SWCHR BULLETINVolume 3, Issue 1 Spring 2013

Conservation - Preservation - Education - Public InformationResearch - Field Studies - Captive Propagation

ISSN 2330-6025

OFFICERS 2013-2014

PRESIDENTToby Brock

VICE PRESIDENTGerry Salmon

INTERIM SECRETARYGerald Keown

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORGerald Keown

BOARD MEMBERSJohn Lassiter

Orion McElroyD. Craig McIntyre

BULLETIN EDITORChris McMartin

ABOUT SWCHROriginally founded by Gerald Keown in 2007, SWCHR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit association, governed by a board of directors and dedicated to promoting education of the Association’s members and the general public relating to the natural history, biology, tax-onomy, conservation and preservation needs, field studies, and captive propagation of the herpetofauna indigenous to the Ameri-can Southwest.

THE SWCHR LOGO

There are several versions of the SWCHR logo, all featuring the Gray-Banded Kingsnake (Lampropeltis alterna), a widely-recognized reptile native to the Trans-Pecos region of Texas as well as adjacent Mexico and New Mexico.

ON THE COVER: Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake, Crotalus molossus molossus, Pima County, AZ (Orry Martin). This photograph was voted the winner of the 2012 SWCHR Award for Excellence in Herpetological Photography.

BACKGROUND IMAGE: Elephant Tusk, Big Bend National Park, TX (Chris McMartin)

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

COMMITTEE ON COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMESTom Lott

RANGE MAP COMMITTEETom Lott

AWARDS AND GRANTS COMMITTEE(vacant)

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITEEGerald Keown

ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS COMMITTEEToby Brock

NOMINATIONS COMMITTEEGerald Keown

EDUCATION COMMITTEE(vacant)

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEEToby Brock

CONSERVATION COMMITTEE(vacant)

JOINING SWCHR

For information on becoming a member please visit the member-ship page of the SWCHR web site at

http://www.southwesternherp.com/join.html.

©2013 Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research. The SWCHR Bul-letin may not be reproduced in whole or in part on any web site or in any other publication without the prior explicit written consent of the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research and of the respective author(s) and photographer(s).

The SWCHR BULLETIN is published quarterly by the SOUTHWESTERN CENTER FOR HERPETOLOGICAL RESEARCH

PO Box 624, Seguin TX 78156www.southwesternherp.com

email: admin@swchr.org

ISSN 2330-6025

SWCHR Bulletin Spring 20131

A CALL FOR PAPERS

Are you a field herpetologist or a herpetoculturist working with species native to the American Southwest? Do you have a paper or an article you have written for which you would like to find a permanent repository? Want to be assured you will always be able to share it with the world? Submit it to the SWCHR Bulletin for possible publication. Submitted manuscripts from SWCHR members, as well as non-members, will be considered.

To be accepted for publication, submissions must deal with herpetological species native to the American Southwest. Such topics as field notes, county checklists, range extensions, taxonomy, reproduction and breeding, diseases, snake bite and venom research, captive breeding and maintenance, conservation issues, legal issues, etc. are all acceptable. For assistance with formatting manuscripts, search ‘scientific journal article format’ on the internet and tailor the resultant guidance to suit.

Previously published articles or papers are acceptable, provided you still hold the copyright to the work and have the right to re-publish it. If we accept your paper or article for publication, you will still continue to be the copyright holder. If your submission has been previously published, please provide the name of the publication in which it appeared along with the date of publication. All submissions should be manually proofed in addition to being spell checked and should be submitted by email as either Microsoft Word or text documents.

Send submissions to swchrbulletin@swchr.org.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A Message from the President, Toby Brock

A Continuing Discussion on the Breeding of Senticolis triaspis intermedia(Serpentes: Colubridae) in Captivity, Toby Brock

Naturalistic Southwestern Vivaria, Ben Stupavsky

Aberrant Snakes—Some Unusual Field Findings, D. Craig McIntyre

Book Review: Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas, With Keys, Taxonomic Synopses, Bibliography, and Distribution Maps (Third Edition, Revised and Updated), Tom Lott

The Life and Times of Hans F. Koenig, Orion McElroy and Gerald Keown

2012 Award for Excellence in Herpetological Photography Presented to Orry Martin, Gerald Keown

2

3

5

7

9

11

14

SWCHR Bulletin Spring 20132

A Message from the President

We have had some recent major changes in the SWCHR Board of Directors to report in this first issue of the third volume of the SWCHR Bulletin, due to the recent untimely death of Board Member at Large Hans F. Koenig, and the recent resignation of Tom Lott as President and Sara Lott as Secretary. In a special board meeting, I was appointed President to serve out the remainder of Tom’s unexpired term; Gerry Salmon was appointed as Vice President to serve the remainder of my term; Orion McElroy was appointed to serve the remainder of Hans’ term as Board Member at Large; John Lassiter was appointed to serve the remainder of Gerry’s term as Board Member at Large; and Gerald Keown was appointed as Interim Secretary in addition to his duties as our Executive Director.

In this issue, I have continued to write about my experiences, struggles, theories and conjecture on breeding the Northern Green Rat Snake (Senticolis triaspis intermedia) in captivity. SWCHR member Ben Stupavsky shares his insights on creating naturalistic vivaria for Southwestern snake species. Board Member at Large D. Craig McIntyre has put together a photo essay along with commentary on some of the unusual aberrancies he has found in wild snakes of the Southwest. Tom Lott critiques the newest edition of Amphibians & Reptiles of Texas. Executive Director Gerald Keown and Board Member at Large Orion McElroy have written a nice article remembering their good friend Hans F. Koenig, who passed away from a fatal heart attack on January 18, 2013. Hans was truly one of the good guys in the herping community and he will be missed. Orry Martin received the 2012 Award for Excellence in Herpetological Photography, and was presented with the award by Vice President Gerry Salmon at the March ETHS meeting in Houston, Texas.

