s when suddenly they almost during this century. It used to be the most common frog disappeared. No one knows why. Fortunately some species in the state, totalling tens or hundreds of colonies have survived near the Creek in a few ponds millions. and old, abandoned quarries. The proposed freeway and future developments threaten all remaining Growling The frogs were found by Newcastle University student Grass Frog colonies in the Merri Creek valley. Ms Melanie Bannerman, who along with Dr Graham To ensure the Frog’s continued survival we must protect Pyke, principal research scientist at the Australian the Creek as well as the ponds and the old quarries. Museum had recently helped set up a Friends of the the We must also ensure there are no barriers blocking their Green and Golden Bell Frog group in the Davistown movement between colonies. area, near Gosford. They had targeted this area At certain times of the year the Frogs move around – because it was the only place between Hawkesbury and sometimes travelling up to a kilometre in one night! the Hunter Rivers where the species was known to For example as the weather warms up and swamps dry occur. Someone told Ms Bannerman about some frogs out they retreat to wetter places. The following spring, if living in a friend’s backyard, so she went looking and the season is wet enough they can spread out again to listening in the swamp nearby. the swampy areas to breed. ”Melanie heard our frog calling in the swamp, and then Any frogs that find themselves on the wrong side of a she found some tadpoles,” said Dr Pyke, who was called six-lane freeway may be unable to move to suitable upon to join the search. They found more tadpoles, habitat. This could lead to the death of the frogs and another positive sign: “Calling plus tadpoles equals the complete loss of the stranded colony, pushing the breeding”. While Ms Bannerman had originally thought Growling Grass Frog another step closer to extinction. there might be 20 or so animals, a survey put population The Government claims the frog will be safe from estimates at 200. Most populations in New South Wales extinction should the freeway proceed, but when the are tiny, with only five or ten adults. Destruction of its Government announced their preferred freeway route favoured wetland habitat was the main reason for the in February new surveys of the frog (undertaken due to frog’s endangered status, said Dr Pyke. “Before public pressure) had not been completed and crucial European settlement, the largest populations would have information was not available to them.Obviously this rare been in inner Sydney, in areas close to water in the creature is of little real concern to the Government. Sydney Basin — the areas that were settled first.” We must do all we can to save the Growling Grass Frog Other factors were human disturbance of the flooding and the other endangered native species affected by regime by damming rivers, and predation of the frogs’ this freeway For accurate information on the irreversible eggs by the plague minnow — a fish purposefully environmental damage that will be done if this freeway introduced to control mosquito numbers which has itself goes ahead please contact: reached pest levels. Strangely enough, the places where the green and FRIENDS OF MERRI CREEK golden bell frog does survive are not necessarily wild PO Box 93 Moreland 3058 and pristine. The newly-discovered Davistown Tel: 03 9240 2394 population lives in a swamp created by an artificial Email: [email protected] embankment, and one population of between 250 and www.vicnet.au/~fomc 500 adults lives at the Olympic site at Homebush Bay. “We humans dug this hole in the ground which turned out to be the right kind of habitat for the frog, so it hopped over and set up shop in the brickpit,” said Dr Pyke.

33. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

FROG WATCH WORLDWIDE

BRISTOL EVENING POST (UK) 23 February 01 Help A Toad To Cross The Road abundance has led to people questioning the legal (Megan Lloyd Davies) protection that these animals enjoy. Why on Earth go to such lengths to conserve something that is found in An animal lover is calling on Eastville residents to give practically every other pond? The answer is that Britain up some time to save wildlife. John Jarvis has organised is a great crested stronghold. This animal is much scarcer a toad-lift every year for more than two decades. Every throughout the rest of Europe, hence its protection. spring, toads crossing Ridgeway Road to reach Bristol Last weekend I attended a conference of herpetologists, Lido during spawning season are often killed by passing people who study reptiles (snakes and lizards) and cars and cyclists on the busy road. Thanks to Mr Jarvis amphibians (frogs, toads and newts), and most of our and his team of volunteers, about 11,000 toads have been discussion centred around carrying out more survey work saved in the past 22 years. to discover the status of our reptiles and amphibians. Mr Jarvis, who is an electrician and lives in Mayfield Park, Much was made of the widespread range of the crested said: “The toads come from under stones in gardens and newts but that genrally, they were not abundant throughout holes in walls nearby and cross the road to get to the that range. Nevertheless, the fact that we tend to have water and spawn. “I started doing the toad-lift because more here than other European countries should be in those days there were a lot more amphibians around looked on as something to be treasured. Like bluebell and they often used to get killed. “Now the numbers of woods, they are special to Britain and, just as we expect amphibians globally is plunging and we do it because it other nations to look after wildlife for our benefit, so we is humanitarian. “There is so little wildlife left and if you must make the effort to cherish our own specialities. can do a little bit in return it is a good thing.” The toads migrate each evening at dusk and so volunteers meet by the bridge on Ridgeway Road at 6.30pm. They then WESTERN DAILY PRESS (Bath, UK) spend an hour searching by torchlight for the toads before 03 March 01 lifting them across the road. It is also a chance to view Newts on the crest of a wave toad behaviour, such as amplexus when a male toad waits (Michael Woods) for a female in an open spot and then climbs on to her back so that she can carry him to spawn. People taking One evening last summer I was out checking a pond. part in the lift need to take along a bucket and torch. The last blackbird had finally had its say and the robin’s Anyone interested in taking part should call 0117 965 song had faded away into nothing. Darkness was 4531. creeping in as I shone my torch into the clear water close to the bank. The beam stabbed down through the BRISTOL EVENING POST (UK) blackness and I moved it around like some inverted 01 March 01 searchlight seeking out a submarine. And before long I Help Toads Cross The Road For Love found one. Large, black and with a distinctive crest (Steve Grant) running down its back, my submarine then left the bottom Bristol City Council is putting the spring back into the in a swirl of sediment and, tucking its feet alongside its love life of toads in Kingsweston. The council has put up body, swam to the surface with great thrusts of its signs in Napier Miles Road warning motorists to drive muscular tail. Here it took a gulp of air and then spread more carefully to protect toads crossing the road on their its legs on either side of its broad body and slowly sank way to breeding grounds. back to the bottom once more. It was a great crested Mary has organised groups of helpers to patrol known newt. These animals have become rare throughout their crossings on mild damp evenings. The signs not only range and are now legally protected by both UK and ask drivers to slow down to avoid the toads but are also European law, so it was a particular privilege to watch to protect the patrols against speeding traffic. The the great crested as the night drew in. volunteers gather up the animals in buckets and release them to safety on the pond side of the road. Like other newts, and many amphibians in general, they There are only a few of the toad ponds surviving in the are nocturnal creatures and this individual, and others in area and last year Bristol City Council also put toad the same pond, gradually became more active as the crossing signs up near one of them in Fishponds. Mary night passed. There are not too many ponds containing and there you will find that almost every dip in the ground, great crested newts in this area but travel north to the which can hold water, has cresteds in it. This apparent midlands

34. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

Artciles collected by Peter Mirstchin, Ray Hoser, Scott Eipper and Doug Wintle

Australian Bush Heritage LITCHFIELD TIMES Native Reptiles being put to commercial use The Australian Bush Heritage Fund acquires - by By George Ierodiaconou purchase, gift or bequest - land of outstanding ecological 23/01/01 significance, to preserve it as the nation’s heritage. We raise the money to do this from the public, and manage The Department of Parks and Wildlife are supplying the land purchased in perpetuity to protect and enhance permits to a wild animal wholesaler to capture and sell its natural values. native wild reptiles. However, specialty shops in Adelaide, Victoria, Northern Territory and private keepers in NSW Bush Heritage began life in 1990, when two magnificent are up in arms. forest blocks adjoining the Tasmanian Wilderness World heritage Area were put up for auction. Realising that They have reported that wild animals supplied by a NT these 241 hectares were destined to be woodchipped, company called WOMA have been arriving at their environmentalist Dr Bob Brown raised the funds to buy destinations suffering from the trauma of being brought the properties and set up the Australian Bush Heritage into captivity and showing symptoms of poor health. Fund. Assistant Director of Parks and Wildlife David Lawson By 1996 the Fund had acquired significant land holdings gave assurances that the reptiles collected by the in four states. At the time of writing there are 12 reserves, company WOMA are treated for parasites and have to in Tasmania, NSW, WA and Queensland, and we are be actively eating before they are sold. negotiating a major purchase in Queensland. Mr Lawson said, “WOMA have worked closely with us on Our quarterly newsletter, Bush Heritage News, keeps how to establish a sustainable use industry with reptiles supporters informed of new acquisitions and our ongoing in the NT. As such they have been issued with permits to land management work. For more information or to make take small numbers of animals from the wild.” a donation, visit our website at www.bushheritage.asn.au The small amount is 35 spotted tree monitors, 300 two- or phone 03 6223 2670 lined dragons, 12 bridge monitors, 1200 snake neck turtle eggs, 20 short tail monitors, 1200 bearded dragons eggs, 1200 central netted dragon eggs and 40 ridge tail SYDNEY MORNING HERALD monitors. According to WOMA prices, the market value World’s First Rough Scaled Python Breeding of these animals has the potential value of $430,600. 3/1/01. Humpty Doo reptile collector Matt Yorston said, “There is A baby rough-scaled python emerged from its egg always a high percentage of reptiles that are not going to yesterday to take its first look round the Australian Reptile adapt. If you pull out a goanna from an escarpment or a Park in Gosford. The park was the first zoo in the world to hollow log where he has been living for the last 20 years be allowed to collect the rare python, native to the and throw him in a cage of course he is going to freak Kimberley region in remote north-western Australia. out. Last year four snakes were added to the park’s collection of rare reptiles and the controlled breeding program began There is a myth that wild reptiles adapt perfectly to almost four months ago. captivity. This is so untrue – there is a high percentage of

35. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

selling sick animals to inexperienced people they are LITCHFIELD TIMES going to die straight away.” said Mr McDonald. Jealousy Motivating WOMA allegations Anton Wegener, owner of Adelaide based company SA 21/2/01 Fish and Reptiles, bought four spotted tree monitors from George Lerodiaconou WOMA paying a total of $3,200. Former NTU herpetology student Garry O’Connor has He says he bought the reptiles under the presumption hit back at herpetologists accusing reptile company that they were bred in captivity. However, when the WOMA of cruelty allegations. animals arrived they were covered in ticks, parasites and were showing symptoms of being malnourished. After two Garry O’Connor worked as an research assistant under months in quarantine and extensive worming treatment WOMA Director Gavin Bedford at the NTU in Palmerston. the monitors regained their health. Mr Wegener He has the highest respect for Mr. Bedford as a subsequently cancelled an order for another five breeding herpetologist and although he admits there were incidents pairs once he had made further inquiries and discovered where some animals werre in poor conditions. that the animals were caught from the wild. He said that under research conditions these animals cannot be cared for as well as they could be in a private “My worry is that people taking reptiles from the wild and collection.” These allegations of animal crueltyare selling them because it is commercially viable is suprising” Gavin Bedford is a very intelligent person and simultaneously damaging the existing captive reptile his reputation as a researcher and as a academic are breeding industry by introducing new diseases and paramount to him.” he said. parasites which breeders have already overcome. My view is let the captive industry run separate and keep Mr O’Connor believes that jealousy is the only motivation wild reptiles out there for tourists to look at.” for members of the reptile industry lodging these allega- tions. He is also cynical of indivuals attacking the Parks Tim Mensforth from Ultimate Reptiles in Adelaide was and Wildlife sustainable use of wildlife policy. Mr. approached by WOMA to buy wild caught reptiles, he O’Connor obtained a permit to collect wild reptiles from declined. “We are not interested in taking large amounts the Palmerston Medical precinct site. he believes that the of wild caught animals, when the numbers are prolific in reptiles on that site would have been bulldozed to the captivity. ground. “There are two things that can happen, either these animals are bulldozed into oblivion or the animal People can buy fantastic captive bred animals at the same has a chance of breeding in captivity” price if not cheaper.” said Mr Mensforth. He also said that the only exception would be catching rare reptiles In the area where the health precinct was built, Mr O from the wild and placing them into a breeding program ‘Connor estimates that there were 700 - 1000 Tree moni- where the prodigy can then be sold. “We don’t have a tors, 200 -300 frilled neck dragons and thousands of zig- problem with catching animals for breeding so long as zag geckoes. Mr O’Connor would rather see these ani- the wild animal is not directly captured and then sold.” mals that other wise would have been killed, become invloved in breeding programs. “There is no chance of Mr Church from Northside Pets in Adelaide found out these animals becoming rare through sustainable use about WOMA on the Internet. Once Mr Church discovered because you are not damaging wild populations. that the animals were wild caught he decided not to buy them. “I have found that animals do not adapt from the He is also hopeful that reptile companies like WOMA will wild to captivity, a friend of mine bought an animal that play an important part in stamping out the illegal reptile was presumably wild caught. That animal took 18 months trade. “Rather than have people stealing these animals to die. I think that it is disgusting that the NT Government from the wild, lets get it done legally. People travel around has allowed native protected animals to be harvested.” Australia to collect reptiles. Sustainable use is a way of working around the poaching problem.” he said.

36. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

HERALD SUN Two men and a woman are due to appear in Crash Snake Theory Broadmeadows Magistrates court tomorrow to face 7/2/01 charges of illegal domestic trafficking. Paul Anderson Natural Resources and Environment spokesman ron A man who drove into an oncoming car on the Calder Waters said the world wide smuggling industry was the Highway may have been bitten by a snake. Sources said second biggest after drugs.” Australia’s fauna is highly doctors at the Alfred hospital told police the man was sought after because there is no legal trade for these suffering puncture wounds similar to snake bites around animals.” He said. his neck, groin and legs. Illegal trafficking can attract fines of up to $24,000 and a Emergency workers who attended the crash found the prison sentence of up to 24 months. man believed to be a taxidermist, trapped unconscious in his car with snakes, spiders and other inside HERALD SUN SUNDAY display cases. 04/3/01 House guest ju-ssssst bandy Police called for a snake catcher, who failed to find any (Leela De Kretser) trace of a live snake. Witnesses said the man had been driving erratically, swerving across the road and causing A 30-centimetre snake found in the hallway of a country several other cars to take evasive action. home has baffled an Albury snake catcher. David Both the man and the twenty year old female driver of the Robinson has caught snakes for more than 40 years, but other car were rushed to hospital after Mondays crash. he says he has never set eyes on anything like the small black and white striped reptile found in Allyson Stubbe’s Sources said the man was treated with antivenom. He Splitters Creek home on the NSW border. was last night said to be dangerously ill. The woman was in a stable condition. “I’ve seen plenty of tiger snakes, browns and even diamond pythons, but, boy oh boy, I’ve never seen one of HERALD SUN these things,” Mr Robinson said. Mrs Stubbe discovered Reptile Smugglers Face Scales of Justice the snake in her hallway at 2am last Saturday. With the 31/2/2001 help of her husband and children’s friends staying the Regina Titelius night she managed to trap the snake and hand it over to Mr Robinson. Mrs Stubbe said while she was used to Two cases packed with reptiles worth thousands of dollars finding snakes in the house this one was out of the on the black market were seized at Melbourne airport ordinary. yesterday.The $20,000 haul is one of the largest busts for reptiles in Australia. More than 60 reptiles including “It was only little, but it was unusual,” she said. “I’ve never 10 desert death adders, several carpet pythons, netted seen one of them in this area.” Before releasing the snake, dragons and geckoes were saved. Mr Robinson described it to National Parks and Wildlife officers. They said it could be a bandy-bandy, which is Wildlife authorities and customs officials had been usually found in the Australian desert. But Mr Robinson monitoring a smuggling operation for several weeks. does not believe the entire reptile species is looking for a The reptiles were believed to have been captured in the change of habitat. wild in Western Australia and Northern Territory and were destined for the illegal trade overseas. “Generally what happens is one gets under a car in a nice warm spot and it goes halfway across bloody The animals were taken to the Melbourne Zoo where staff Australia,” he said. “They’re not getting here by any other discovered one dead snake, several lizards were treated means other than a car.” He said the bandy-bandy snake for dehydration. grew to 60cm. He believed the one found in Splitters Creek was between two and three years old. The snake is venomous, but is unlikely to kill humans.

37. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

The AGE WEST AUSTRALIAN Home’s where the snake is Boy fights off crocodile By Penny Fannin 23/9/00 20/2/01 Ben Harvey

The fate of the hundreds of venomous snakes removed A 12-YEAR-OLD boy who fought off a 3m crocodile by from back yards and businesses in Victoria each year is gouging its eyes was discharged from Royal Darwin being studied by researchers at the Arthur Rylah Institute Hospital yesterday. for Environmental Research and Deakin University. The attack brought a warning for people to be aware of Nick Clemann, a scientist at the institute, said the study crocodiles as the breeding season begins and they would look at whether the relocation of snakes, usually become territorial. The saltwater crocodile attacked Sam to bushland, was working. “There’s been no evaluation West on Tuesday as he snorkelled near East Montalivet of how successful relocation is for the people who call Island, off the Kimberley coast. snake catchers and the impact on the snakes themselves - what’s the fate of them,” he said. “It gripped his head first, released him then gripped his hands,” his father, Bill West, said. “It gripped him four or Relocating a snake might just move the problem five times. He’s very, very lucky to be alive.” Mr West, a elsewhere, he said. But it could also affect other snake trawler owner, said his son’s courage in fighting back by populations by introducing diseases and parasites or gouging the crocodile’s eye probably had saved him. leave the reptiles vulnerable to being preyed on by raptors “He’s one very gutsy little boy,” he said. Sam, from Cairns, or run over as they tried to find their way home. had been visiting his father on the prawn trawler Amanda Lee. Dr Tara McGee, a Deakin University social scientist,will send questionnaires to snake catchers, people who have The crew had been relaxing on the beach of the remote had snakes near their homes and council authorities to island when the crocodile attacked about 20m from shore study the relocation. Mr Clemann will work with snake at 2pm, Mr West said. catchers to implant transmitters into relocated snakes and track them to discover what happens to them. Crew members immediately went to Sam’s aid when they heard him scream. “It was probably over in moments but it seemed like ages,” Mr West said. Sam was taken by The DAILY TELEGRAPH dinghy to the trawler. A float plane in the area heard the Snake Bites Toddler radio distress call and collected Sam. It flew him to Darwin Conservation and Land Management Department East 19/2/01 Kimberley wildlife officer Ben Tannock said the crocodile A young girl was bitten by a brown snake as she cycled could have been a male protecting his territory because near her home yesterday. The two year old was riding of the breeding season. Mr Tannock said November to her bike outside her home, a property called Carrawarra, March was the danger time for crocodile attacks in the at Wee Waa, about 12pm when a brown snake bit her on area. The last fatal crocodile attack was in March 1987 the leg the toddler was taken to Wee Waa hospital where when young American tourist Ginger Meadows was taken a team of paramedics was flown in from Tamworth Hospital by a crocodile in the Prince Regent River. “We have lost by helicopter to treat her. The girl was later transferred to a couple of dogs to crocs this year, one in the Pentecost Tamworth Hospital where her condition was last night River and one in the Ord,” he said. “It’s important for described as stable. people to remember that it doesn’t matter how clear the water is in that area, you shouldn’t go swimming in it.” A bite from a brown snake results in severe headache within 15 minutes, blood clots after 20 minutes and the slow onset of paralyisis. Most patients receive the anti venom before the onset of paralysis sets in. Most deaths from the snake have been attributed to blood clots. The common brown snake is found on the eastern side of Australia from Cape York down to south east corner of South Australia.

38. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

STRAITS TIMES (Singapore) 03 March 01 HERP NEWS Record 51 Baby Boas Born To Snake (AFP):

A South American boa constrictor in Berlin’s zoo hit WORLDWIDE what was probably a birth record for snakes: 51 baby boas, the zoo said on Thursday. A boa normally Articles collected by Scott Eipper. produces only between 20 and 30 offspring.

THE RECORD (Hackensack, New Jersey) WESTERN DAILY PRESS (Bath, UK) 02 March 01 07 February 01 Fence safeguards turtles, no match for the turnpike Snakes alive . . . Monty’s stuck tight in a post box (Alex Nussbaum)

Monty the python has been in a few scrapes in his short The diamondback terrapins slept snugly Thursday, life but yesterday he found himself in a really tight spot. burrowed deep below the sandy soil around Kingsland Although he has got lost and survived weeks without food Creek in Lyndhurst. No doubt, the turtles were unaware and drink, a decision to wriggle through a hole in a toy of the semis and sport-utility vehicles thundering down postbox at his home in Brockworth, near Gloucester, the New Jersey Turnpike just a dozen feet away. And for forced the young pet snake to look death in the face. years, that was the problem.