I believe we have a very bright future here at SWCHR with the new lineup of the Board of Directors and I am looking forward to working with all of them. We have a couple public events already scheduled for 2013, during Snake Days 2013 in Sanderson, Texas. We have an informal Meet and Greet which is happening on Friday, June 7th at the Desert Air Motel, from 10:30 am - 3:00 pm. There will be barbecue and drinks and lots of herping stories, so everyone be sure to come out and meet the Board of Directors and have some ‘cue. Also, SWCHR is hosting, judging and providing the prizes for the Snake Days Photo Contest with the winner being announced during the Snake Days banquet dinner on Saturday evening. The rules and other details of the contest will be posted on the SWCHR website and the Snake Days website.

Hopefully 2013 will bring an end to this terrible drought we have been suffering through for the last couple years—much of the Southwest is still under drought conditions, varying from abnormally dry to exceptional. Though these conditions persist, several herpers have reported seeing a good number of herps out and about so far this year. Even in south Texas, much of which is still under exceptional drought conditions, we have seen some nice species—so let’s all hope for rain and a great year of herping!

See y’all on the rock cuts!

Photo by Pearl Brock

SWCHR Bulletin Spring 20133

of January through the end of February. Brumation consisted of keeping the snakes in plastic tubs in racks, in a darkened room with the heat turned off and a window unit air conditioner turned to the coldest setting, in order to attempt to keep the room cooled into the 60s Fahrenheit during warm south Texas weather. The heat tape was left on throughout brumation per articles by Cranston (1990 and 2012).

The Pajarito Mountains locale adults were brumated during the winter of 2011/2012 by their former owner, Oscar Salaiz. They were kept in the 60s Fahrenheit, with drops to at least 63 degrees, from December 13, 2011 to February 21, 2012. They were cooled constantly without warming or feeding, and were provided with a warm spot in the 70s Fahrenheit. The pair was also kept together throughout brumation.

Santa Rita Mountains Senticolis triaspis intermedia pair mating. Photo by Toby Brock.

Breeding

At the end of brumation, the Santa Rita Mountains adults were warmed up to ambient active season temperatures, in the 70s Fahrenheit, with a warm spot in the low- to mid-80s Fahrenheit. After several days of warm temperatures, they were fed small meals – and a breakthrough was made with the pair in that they both began accepting frozen/thawed mice, having only accepted live, stunned or freshly killed mice previously. In my opinion, this helped to some degree with the development of the resultant offspring, as I was able to give them much more food than in previous years. I also occasionally lightly dusted the female’s food with a calcium and vitamin D3 powder, which I also believe may have affected some change in the condition of the offspring. I began using this dietary supplementation due to the possibility that the female may have been suffering from vitamin and mineral deficiencies during past years’ breeding seasons, which may have manifested in the offspring as deformities in the form of tail kinks and shorter-than-normal tails. For more details on these issues plus other theories and conjecture, please see my previous Bulletin articles (Brock, 2011 and 2012).

Mating was observed between both adult pairs, and both females became gravid and both laid two clutches of eggs each. Most of these eggs appeared fertile at laying, but not all went on to hatch.

A Continuing Discussion on the Breeding of Senticolis triaspis intermedia (Serpentes:

Colubridae) in Captivity

by Toby Brock

This article is a further discussion of my ongoing study of the captive breeding of the Northern Green Rat Snake (Senticolis triaspis intermedia). It will detail the breeding of adult snakes in my collection, the incubation of the eggs, and the condition of the resultant offspring from the 2012 breeding season – and will also combine and compare these results with those from previous years, discussed in my previous articles which appeared in the SWCHR Bulletin in 2011 and 2012.

Prebreeding Conditioning

There is ample literature available on the general captive husbandry necessary for keeping the Northern Green Rat Snake, so I will not discuss it in detail here except those factors which may influence captive breeding, incubation, and the condition of offspring. For detailed information on the keeping of the Northern Green Rat Snake in captivity see Cranston, 1989, 1990 and 2012; Merker, 1999; Schulz, 1996; and Rhoads, 2008.

My study of breeding this subspecies now concerns results from breeding two adult wild collected pairs – my original adults from the Santa Rita Mountains in southern Arizona, and a pair of adults collected in the Pajarito Mountains, which are also located in southern Arizona. The first pair was gifted to me by Diego Ortiz in January 2009; the second adult pair was gifted to me by Oscar Salaiz in April 2012. Both adult pairs continue to thrive in captivity as of this writing in March 2013.

Female Senticolis triaspis intermedia from the Pajarito Mountains, Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Photo by Toby Brock.

The Santa Rita Mountains adults were brumated during the winter of 2011/2012 in a manner similar to that provided in the winter of 2010/2011. Brumation was constant, and ran from the beginning

SWCHR Bulletin Spring 20134

Some slight deformities were again seen in the 2012 clutches, as well as eggs dying or going bad during incubation. Due to these issues, I continue to believe that this is not an “easy” subspecies to propagate in captivity.

Incubation

I incubated all four 2012 clutches in almost the same manner in which I incubated my first clutch of S. t. intermedia eggs, in the summer of 2010 (Brock, 2011) – which is my clutch with the best results so far, with 100% perfectly formed offspring. I kept the eggs in unventilated plastic tubs inside larger tubs in a snake rack with mild back heat from heat tape on the outside of the back of the rack, and opened the tubs weekly for air exchange. The eggs sat exposed on top of fluorescent light diffuser, which sat on top of wet perlite. This ensured high humidity while keeping the eggs from being in contact with a wet medium. Temperatures ranged from the mid-70s to about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Salaiz used a similar method for incubating the eggs of the three clutches that the Pajarito adults produced in his care, in 2009, 2010 and 2011. He kept the eggs on top of nylon wire mesh over moist perlite, and incubated them inside a Hovabator brand incubator at temperatures ranging between 75 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Deformities/Anomalies

Santa Rita Mountains locale (adult pair # 1) clutch and offspring data.

Date clutch was laid

Number of eggs in

clutch

Number hatched

Incubation period

Deformities or

Anomalies

6/20/2010 5 4 88-92 days None

9/28/2010 5 3 93-94 days

2 with short tails, 1 with a kinked and short tail

6/17/2011 5 4 80-83 days 3 with kinked tails

9/16/2011 4 3 87-88 days

1 with a kinked tail, 1 with a short tail, 1 dead in egg

7/04/2012 6 5 93-97 days2 with very slightly kinked tails

9/30/2012 4 1 102 days1 with a very slightly kinked tail

Pajarito Mountains locale (adult pair # 2) clutch and offspring data.

Date clutch was laid

Number of eggs in

clutch

Number hatched

Incubation period

Deformi-ties or

Anomalies

6/26/2009 5 2 75 days

1 with a kinked tail, 1 with a spinal/body kink

6/10/2010 5 4 77 days 2 undersized non-feeders

6/14/2011 8 5 77 days 2 with kinked tails

7/06/2012 7 7 87-88 days

1 with slightly kinked tail, 1 undersized non-feeder

9/09/2012 4 3 90-94 days NoneData on 2009, 2010 and 2011 clutches provided by Oscar Salaiz.

One anomaly I will mention here because it is not discussed in my other articles is the occurrence of very small, underweight offspring which we have seen in the Pajarito locale clutches. These have been visibly well formed, but have refused food until they starved. I have attempted to keep two of these “runts” alive – one which was given to me by Salaiz, and one which hatched from my first 2012 clutch. Some of the tricks which are used for getting other species’ stubborn babies to eat (scenting pinkie mice with various things, brained pinkie mice, tease feeding, and other methods) have not worked with these, and I have resorted to force feeding in an attempt to keep the babies alive. This seems to cause a great deal of stress to this species, and eventually these “runts” have died – usually soon after being force fed a meal. Interestingly, two of these small non-feeders each initially took one meal, a pinkie mouse, and then never fed voluntarily again. The one runt which hatched from my first 2012 Pajarito clutch hatched from an egg which had been attacked by a spot of mold during early incubation, which did not spread far and seemed to mostly dry up. It was my opinion, based on a personal comment from John Lassiter, that the mold spot may have attacked the yolk, which resulted in the baby not getting enough nutrients to develop to the size and weight of its siblings. According to Salaiz, the two small non-feeding offspring which hatched from his 2010 clutch also came from eggs which had mold spots.

Conclusion

I will not belabor the issue of the deformities I have seen in captive produced intermedia (in this article), but instead will direct the reader to my 2012 article which discusses them, and theories as to their causes, in detail. I do not have much to add to this debate at present – except that I feel that dietary supplementation plus feeding the females large amounts of food helped to curtail most deformities. The deformities which did manifest in the 2012 clutches were so slight as to be mostly invisible, and most had to be felt for to know they were there – so I feel that I may be making headway toward eradicating these deformities. As such, I believe that dietary, vitamin and mineral deficiencies may be mostly to blame for the deformities. As mentioned in the previous article, there are proponents and opponents of this theory – although

SWCHR Bulletin Spring 20135

there seems to be little in the way of solid evidence either against or in favor of it. I will continue to document my results from breeding and attempting to breed the Northern Green Rat Snake.

Trio of hatchling Pajarito Mountains locale Senticolis triaspis intermedia from a clutch laid September 9th, 2012. Photo by Toby Brock.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the following people for their insights, contributions and other help they have provided me with for this article – and for previous articles. Thanks to my wife, Pearl, for tolerating me and the snakes, and for helping with editing this article. Diego Ortiz, Terry Cox and Oscar Salaiz have been valuable contributors, not only because they gifted me with three very nice pairs of long term captive intermedia, but also for their continued support and supplementation of data. Gerald Keown, Gerold Merker, John Lassiter, and others have also contributed to my knowledge and understanding of this species, and of others. Also, thanks especially to Chris McMartin for his suggestions on writing and for editing this article and my previous two articles, as well as all of the articles which have appeared in the SWCHR Bulletin.

References

Brock, Toby. 2011. “Successful Breeding in a pair of Captive Northern Green Rat Snakes, Senticolis triaspis intermedia (Serpentes: Colubridae).” SWCHR Bulletin, Spring 2011 pp. 9-11.

Brock, Toby. 2012. “Breeding and Incubation in Captive Northern Green Rat Snakes, Senticolis triaspis intermedia (Serpentes: Colubridae).” SWCHR Bulletin, Spring 2012 pp. 3-5.

Cranston, Thurgess. 1989. “Captive Propagation and Husbandry of the Western Green Rat Snake (Senticolis triaspis intermedia): The Untold Story.” Captive Propagation of Reptiles and Amphibians, Gowen, R.L. (ed), Northern California Herpetological Society (5): 81-85.