As his two-and-a-half years of life flashed before his eyes Terrapins following a biological imperative to lay their eggs the wriggly reptile’s owners struggled to rescue him from were getting squashed by cars and trucks as they tried to his fate. Owner Joanne Chandler said: “My two-year-old cross the road. The tiny reptiles, already losing ground daughter Kristy was playing with her toy house and garden to hunters and crabbers, had a habit of becoming roadkill. and decided to get Monty out of his tank. “Somehow he But following the notion that good fences make good got stuck in the hole on the mail box and wedged himself neighbors, environmentalists proposed a deceptively in.” Ms Chandler, aged 21, tried for 20 minutes to free simple solution three years ago — a wooden snow fence her beloved pet reptile but only succeeded in making him to keep the turtles out of harm’s way. more distressed. “He was having none of it, “ she said. “So I called the fire brigade. I explained I had a strange On Thursday, conservationists gathered with turnpike request and they said they would deal with it.” Just as officials along the creek to declare the experiment a Monty was thinking his days were numbered, success. “Long before we came along, this is where they Gloucestershire’s finest came to save the day. laid their eggs,” said Hugh Carola of the Hackensack Riverkeeper, the group that took over permanent A team of four firefighters arrived at Mrs Chandler’s home management of the program yesterday. “The population on what they described as one of the most unusual would literally destroy itself, like lemmings going over the missions they have ever experienced. Leading firefighter cliff, because they don’t know better. So we’re going to Simon Robson was among those who rushed to Monty’s give them a helping hand.” Although not listed as aid. He said: “When we arrived we saw the snake half endangered, the jade-colored animal, the size of a pie way through a hole, which was about one inch in diameter, plate, still faces long odds overall. on a child’s postbox. “He was fairly well jammed in.” After pulling the toy apart, Mr Robson and his crew rubbed the Some diamondbacks are drowning after wandering into snake’s scaly skin with washing-up liquid and Monty crab traps; trappers also hunt them outright as the key started to relax. ingredient in turtle soup, said Roger Wood, a terrapin specialist at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in He was then pulled free and happily reunited with Mrs Pomona. While there is evidence that cleaner waters are Chandler’s daughters Kristy, one-year-old Rowan, and helping the species thrive in the salt marshes of the Kane, who is just nine weeks. Mrs Chandler, who was Meadowlands, terrapin numbers seem to be dropping all given Monty as a 20th birthday present, said: “He has along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, their chief habitat. escaped for four weeks before and then he turned up again in my bedroom. Wood estimated that road accidents kill 1,000 a year in

39. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

South Jersey alone. “Terrapins are a chief predator in Overhunting drove the species near extinction. The dish these salt marshes; they’re at the top of the food chain,” remains a Chinese delicacy, and Carola said traps again he said. “What happens to them is a reflection of how have been found in local creeks. The Meadowlands well we’re taking care of the environment around them.” waters are still polluted with enough bacteria and heavy metals to make it a risky meal for humans, he said. But Along the turnpike, at least, the reptiles have found some thanks to a good idea and some cheap fencing, the protectors. The help came almost accidentally. Robert commute for terrapins is a little safer. “Their brains aren’t Spiegel, director of the Edison Wetlands Association, that big. It’s in their genes to keep going where they’re noticed the unintentional slaughter four years ago as he going,” Carola said. “But we’re dedicated to the complete drove from work down the turnpike’s western spur, where restoration, the complete recovery, of the river, and that’s it crosses over Kingsland Creek. “It wasn’t uncommon to our goal here.” see 12 to 14 pregnant diamondback terrapins with eggs run over each day,” said Spiegel, who jumped out of his KNOXVILLE NEWS-SENTINEL (Tennessee) car a few times to try to save the diamondbacks. “We 03 March 01 took a couple and looked at them and saw they were full Solving the lizard mystery - of eggs.” On Jan. 30, three German men were detained at Grand The animals were simply following instinct, wading out of Cayman’s international airport while attempting to leave the waters each spring to lay eggs just above the high- for Berlin via Miami with a shipment of more than 1,000 water line. If the road was in the way, that was news to live lizards and assorted other plants and reptiles. them. The 4-pound turtles were no match for 3-ton SUVs and 18-wheel continent crossers. But environmentalists Catching the wildlife smugglers was one thing. Identifying knew that, unlike spawning salmon, terrapins didn’t have the contents of their luggage would prove to be another. to cross the road. Put something in the way, and they To get the job done as quickly as possible, the Cayman would find high ground elsewhere to lay their eggs. The Islands government flew down Sandy Echternacht, wayward reptiles had never come to the attention of the professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, officials said. But when University of Tennessee, who spent four days identifying Spiegel proposed a cheap solution, turnpike officials and documenting the extensive collection of animals in quickly agreed. time for them to be released alive.

The authority strung 560 feet of wooden snow fencing “The smugglers were surprisingly professional,” along the side of the road above Kingsland and Saw Mill Echternacht said. “The lizards were individually packed creeks, at a cost of about $1,000. Spiegel said it’s been in plastic boxes, given water, and kept cool. I expect that years since he’s found any terrapin roadkill. The the smugglers would have been able to get most of them Riverkeeper will now take over the monitoring of the back to Germany alive.” Officials in the Grand Cayman project, looking for holes in the fences and other marsh- Islands were aware of Echternacht’s expertise based on highway intersections where the barrier might help. research he and his graduate students have conducted Prevention hasn’t come as easily on barrier islands along on an invasive lizard species, the brown (or Cuban) anole, the New Jersey shore. Along those slim sandbars, space in the Cayman Islands. Echternacht said the smugglers’ is at an even greater premium, and vacation homes have collection included 930 endemic Grand Cayman anole encroached on the animal’s habitat, said Wood, the lizards, 140 curly-tailed lizards from the Bahamas and terrapin expert. Other species that need to simply cross 112 curly-tailed lizards from Grand Cayman. a road to reach the other side of a stream can follow underground tunnels — but not terrapins. Also seized were four ground boas, a federally and internationally protected species of snake endemic to the They simply crawl toward higher ground. The animal is Grand Caymans, as well as a small number of marine not protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. animals, terrestrial invertebrates and plants such as cacti New Jersey actually allows terrapin hunting in the winter, and ferns. although most turtles are safely hibernating then. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, terrapins were a coveted Echternacht said that while most of the plants and animals delicacy on high-society dinner tables. are fairly common in the Caribbean, they would have

40. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

fetched between $30,000 and $40,000 in Europe. The up choked arteries. The verdict: Integrilin slashed the three smugglers came under suspicion when one of them number of deaths and heart attacks by 40 per cent, overall was identified by a local resident who remembered the complications by 37 per cent, and the need for a second man as having raised the concern of local officials while operation by 40 per cent. collecting in the Grand Caymans in the mid 1990s. After a little investigating, the National Trust — a nonprofit, It worked so well that researchers stopped the study as quasi-governmental body charged with preserving the they felt that it was unethical to withhold the drug from islands’ environmental and historic resources — learned those patients who were not given it as part of the that the Germans were posing as academic researchers experiment so that doctors can measure its effectiveness and lacked both permission from local officials to collect, against those who had. All the patients had had balloon as well as valid export permits. In addition to the Cayman angioplasty, a common procedure to clear obstructed Islands, the three spent several weeks collecting in the arteries by inserting a small balloon and blowing it up. Bahamas. The snake-venom drug is given intravenously before, On Jan. 30, after weeks of constant surveillance by during and after the operation to stop blood clots that government and law enforcement officials, the three men can lead to heart attacks or complications. Prof Lim Yean checked in at the airport, where Customs officials seized Leng, director of the National Heart Centre, said that, in their bags. Echternacht said the smugglers had stuffed the past, patients undergoing angioplasty had 1 per cent their cloth suitcases with yellow boxes, each containing chance of dying. Their chances are now much better with 50 plastic boxes holding one lizard or snake. He said the drug. A course of Integrilin costs several hundred that when he arrived on Grand Cayman Island to identify dollars - depending on how much is needed. and document the catch, only three or four specimens had died. This is a third the price of other similar drugs. But it is still costly, so not all patients will get it. Said Dr Tan Huay “These things were pretty well cared for,” Echternacht Cheem, a consultant cardiologist at the National said. Echternacht said his primary job was to sort through University Hospital: ‘Patients who are at a lower risk need the lizards and determine which species belonged on the not use it.’ A main side-effect reported has been bleeding Caymans and which needed to go back to the Bahamas. at the site where the drug needle is inserted. But in Of particular concern, he said, were the collection’s more Singapore, Dr Tan said, none of the 28 patients that he than 900 blue anole lizards, a species that occurs in three gave the drug to had that problem. different color forms and is especially difficult to identify. Echternacht said that of the three men involved in the AFRICA.COM (Cape Town, S Africa) smuggling ring, one was a “fairly notorious collector,” while 03 March 01 another owned a pet store in Berlin. Crocodile books in at game ranch Kwazulu-Natal:

STRAITS TIMES (Singapore) Zululand gardener Solomon Ngoma could not believe his 03 March 01 eyes when he went to clean his employer’s pool one Snake-venom heart drug available here - morning this week and found a crocodile in it. Ngoma, who works at the Bonamanzi Game Lodge near Hluhluwe Doctors using Integrilin, made from rattlesnake venom, in KwaZulu-Natal, went to complain to his employer Piet report good results in heart-surgery cases (Sharmilpal Prinsloo. “How are we supposed to clean the swimming Kaur) It’s a snake venom, it can kill you - but it can also pool if it’s got a crocodile in it?” he asked. At first, Prinsloo save your life. And now it has made its way here. Called thought he was having him on. “But there it was, hiding at Integrilin, it is a cutting-edge drug used in heart surgery the bottom of the pool. It was a smallish croc, a little over that comes from the venom of a rattlesnake. a metre.

The anti-blood clotting medicine has been making waves It was obviously scared of us.” Prinsloo waited until the globally in the past few years. Several studies have croc was forced up to breathe, and then he lassoed it proven its efficiency, the latest involving 2,064 patients around the neck with a piece of rope. The croc put up a in the United States and Canada who had surgery to open

41. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

bit of a struggle, but Prinsloo tied his hanky round its to kill outright for harvesting, roundups do the opposite. snout, put it on the back of his bakkie and took it off to Rattlesnakes don’t get the luxury of a quick death at the one of the ranch dams. The following day a zebra caused hands of the Sweetwater Jaycees or other roundup an uproar at another game ranch, Bahati. The zebra was proponents. splashing about in the pool, got out under its own steam and cantered off. The snakes are paraded all over the place, made sport of, and are also deprived of food, water and space for ABILENE REPORTER-NEWS (Texas) several months. Decapitation is inhumane for 04 March 01 rattlesnakes. The brain activity still continues for about Letter: Rattlesnake roundups raise serious moral an hour after the head has been severed. Lee Fitzgerald issues at Texas A&M and Charlie Painter of the New Mexico (Dale Burton) Game and Fish Department have called out for the stopping of the level of cruelty meted out against the One has to wonder about the cruel, barbaric and rattlesnake at roundups. incomprehensible way rattlesnakes are treated at roundups like the one being held in Sweetwater this Making fun of wildlife and mistreating live animals do not weekend. The rattlesnakes are teased, prodded, poked, fit into a wildlife conservation model any more than does kicked, gassed, sacked, crammed, stretched, thrown, unregulated commercialization. I totally agree with them. slammed, milked and then beheaded. So what’s it going to be, TPWD? How about it, Sweetwater? The kind of people it takes to do this to any This is wildlife management and education at work in type of wildlife is beyond reasoning. Where else can a Sweetwater and other roundups with the approval of person watch a rattlesnake be reduced to a freak show Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Attitudes, tradition attraction before it’s brought to a grisly death and turned and culture towards rattlesnakes are a moot point for into an overpriced cheap trinket and a bony meal? TPWD. Animal rights groups and humane societies have tried to reason with roundup organizers. Small children Wildlife is not a pick-and-choose option for sadistic and adults get a dose of overkill and become desensitized entertainment. I’m tired of the lies, misinformation, to the brutality placed on wildlife at roundups. butchery, illegal activities such as gassing, and the ruthlessness of these Roman circuses held in America. It They figure that it’s all right to do this to wildlife, and both is no more than a cancerous blight on our wildlife heritage young and old get a twisted view. This is so wrong. John that must be eliminated. Herron of TPWD stated that their authority to regulate based on humane treatment is limited - not that it doesn’t You can’t blame the messenger because of the message. matter. There isn’t mention of humane treatment or animal These actions have no redeeming value for the future of welfare in the law. wildlife. How about some wisdom and common sense out there for proper wildlife management? The Western TPWD officials must use established rules and Diamondback Rattlesnake deserves it, and roundup regulations. Animal welfare isn’t one of the yardsticks organizers owe it to all of us. Dale Burton of Glendale, allowed for use under Parks and Wildlife code. I am left Ariz., is director of the Rattlesnake Awareness Programs to wonder if the heart, soul and conscience of the TPWD of Arizona. and the organizers of the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup are seared over to the outright blood-lust venture that is the rattlesnake roundup? It’s time to throw that type of logic out the window because it is morally reprehensible.

There is a very serious moral distinction between rattlesnake roundups and hunting. While hunters shoot

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eHERPER by Daavid Turnbull

[email protected] Daavid Turnbull visitor to the site. The level of a sites sophistication does Mobile: 0403 - 502 - 867 not necessarily have any correlation with the quality of the information it contains. Some of the best sites I have visited are those put together by individuals in their spare time with minimal computing knowledge or skill. I have INTRODUCTION TO THE INTERNET also encountered big budget sites which are shockers!