Cranston, Thurgess. 1990. “Natural History and Captive Husbandry of the Western Green Rat Snake.” The Vivarium 2(1): 8-11.

Cranston, Thurgess. 2012. “The Green Rat Snake: Methodologies

for Their Successful Captive Maintenance and Propagation.” Herp Nation Vol. 2.5, 2012 pp. 40-46.

Merker, Gerold and Cindy. 1999. “The Western Green Rat: Snake or Myth.” Reptile and Amphibian Hobbyist, August 1999: 22-29.

Rhoads, Dusty. 2008. The Complete Suboc: A Comprehensive Guide to the Natural History, Care, and Breeding of the Trans-Pecos Ratsnake. Lansing, Michigan: ECO Herpetological Publishing & Distribution, pp. 241-253.

Schulz, Klaus-Dieter. 1996. A Monograph of the Colubrid Snakes of the Genus Elaphe FITZINGER. Czech Republic: Koeltz Scientific Books, pp. 318-319.

Naturalistic Southwestern Vivaria

by Ben Stupavsky

Most herpers will agree that viewing a herp in its natural habitat is far more interesting and exciting than viewing them behind glass. While this is arguably true, why not take steps to bring the natural world into your vivaria? There are many benefits to keeping herps in a naturalistic enclosure. In my experience, those kept in an enclosure that mimics their natural habitat (especially wild-caught specimens) are more likely to feed and exhibit natural behaviors such as breeding, basking, drinking, and exploring than those in less natural setups. I will address a number of considerations when creating a naturalistic setup. This article uses examples from the Northern Chihuahuan Desert, but the concepts apply to much of the Southwest.

The American Southwest is home to some of the most interesting habitat in the United States. This region is an amalgamation of many beautiful topographical features including mountains, arroyos, canyons, desert flats, and river systems. Herein exists a complex and interesting ecosystem of plants and animals well suited to this often-harsh environment. The herpetofauna residing in these areas are especially well adapted to it, with many species possessing substrate-matching camouflage, beneficial to the animal as a means of defense as well as in the acquisition of prey. When choosing a theme for your terrarium, this should be your starting point. For example, if housing a mottled rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus lepidus) from the eastern portion of their range, you should choose an appropriately light/dark limestone as the main decoration for your enclosure as well as the visible portion of the substrate. Animals from more westerly localities require a darker rock type like volcanic rock or dark colored granite. The soil is generally indicative of the major rock type in the area, especially in the vicinity of bluffs and mountains. Over time, little pieces of rock fall off and are crushed, forming the top layer of soil. The substrate in a naturalistic enclosure should follow this example as well, consisting of various crushed sizes of local rock, from a large

SWCHR Bulletin Spring 20136

gravel to a fine dust. If you are unsure of the major rock type in a given area, an online search will often provide you with photos as well as written descriptions of the area.

One of the worrisome features of a naturalistic enclosure is the inclusion of a loose substrate. Many herp owners obsess over the possibility of their animal accidentally ingesting substrate, which could lead to impaction. In my enclosures, I combat this possibility in one of two ways. In the wild, the top layer of soil is generally not a loose medium such as “reptile bark,” cypress mulch, or other substrates considered high impaction risks. Through the process of wetting and drying, the smaller particles of the topsoil become compacted, forming a hard crust which a snake would be hard pressed to ingest. The lower sections of my cages consist of such a top layer of soil, with the larger particles held in place by the compacted smaller particles. The upper/rear part of the cages feature with larger, flat limestone pieces kept clear of debris. That way, if a prey item dies in an area of loose substrate, it can be relocated onto the clean surface of these rocks.

A naturalistic enclosure for a Trans-Pecos copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster. Note the incorporation of locality rock, wood, dried grass, and Lechuguilla. Photo by Ben Stupavsky.

When considering some of the finer aspects of your enclosure, including plants and other decorations, it is important to refer to the natural patterns of the environment you are trying to replicate. For example, the mesas from which a number of my animals were collected all follow a basic template. From the base of the mountain to about one-third of the way up the slope is gentle and composed of gravelly soil, with only a small amount of large rocks present. The primary plant life associated with this section includes Creosote (Larrea tridentata), Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), Sotol (Dasylirion spp.), and Purple Three-awn Grass (Aristida purpurea). With the next section comes a noticeable increase in cactus species, including several members of the genus Echinocactus, as well as an increase in rock size. Lechuguilla (Agave lechuguilla) also begins to appear in small patches, inhabiting the soil around the larger rocks in the area. Mesquite remains common at this level The third section includes the rimrock and the top of the mesa. At this level the terrain becomes difficult to traverse, with a notable increase in lechuguilla, prickly pear cactus, mesquite, and an ever-steepening slope ending in vertical rimrock. Within this rimrock dwells the majority of the fauna in these mountains, including such snakes as the Ornate Blacktailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus ornatus), Mottled

Rock Rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus lepidus), Trans-Pecos Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster), and the Gray Banded Kingsnake (Lampropeltis alterna).

When I am building an enclosure, I keep in mind these three life zones and attempt to reconstruct them as best as I can in accordance with the area that the animal would most likely inhabit. When choosing plant life in accordance with these zones, I stay away from some of the more dangerous species like prickly pear (Opuntia sp.), which have small defensive spines which can injure a snake. The species I have found to be safe for snakes are lechuguilla, devil’s head cactus (Echinocactus horizonthalonius), sotol, and purple three-awn grass. Most snakes have no problem moving around these well-defended plants, but if the spines and sharp points worry you, you may clip the tips to make them safer. I use full spectrum fluorescent lighting to ensure these plants stay healthy, and I track the weather in the region to determine whether the plant is due for some watering, at which time the animals also receive a good misting. The animals make full use of these plants, and they will often climb to the tops in order to bask under the light, or use them as a means of shelter from the mid-day “sun.” It is necessary to secure the plants well, as an explorative snake will occasionally uproot your plants. I recommend planting between two or more rocks to solve this problem.

Cover is an important aspect of any vivaria, especially when housing nocturnal species. You should always provide a corner or hideaway into which the animal can retreat if it feels threatened or gets too warm. Be careful when constructing hides out of natural stone as it is a heavy material and if not constructed with care can crush and kill your animal. Silicone or aquarium sealant can be utilized to secure smaller rocks to larger ones, but large rocks require more stability and I would not recommend them as a form of cover. Occasionally you may find a rock shaped in a way that is useful as a hide or even a water dish, but make sure to put the animal’s safety first and use them carefully. Be sure to block off areas of the enclosure that may make it difficult to access the animal, or where there is a risk of the animal becoming stuck, before introducing the animal to the enclosure.

Naturalistc vivaria may encourage behaviors not otherwise easily observed in captivity, such as these Mottled Rock Rattlesnakes (Crotalus lepidus lepidus) drinking water pooled on a rock. Photo by Ben Stupavsky.

SWCHR Bulletin Spring 20137

The best way to gather ideas for naturalistic enclosures is to be very observant of the animal’s habitat. Find or take photos of interesting aspects of the habitat; things you would like to recreate in your enclosure. Take into account the animal itself. If the species you plan on housing is adept at climbing, add items which might encourage it to do so. If you can collect materials from the exact area the animal was caught, your animal will almost certainly adapt to the enclosure well. If you cannot access the locality yourself, similar materials are available for purchase at specialty markets like garden centers and stone suppliers.

Constructing a naturalistic setup is a great way to increase your understanding of the animals and the way they interact with their habitat; this benefits professional researchers and field herpers alike. Such enclosures also tend to be far more visually appealing, which makes them desirable in zoological facilities and exhibits. It is an enjoyable endeavor with many benefits, and I urge herpetoculturists to consider adding naturalism to more of their setups.

Aberrant Snakes–Some Unusual Field Findings

Photo Essay By D. Craig McIntyre

As a youngster, I dreamed about finding a really weird snake in the wild – like a 2-headed albino rattlesnake or something similar. Well, after about 50 years and thousands of hours of field hunting, I still haven’t found an albino or a 2-headed snake, much less a combination of the two. However, I have stumbled upon a few “oddball” specimens. Illustrated below are some from our southwestern area.

Chihuahuan Night snake, Hypsiglena jani. In July 2000 in Jeff Davis County, Texas, I found this pale hypomelanistic individual with a pattern anomaly.

The same specimen with a normally-colored Texas night snake from the same area.

In December 2003 I found this hypomelanistic, xanthic Texas patch-nosed snake, Salvadora grahamiae lineata.

Hypomelanistic, xanthic Salvadora grahamiae lineata specimen, Cameron County, Texas.

Normally-patterned Texas Patch-nosed snake, Salvadora grahamiae lineata, for comparison.

SWCHR Bulletin Spring 20138

In July 2004 I found a DOR Eastern Garter snake. I have seen very few Eastern Garters in Texas and this one fooled me. At first glance I thought it was a strangely colored Checkered Garter snake (Thamnophis marcianus), the common garter snake of this area. However upon closer examination it looked more like a Red-sided Garter (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis),but well outside of the geographic range of that subspecies. It is within the geographic range of the Eastern Garter. There is a lot of color variation in Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis but this one possesses an extreme amount of red.

“Red” Eastern Garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis, Goliad County, Texas.

Throughout its range the western diamond-backed rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) exhibits a wide range of colors–browns, grays, reds, and yellows–based on geographic locales. The following photographs depict a few I have found that were anomalous to their local populations.

I found this melanistic specimen in Concho County, Texas on May 18, 1989. Crotalus atrox typically are light brown/tan from this area.

Color and pattern anomaly on tail of Crotalus atrox. I found this specimen in Aransas County, Texas in March 2009.

Color (amelanistic?) anomaly in a western diamond-backed rattlesnake from Aransas County, Texas. Coloration on this dying snake found October 11, 2007 varied greatly from typical C. atrox in this area.

For more information on “oddball” colors and patterns in herps, check out Reptile and Amphibian Variants – Colors, Patterns, and Scales, by H. Bernard Bechtal, Krieger Publishing, 1995.

SWCHR Bulletin Spring 20139

Book Review: Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas, With Keys, Taxonomic Synopses, Bibliography, and

Distribution Maps (Third Edition, Revised and Updated)by James R. Dixon, Photographs by Toby J. Hibbitts

Texas A&M University Press: College Station, 2013. W. L. Moody Jr. Natural History Series

Softcover. 460 pp. List: $39.95, Amazon: $26.89ISBN 978-1603447348

Review by Tom Lott

This latest revision of what has become “The Bible” of advanced Texas herpers immediately catches the attention of owners of the previous editions in that it is obviously “new and improved.” Delving into the statistics confirms that suspicion: it is exactly twice the weight of the previous edition, most likely due to the heavier, glossy paper on which it is printed, although it contains only twenty-eight more pages than its predecessor; it is physically larger than the second edition by almost an inch in length as well as width; it sports an improved binding, intermediate between a high-end paperback and a top-shelf hard cover edition, as well as the durable-appearing plasticized covers that have graced the rival University of Texas Press Natural History Guide series for some time now; and the cover is printed in color, providing a foretaste of what is perhaps the most significant alteration to this venerable series: the inclusion of color photographs of every herp species known to occur within the

boundaries of the state. Unfortunately, such improvements, even in this age of computerized typesetting and relatively frugal Chinese printing factories, invariably result in an increase in price as well. I can’t remember what I paid for my now well-worn Second Edition (Dixon 2000), but I am certain that it was less than half of the $40 list price, and probably even less than half of Amazon’s discounted price tag.