I am the eherper. In each edition of Monitor I will be The VHS, like many other herp societies has a web site presenting a guide to and review of Internet resources located at http://www.vhs.com.au This site is available to herps. In my initial column I am giving an continuously being refined and updated. By visiting this overview of the types of resources available and how to web site you can find out the details of meetings and find them. In future columns I will be looking closely at other events, view pictures and other information supplied specific resources. by VHS members, update your membership etc. Some other, but not all, Australian Herp Society sites I have What does the Internet offer to herps? visited are:

The Internet is about information and it works at its very The Monaro Amphibian and Reptile Keepers (ACT): best in a field like herpetology. On the Internet it makes http://www.sambar.com.au/mark, little difference if you are dealing with somebody on the other side of your desk or the other side of the world. The Herpetological Society of Queensland: http://www.geocities.com/herp_society_qld_inc, Herps come from all walks of life and all corners of the planet and the Internet allows them to communicate freely. Western Australian Society of Amateur Herpetologists: If, for example, your passion is Red Eyed Tree Frogs your http://aerg.canberra.edu.au/pub/aerg/herps/ neighbour or the guy on the other side of your desk is socwasah.htm and unlikely to share your passion. If you are lucky you may find one or two others with similar interests at your local The Victorian Frog group: http://www.frogs.org.au/ to frog group or herp society. On the Internet, however, there name but a few. (Note that all these sites are available is a fair chance that you will find many who are just as as links from the VHS web site.) passionate about Red Eyed Tree Frogs as you. You may never get to meet them in person but you can share Mailing Lists information, skills and knowledge with them. Mailing lists generally need to be subscribed to. Email If you do not have a computer and direct access to the sent to the list address is sent to everyone on the list or Internet you can visit your local library where, in most stored on a web site for list subscribers to view. One big cases, computers with Internet access are available for advantage mailing lists have is that you can ask questions public use. Failing this approach Internet kiosks and cafes and if you are lucky one or more people on the list will are popping up all over in places like shopping centers respond with the answer or tell you where you can find it. and airports. Many of Australia’s most renowned herpetologists subscribe to lists and the collective knowledge they offer Web sites is exceptional. Yahoo Groups manage most of the mailing lists, which pertain to Australian Herps. You can find these Web sites come in all shapes and sizes. It is relatively at http://groups.yahoo.com The ones I subscribe to are easy for anybody with access to a computer and access ‘australianherps’, ‘ozherp’ and ‘pythonsofoz’. There is one to the Internet to put together a web page. At the other other list I subscribe to with a more international flavour end of the spectrum there are huge commercial sites called ‘slither’. Information about slither can be found at which dynamically organise information for each individual http://www.slither.com.uk/intro.htm

43. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

There is one problem with mailing lists and that is that A few words of warning the amount of email you can end up receiving can be quite large and much of this email may be of little interest Don’t believe everything your read on the Internet. The to you. information is only as good as the person who put it there and much of the time you will have no information on Search Engines their credentials.

The Internet is a very large and expansive repository of Be careful with attachments to email even if they come all sorts of information. Search engines can help you find from somebody you know as they may contain computer information you want quickly particularly if you pick the viruses and these can waste a lot of time and lose your right words to search on. Scientific names are a great valuable data. A little vigilance goes a long way. help as they will often lead you directly to valuable information. For example I plugged “Green Tree Frog” About me. into a search and in addition to some useful sites about frogs I also found sites about the muppets, breast cancer, My name is Daavid Turnbull. I have been using the jazz bands etc. When I plugged in “Litoria caerulea” I just Internet as a basic tool of trade for nearly 20 years. (Yes got a list of sites that referenced Green Tree Frogs (310 the Internet has been around that long.) I think I have of them in fact.) Search engine web sites include http:// always been a herper but only got serious about au.yahoo.com/, http://www.google.com/ and http:// herpetology about 7 years ago. www.go.com/

EXOTIC REPTILE and MUST BOOK YOUR PLACE AMPHIBIAN BEFORE JULY, 1st, 2001 CONFERENCE $60 per person [email protected]

Novotel Barossa Valley resort Rowland Flat (near Tanunda) in the Barossa Valley South Australia Contact only through Email Further details including accommodation available at http://dove.mtx.net.au/~venomsup/ [email protected] exoticconference.html

Australia's record of keeping itself free from trols are not working? Should they be stream- invasion by exotic animals is not good. We lined to follow the same course as with ex- currently have a vast array of exotic pests, some otic birds with a more open, available and ef- of which have had major impacts on our native fectively regulated system? Or, should the species, agriculture, and amenity and some of controls be tightened and the penalties in- these exotic species have the potential to in- creased? This conference has been organised troduce disease and present health risks. Colo- to examine the size of the problem, look at nisation of exotic reptiles and amphibians in the risks and impacts and make recommen- Australia has been minimal. One amphibian dations on ways in which the laws/regulations species, the Cane Toad - Bufo marinus, has had and administrative processes can be im- a devastating effect on wildlife. There is emerg- proved to minimise these risks and encour- ing evidence that the illegal trade and keeping age compliance. The conference is open to of exotic reptiles is increasing. What risks does anyone to attend. A workshop is planned at this present? Does this mean the existing con- the end to gain consensus on future direc- tions.

44. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

HERP HEALTH

ALL PETS VETERINARY Brendan Carmel B.VSc, MVS (wildlife), MRCVS PO Box 1052, Research, Victoria, 3095, Ph: 9844-0781 Mobile : 0417-358991 E-mail: [email protected]