As mentioned above, the extensive inclusion of high quality color photographs in this version serves to set it apart from the two previous editions, and doubtless tends to make it a more valuable resource for casual users who, in my experience, lean more toward identifying specimens from photographs, rather than using the provided dichotomous keys, which unavoidably contain anatomical terms unfamiliar to the uninitiated. The photographs used are largely of excellent quality, with the vast majority having been taken by Toby J. Hibbitts, who is credited on the cover, along with a handful of other photographers who are recognized in the respective captions for their work. Locality to the county level is generally provided for each photograph, and it is obvious that a special effort was made to use photos of examples actually from Texas whenever possible. The photos appear to be printed with attention to their correct color registration and, in most cases, are rendered in a gratifyingly large format, frequently occupying as much as a third of a page. Considering that the previous edition contained only twenty-five black-and-white plates in total (out of 284 herp taxa recognized at the time), this represents a considerable concession to what is, by all accounts, a more visually-oriented population nowadays—and definitely makes for a more attractive upgrade to the series.

Still, as one rare negative reviewer of the second edition on Amazon noted, this book is not “intended for the use of the general public.” At its academic heart, however, are its distribution maps, taxonomic comments, and especially its cumulative bibliography, none of which are of much interest to the casual user. To the serious student of herpetology, however, they are a treasure trove.

The distribution maps, which serve as the authority for countless range extensions and county records published in Herpetological Review each year, are now included within each species account rather than being isolated in their own section as before. They also retain the familiar county outline form, with a central dot indicating a confirmed record for a county. Gone, however, are the solid lines serving to indicate species and subspecies boundaries in the previous editions. Instead there are different-colored dots for each subspecies (by county), which suggest, rather than indicate, the boundaries of each taxon. For a very few well-documented subspecies, intergrade zones are depicted with intermediate-colored dots, but when darker colors are used, the maps must be viewed in very good light to distinguish between them. The maps appear to be current, at least through the year 2010, although in a cursory examination I did notice that a Guadalupe County record for Lampropeltis calligaster (Ferguson and Forstner 2005) was omitted, and a supposed Crockett County record for Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides actually represents an unremarkable locality for E. marnockii (Pope et al. 2008).

There unfortunately appears to be little or no use of the various “citizen science” databases, such as the HERP database of the North

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American Field Herping Association (NAFHA), to further refine the distribution maps. Given the “austerity” trend currently prevalent among political funding entities, combined with the tendency of the ascending phylogenetics camp to denigrate traditional morphology-based museum collections (as well as the increasingly rare conventional taxonomists), it would appear that in the future tissue samples and photographic locality vouchers will increasingly become the norm. It seems somewhat ludicrous to waste space in peer reviewed publications for simple locality records that could be more easily posted to an online database (most of which appear to be serious about self-policing - probably the truest form of “peer review”); and it’s not like some real “stinkers” haven’t ever gotten past Herp Review’s reviewers! Hopefully the failure to use these resources isn’t merely due to “academic snobbery.”

Taxonomically this latest edition remains characteristically conservative, with many of the recently-proposed generic names placed parenthetically between the more traditional genus and species names [e.g., Bufo (Anaxyrus) debilis]. Although this is the accepted form for indicating subgenera in taxonomic nomenclature, that does not appear to be the author’s intent here, but rather to merely associate the novel and traditional names in hopes of alleviating confusion. Most of the more significant taxonomic changes (or proposals, as I prefer to think of them) at the genus level are addressed in a new beige-tinted text block to be found at the beginning of the treatment for each affected genus. Changes below the genus level continue to be discussed in the “Comments” section for each taxon; most of these are carried over with little change from the previous edition(s). Subspecies are retained much as they were in the previous editions, with little evidence of capitulation to the “evolutionary species” crowd, who would eliminate subspecies all together or, alternatively, promote all of them to full species.

For the really serious herpetologist (professional or avocational) the meat of the current volume lies in its third major section—the literature citations. For anyone who has ever had to teach “the” scientific method, regardless of which paradigm you use, there is that most important step typically placed between “Defining the Problem” and “Designing the Hypothesis,” usually summarized as “Researching the Problem.” In the biological sciences, “research” means tracking down virtually every reference to your study taxon ever published in the technical literature. Although the internet has softened this task somewhat, actually obtaining copies of the papers pertinent to one’s research can still be daunting, barring ready access to a substantial university library. The present volume lightens that load to some extent, especially for those studying forms whose distributions are largely centered on Texas. There are 4234 literature citations in this third edition, a significant addition to the 1107 listed 41 years ago in the scholarly predecessor (Raun and Gehlbach 1972) to this current series. One should note, however, that the citations, numbered and listed alphabetically in the bibliography, have been renumbered (there are now no decimal points), whereas the first two editions of this work kept the same numbers as the Raun and Gehlbach volume by adding decimal points.