Infectious Stomatitis in Reptiles

The term ‘infectious stomatitis’ refers to an infection of fight off disease. This is why it is important to raise the the oral cavity or related structures. It is often referred to temperature of a reptile’s enclosure when it become ill. as mouth rot or canker. Infectious stomatitis usually results Most pythons, for example, require an enclosure with a in a build up of caseous (cheese-like) necrotic material ‘hot spot’ where the temperature is well over 30 degrees in the mouth. This condition is often accompanied by Celsius. It is important to maintain a ‘temperature gradient’ gingivitis (gum inflammation), loss of teeth (if present) in your enclosure. This allows the reptile to select from a and small pinpoint haemorrhages (petecchia) on the range of temperatures - the reptile selects the required gums. Swelling of the soft tissues of the mouth is temperature to maintain it’s preferred body temperature. frequently present, as can be anorexia (loss of appetite). As a general guide for the most commonly kept pythons Infectious stomatitis is seen most often in snakes but is aim for a ‘hot spot’ of around 33-35C, with the lowest also common in Bearded Dragons and has been seen in temperature of around 20C at the other end of the all reptile classes. If left untreated stomatitis can have enclosure. devastating consequences. The mouth disease can progress to problems such as respiratory infections, Other environmental conditions that may result in septicaemia & death. stomatitis are excess moisture levels (humidity), poor choice of substrate or inadequate hygiene & cleaning Infectious stomatitis is usually secondary to one or more practices. Remove uneaten food & faeces from your primary causes. That is, some other problem results in enclosure as soon as possible to decrease contamination debilitation of the reptile, which then develops an infection of the enclosure by opportunistic bacteria. Thoroughly of the oral cavity. This is a very important point since if clean out each enclosure with a dilute bleach regularly. the primary problems can be prevented infectious Remember to rinse out the enclosure with warm or hot stomatitis will not occur even though the organisms water after disinfection before you replace the reptile – a implicated in stomatitis are present in the reptile’s useful guide is to ensure there is no residual smell of the environment. disinfection present in the enclosure. This avoids any chance of toxicity from residual disinfectant. Stress is present in a large number of reptiles with infectious stomatitis. The stress results in depression of The diet fed to your reptiles can influence the incidence the immune system and a reduced ability to respond to ill of mouth problems in your collection. Lizards fed only on health or fight off infections. Many reptiles in a poorly a soft diet may develop gum & teeth disease from maintained environment will be stressed. Many cases of accumulation of food between teeth & gums. This is stomatitis that I see are a result of an inadequate particularly so for reptiles such as Bearded Dragons. Offer enclosure temperature. Being ectotherms, reptiles hard food to these reptiles to allow chewing to prevent regulate their body temperature by depending on the teeth & gum disease. Reptiles fed on a diet low in calcium environmental temperature. It has been found that or vitamin D3 may develop clinical or subclinical metabolic increasing a reptile’s body temperature will result in better bone disease - soft bones & teeth abnormalities. This immune system function and thus ability to prevent or

45. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

can result in abnormal formation of the teeth and jaw with avoid causing abrasions to the soft tissues of the mouth exposure of the gingiva, or gums, to infection and resultant during the recovery period. Raise the enclosure stomatitis. Since snakes are usually fed a whole animal temperature as discussed previously. Multivitamin an inadequate diet is rarely a factor of infectious stomatitis. supplements are often helpful during recovery. Any other factor that increases stress may result in a secondary infectious stomatitis. Signs of infectious Prevention is the best approach. Make dental hygiene a stomatitis are variable but usually start with mild gum routine part of your husbandry procedures. By this I don’t swelling. This can rapidly progress to anorexia, bleeding mean brush your reptile’s teeth! Open the mouth of all of the gums and development of cheesy white or yellow your reptiles every fortnight or so to inspect the mouth, debris in the mouth. If left untreated, the condition may paying particular attention to the teeth, gums & colour of progress to septicaemia and death. the membranes. Provide optimal conditions for your reptiles to avoid stress: concentrate on factors such as Treatment of stomatitis needs to be aggressive & thorough adequate enclosure size, temperature, humidity, and if there is to be any chance of success. Once you suspect correct diet. stomatitis is present in your collection isolate any affected animals. Since the condition can progress rapidly I Key Points: suggest you consult with your vet as soon as possible. Many cases require treatment with antibiotics. The ü Infectious stomatitis is usually secondary to some antibiotic(s) used should ideally be based on culture & other cause sensitivity results from a swab taken from the mouth. Topical treatment is also likely to be prescribed. Ensure ü Common primary causes include stress, poor you clean the mouth of the affected reptile at least daily, husbandry or nutrition paying particular attention to remove any caseous (cheesy) debris from the mouth and also gently remove ü Raising the enclosure temperature is important in any loose teeth. Dilute (1:20-1:50) chlorhexidine solution the treatment of any sick reptile is a very effective topical product to use. Chlorhexidine mouth gels are now available. Severe infections require ü Early veterinary intervention is advised a general anaesthetic together with surgical debridement. I recommend not feeding the affected reptile for at least 1-2 weeks after the condition has resolved completely to ü Aim to prevent infectious stomatitis

Pre treatment: Iguana with severe infectious Post treatment: Note the caseous stomatitis undergoing surgical treatment. The material has been surgically removed highlighted area shows caseous (cheesy) with fresh healthy gum tissue ex- debris in the jaw. Photo: Brendan Carmel posed. Photo: Brendan Carmel.

46. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

HERP TIPS by Tigger

Tubing Snakes

Snakes commonly elapids and large or aggressive A recent field trip to Flinders Island (see article in this pythons can often be difficult to handle for treatment, issue) involved handling large elapids and the safety of force-feeding or injections. the researchers was essential. The tube was used to restrain snakes for blood collection and tick removal. Restraint of snakes by holding their head also places the However one Lowland Copperhead (Austrelaps keeper at risk of bites both venomous and harmless. The superbus) snake refused to enter the tube and was restraint of a snake’s head also will involve pinning the restrained by the head and induced into the tube. snakes this is stressful and potentially a further cause of injury. Tubing has proven to be a useful tool in snake husbandry and no doubt other uses will become apparent. I have Pinning also makes the snake believe handling is yet to try using this tool during snake control but I am threatening and defensive behaviour is used. Additionally sure it may come in handy in confined spaces e.g. Snakes snakes can be injured themselves by biting when held by behind walls and fridges etc. Snakes, I think will react the head, which places them at further risk of mouth less with tubing than physical restraint, especially with infections. snakes already in learned defensive behaviour from past bad experiences. I was interested in a collection of see through tubing that came in several diameter sizes. I first used this to treat Tubes can be made up from offfcuts of plastic tubing or two Lowland Copperheads (Austrelaps superbus) in my see through hosing(Try your local hardware store), or collection. The snake was convinced to enter the tube by they are available through The Herp Shop, for around placing the tube in front of the head. The snake will go in $70. the tube about 5cm before they stop. The snake is grasped mid body safely with the head fixed in the tube, with no recourse to turn inside the tube (If the correct tube size is used).

This was followed by an Eastern Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) that was sloughing poorly, he again was convinced easily to enter the tube. Then the old retained skin when soaked was removed easily.

Tubing gives the keeper the safe option to work with the snake with minimal stress and prevent injury. It also makes blood collection or an injection of antibiotics easier. Snakes that are problem feeders can be fed inside the tubes by placing food at one end and the snake introduced into the tube and slowly worked up to the prey item. Lowland Copperhead (Austrelaps superbus) re- The main concern is estimating the correct tube to use, strained in a tube for safe handling. this will become easier with experience. When work is needed near the head of the snake extreme caution is needed to prevent the head from quickly withdrawing from the tube, alternatively restraint of the head may be desirable, this can be achieved by grasping the head from the tube but again care is needed.

47. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

HERP BOOK REVIEW

MIKE SWAN HERP BOOKS 15 George St, Lilydale, Victoria, 3140 Ph / Fax: 9739-5690 Email: [email protected]

02 April 2001

BOOK REVIEW by Mike Swan The co-author, Steve Wilson, approached me with a Vincent, M and Wilson, S. 1999 similar idea and we decided to join forces.