For the bottom line, anyone who is serious about the study of Texas herpetology will benefit from purchasing this book: for those without either of the previous two editions, it is indispensable; for those who already own one or both of the previous editions, there is

enough new and updated material to make it worth your while, even at the elevated price (and even without the beautiful photographs). Congratulations to Drs. Dixon and Hibbitts for producing another outstanding addition to the growing bounty of Texas herpetology publications.

Literature Cited

Dixon, J.R. 2000. Amphibians and reptiles of Texas, 2nd ed. College Station: Texas A&M Press, 421 pp.

Ferguson, A.W. and M.R.J. Forstner. 2005. “Geographic Distribution. Lampropeltis calligaster.” Herpetological Review. 36(4):469.

Pope, B. D., Roelke, C. R. and Makowsky, R. 2008. “Geographic Distribution. Eleutherodactylus (=Syrrhophus) marnockii.” Herpetol. Rev. 39 (3): 362.

Raun, G.G. and F.R. Gehlbach. 1972. “Amphibians and Reptiles in Texas.” Dallas Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 2: 1-61.

SWCHR Bulletin Spring 201311

The Life and Times of Hans F. Koenig

by Orion McElroy and Gerald Keown

Hans Koenig in mid-Januray 2013. Photo by Krista Koenig Bakke.

On January 18, 2013 the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research (SWCHR) lost Board Member Hans F. Koenig to a massive heart attack at the age of 57. However, Hans’ sudden and unexpected death was a much greater loss than just that of an Association Board Member. He was first and foremost a devoted husband, father, brother, and son. He was a retired dedicated conservation law enforcement officer, a passionate and knowledgeable herpetologist, a conservationist, and a steadfast, true friend to many. He made the world a better place for those around him. For both of us, Hans’ death left an empty space in our hearts. We have lost a fellow herper and a true friend of more than forty years. For those that never had the pleasure of really knowing our comrade, we want to share a bit more of Hans’ life with you.

Hans was born in San Francisco, California on May 20, 1955 to Enna and Alexander Koenig. As a child Hans became interested in reptiles and amphibians, canvassing the hillside near his Novato, California home and often bringing home a snake or two.

In 1967 at the age of 12 Hans and his family moved to Reno, Nevada where he attended junior high and high school. He was active in the Boy Scouts and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. His interest in reptiles and amphibians soon developed into a passionate and lifelong interest. He began building a vast collection of ‘herps’ from around the world, keeping his bedroom walls lined with row after row of cages. After visiting his younger sister’s class at school to talk

about and show some of his snakes, Hans soon found himself invited back to do an encore presentation for the entire school assembled in the school auditorium. His snake talks became so popular he was frequently excused from classes to go to other schools in the area to talk about and show his snakes until he graduated from Reno High School in 1973.

Hans Koenig showing an indigo snake in 1973. Photographer unknown.

After attending a local community college for a semester, Hans entered the University of Nevada – Reno. During his high school and university years Hans forged a number of friendships with other serious herpers including Ira Larivers III, Orion McElroy, and Gerald Keown. These friendships and others would span the next 40+ years of his life. Hans graduated from the University of Nevada – Reno with a degree in zoology in 1978.

After graduation from the University of Nevada – Reno, Hans’ life took a path that would lead him half way around the world to Africa. In 1978 he made an initial trip to spend a summer with his father who was at that time working in Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe). He liked what he saw during his initial visit and in 1980 he found himself and good friend Ira Larivers back in Africa…this time in South Africa where Hans worked the first part of the year as the Assistant Curator at the well-known Transvaal Snake Park.

Hans Koenig (left) and fellow game wardens in Africa, 1981. Photographer unknown.

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During the latter part of 1980 Hans was hired as a Conservation Officer (Game Warden) by the government of Bophuthatswana (now a part of South Africa). He was assigned to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Ira Larivers soon joined Hans in Bophuthatswana. Hans remained in that position until his contract expired in 1983. Having spent several years in Africa he decided to return home to the United States. Ira drove him to the airport in Johannesburg for his flight home. That was the last time the two friends would ever see each other. Ira never returned to the U.S. and presently lives and works in Harare, Zimbabwe. During the next 30 years Hans and Ira remained friends and stayed in touch via letters, phone and email.

Ira Larivers (left) and Hans Koenig (right) in Africa in 1982. Photographer unknown.

Shortly after Hans returned home his mother introduced him to Heidi Baldau, a nurse whom she worked with at Saint Mary’s Hospital. They hit it off and began dating. They were married on October 10, 1987. Hans was 32 and Heidi was 27. Their first child Krista was born in 1988.

While Hans was still trying to determine what he wanted to do with his life back in the U.S. he worked with his brother Bill who operated a landscape supply business in Novato, California. He also served as a Reserve Game Warden with the California Department of Fish and Game. In 1988 he went to work for the Nevada Department of Wildlife where he completed his peace officer training at the Nevada POST academy in Carson City, Nevada. He only worked for the Nevada Wildlife Department for a short time before trading that job in for a position as a Game Warden with the Arizona Game and Fish Department in 1989. His first assignment with the Arizona Game and Fish Department took him to the “Arizona Strip” (the remote portion of Arizona located between the Colorado River and the Utah state line). The lack of available housing in that part of Arizona resulted in his assigned duty station being located across the state line in Saint George, Utah. Hans eventually became the Arizona Game and Fish Field Supervisor for the “Arizona Strip.” Their son Bill was born in 1993 and son John followed in 2000. Hans was thrilled with being the father of three wonderful children and both he and Heidi were devoted parents involved with all aspects of their children’s activities. It could be said that Hans was not a father of three children but rather three fathers of 3 individual and unique children, making a point to become interested in and taking an active role in each individual child’s particular interests.