AUSTRALIAN GOANNAS What does the book cover? New Holland Publishers, Sydney Australia Australian Goannas gives you a simplistic view of the 152 pp. ISBN 186436548-X evolution of goannas, what makes them so unique and the major habitats they occupy. It gives general R.R.P. $32.95 information about what is going on overseas and the conservation of varanid lizards in general. This edition’s book review is in the form of an interview with co-author Matt Vincent It provides detailed, yet simplistic, information about how to house, feed, raise, sex and breed all species of Australian goannas, as well providing information on How did you come to be interested in publishing a transportation and common problems encountered. book on goannas? There are 26 individual species accounts that give greater insight into the natural history and captive management I have been one of the Australasian Taxon Advisory Group of each species and colour photographs for identification. (TAG) co-ordinators for Australian goannas since 1994. Since that time I have travelled extensively looking at both Why did you focus only on Australian goannas? zoo and private reptile collections throughout the world. At the time of writing there were several books being I was astonished to find that so much of what is known published on the entire genus and therefore we decided about Australian monitors was in the minds of people in not to compete. We are also more interested in Australian other countries. I was determined to bring that information lizards and information was easier to obtain home to Australia and increase the rate of successful through our existing network of contacts. We were also breeding in this country.

48. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

aware that there were many species about to be described Do you plan to write any other books in the future? from Indonesia and realised that the book would rapidly go out of date if we included the world Yes, I am working on a comprehensive guide on the natural history, keeping and breeding of Ridge-tail Do you think Australian Goannas has changed the Monitors with colleagues in Australia and the US. way people keep and breed monitors in Australia? I am also interested in writing a book about the future direction of zoos in Australia, but this is a longer-term When I began working with monitors there were very project and may take years. few accounts of captive breeding in this country. In the last few years people have been breeding monitors on a regular basis and many species are now readily Do you have any new insights into keeping or available as a result. I would like to think that Steve breeding monitors that are not in the book? and I contributed to that success. Yes. One of the things that has made life much easier is Are you and Steve still working with monitors now? a minced turkey diet developed by the Centre for Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES) at San I am still a co-ordinator for the TAG and continue to work Diego Zoo. This is readily accepted by most, if not all, with several more common species at Melbourne Zoo, species of monitor. I have had several species take to although I would certainly like to obtain and breed a few this diet within 24 hrs of hatching and growth rate is of the rarer species. dramatically improved.

I would also like to describe one or more of the Australian Goannas describes 26 species of monitor undescribed species that I have been made aware of. in detail, supported by 65 full-colour photographs. In Privately I keep and breed only a small collection of addition, the first part of the book provides monitors. Steve works professionally with birds and has information on the care of goannas – including little time to play with monitors, we still communicate practical details on breeding, keeping and feeding regularly . goannas – making it an essential reference for all goanna enthusiasts. What are your major herpetological priorities at the moment? Matt Vincent is a professional herpetologist, currently working at the Melbourne Zoo, with a special interest in I am very involved in Asian tortoise and freshwater turtle the regional management of Australia’s goannas. conservation and have recently been in South China and Vietnam looking at ways the Australasian region can Steve Wilson has a bachelor of Applied Science in wildlife assist. ecology, and has spent fifteen years with Melbourne Zoo.

I was appointed to the Chelonian Captive Survival Alliance (CCSA) committee in Texas earlier this year. The urgent nature of this crisis in Asia has my full attention.

49. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

.Monitor - Journal of the Victorian Editor Herpetological Society Inc. Simon Watharow Po Box 1016, Research, 3095, Victoria Guidelines For Contributor Email: [email protected] Ph. 03 - 9437-1779

Monitor welcomes articles on all aspects of herpetology. Locations: Lat. Long. should be given for all locations Help is always available for beginners and interested cited in articles. For articles talking about a given authors who need assistance. geographical area (e.g results of a field trip), authors Contact the editor (see above) for advice or further should consider submitting one or more maps. information. A complete listing of monitor guidelines will Headings: Articles do not need to conform to a set be available at www.vhs.com.au. number or style of headings, (such as introduction, Refer to a current copy of the Monitor journal for examples material and methods and so on). However it is asked of articles especially ones similar to what you intend to that longer articles (1,000 words or more) have the text write. broken into subsections by use of headings. Citations: These guidelines are of utmost importance to Articles (including captions for illustrations, etc.) all contributors. References are to be cited in the text in should be submitted in typed form (two hard copies) the usual manner, (author and year), with full citation in as well as on IBM compatible computer disk (see alphabetical order at the rear of the article, (refer to recent below). We can also accept material via e-mail, issue of Monitor for details (must be later than 9 (2)). however contributors should enquire first with the Books and publications cited, should always have the editor, before sending articles in this manner. The number of pages given in the final citation. editor can be contacted at . Personal Communications should be cited as name Authors should always retain copies of their articles then date in the text of the article only, not at the end. on disk and hard-copy. e .g. (Henty pers comm). Examples of citations: Disk Formats Accepted: Our preferred format is for documents submitted as Microsoft Word documents. (in text) Illustrations: Photos, diagrams can be submitted in ....(Storr 1981)....(Hudson 1979, Storr 1981).....Cogger almost any form, slide, print, B/W photo, etc. For all photos (1992)... and illustrations we seek the following caption information:- (at end of paper) Cogger, H. G. (1992) Reptiles and Amphibians of Details of photo, etc. (caption), Australia, Ed. 5. Reed, Chatswood, NSW. 775 pp. Photographer/producer (name). Hudson, P. (1979) On the breeding and birth of Death Names and Scientific Names: Scientific names should adders in captivity. Herpetofauna, 11(1):11-13. always be in italics. All species when first cited, should Storr, G. M. (1981) The genus Acanthophis (Serpentes: be first listed with their common name (normal type), then Elapidae), Records of the Western Australian Museum, scientific name in the first instance. Following this, one 9 (2): 203-210. or other may be used. Scientific names used should be followed as in Cogger (2000). e.g. Green and Golden Acknowledgements:. This section, when included Bell Frog Litoria aurea. Repeat scientific names may be should state what given persons have done or how they abbreviated e .g. Litoria aurea becomes L. aurea. assisted. Descriptive name (When there is no common name) Author details: With all material submitted, authors are before the scientific name should be used. (e.g. small asked to ensure that the following information be provided skink (Calyptotis ruficauda). immediately following the title header of the article: Name, We seek initial or continued use of a common or colloquial address for correspondence, and e-mail address. If any name so as not to alienate novice readers and allow them are unavailable, then please leave blank. to more easily understand the content of articles. Author Summary: At the end of all articles, papers, etc., Choice of names: For a given species it is asked that the author is asked to write two short sentences detailing the most commonly used “common name” be used in their past in relation to herpetology or the subject of the preference to all other. Likewise for scientific names article unless the article itself is of taxonomic nature and Refereeing: All papers will be refereed. The process proposing or supporting changes. should not be seen as a deterrent for prospective authors, but rather as an aid to getting material published (even if for the first time), by having competent reviewers tidy up what may otherwise be messy articles or for others to be seen as fine tuning an already competent paper.

50. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

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51. MONITOR - Journal of The Victorian Herpetological Society 11 (2) March,2001

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