Hans showing a pair of California King Snakes while living in St George, Utah. Photographer unknown.

In 2001 Hans transferred to the Tucson office of the Arizona Game and Fish Department as a Field Supervisor. Whenever there was a situation or an issue arose with the AZGF involving reptiles or amphibians Hans was always their ‘go-to person.’ He spent the remainder of his career with AZGF in Tucson where he was constantly educating the public about reptiles via any outlet available to him, be it TV, newspaper articles, classroom presentations, or other public presentations in various venues, including annual presentations at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and to numerous scout troops. He was a member of the Tucson Herpetological Society (THS) and also served as a board member of that organization for several years. He published several articles and papers in herpetological journals and contributed range extension records to Dr. Robert C. Stebbins for use in the revision of his popular Peterson Field Guide Western Reptiles and Amphibians. While stationed in Tucson, Hans also completed a certification program at Arizona State University and became a Certified Public Manager (CPM).

After nineteen years of service, Hans retired from the Arizona Game and Fish Department in 2008. After his retirement, he accepted a position with the State of Idaho as the Project Manager for the Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Program. He and his family moved to Salmon, Idaho for him to purse his new ‘retirement job.’ While living in Salmon, Hans was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic

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faith. He also joined and was active in the Knights of Columbus.

Throughout his life Hans had always maintained and worked with a unique collection of reptiles in his off time. Over the years he had bred Eastern Indigo Snakes (Drymarchon corais couperi), and along with close friend Dan Garcia had been among some of the first people to begin breeding hypomelanistic Honduran Milk Snakes (Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis). At the time of his death he was working with a small colony of legally obtained rare Cochise County Milk Snakes (Lampropeltis triangulum celaenops).

When the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research was first founded, Hans was one of the first to step up and offer to help. He joined as a Charter Member and became one of SWCHR’s staunch supporters. He felt very strongly about the Association’s purpose and objectives. In 2010 he was elected to serve as Board Member at Large, a position he held until his untimely death in 2013.

During the two months that have passed since Hans’ death, the two of us have spent many hours gathering information and reminiscing about Hans and selecting tidbits that would best describe what our friendship with Hans was about and show his character.

Orion shares two recollections:

I first met and really talked to Hans in 1972 in our junior year biology class. The classroom was separated by two-seat desks that were arranged for students by alphabetical order, by their last names. Hans and I shared a desk together that year. I had seen him many times before then and am sure he had seen me but when we shared that desk each day, we got to know one another. For one reason or another we got off to a conversation on reptiles—snakes in particular. He had a few captives at his house and so did I. It was amazing to me that he knew the Latin (scientific) names of many of the species. I did too. I thought Ira Larivers and I were the only ones weird enough to devote our time and effort in this direction. I told Hans that he should talk to Ira about reptiles. Hans had shared his homeroom class with Ira for the past two years but didn’t know him. He thought Ira was a “geek” and hadn’t taken the time to get to know him. When Hans and Ira sparked up a conversation, that was it; they became inseparable. I should add that Hans and I would have probably never have become such close friends if it hadn’t been for the animals we were so passionate about. The fascination of reptiles on both our parts led to a friendship that would last a lifetime. Hans was so much fun. He was so sarcastic, but in an appropriate manner. He always put a smile on my face with his comments and actions. We graduated from high school and started college the same fall semester. I dropped out eventually and joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1975. Ira’s father passed away in 1977. I made it home to his funeral service that year. This was the last time I saw Hans for a long time. This was also the last time I have ever seen Ira. Hans made it a point to look me up years later while as I was living in Bagdad, Arizona after he had spoken to my mother and found out where I was. We continued our friendship throughout the years as if it had never been interrupted. He hadn’t changed a bit as I recall.

In the spring of 1974 I was bitten by a Great Basin Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus lutosus) on my left wrist. This was a juvenile individual I had captured out at a snake den a little earlier that year. Not knowing how bad the bite would affect me I immediately called Ira for his advice. We decided that he would come to my house to evaluate things before taking any action. Ira arrived about 45 minutes later and determined that the bite was indeed serious enough to warrant medical attention. We arrived at Washoe Medical Center about 10 minutes later. It had been a little over an hour since I had been envenomated. It was on a Sunday and the available medical staff wasn’t quite sure what to do. After Ira’s coaching and insistence they finally decided to call in my family doctor, Dr. Bottsford, who just happened to be up on the ski slopes on Mt. Rose but immediately came in to assess the situation. It was now a little over three hours into the incident and I was not liking it at all. My left arm had swollen up to my elbow and was becoming quite painful. Ira convinced Dr. Bottsford to start antivenin (what it was called at the time) injections and thus the first real treatment began. After several hours of shots, increasing the dosage in intervals, they finally decided there was no more that could be done so they put me in a room to constantly evaluate me. Hans had dropped in that evening to check me out and told me, “Let me know when they release you. I will come by to get you out.” After four more days in the hospital,

Hans Koenig (left) and Orion McElroy (right) working the AZGF booth at the Phoenix International Sportsmans’ Expo. Photo by Randy Babb.

the doctor declared during his morning check up on me that there was basically no reason for me to stay there any longer and that he would be writing an order for my release. I took that as “a get out of jail card” and immediately called on Hans. He was thrilled I was getting out and asked me what I needed. I told him that I didn’t have any clothing. “No problem,” he said; “I will stop by your house and get you something. By the way,” he exclaimed, “we are going out to Pyramid Lake for a little herp outing after I get you out.” Sure enough, Hans was at the hospital within the hour. I got dressed and we headed to the lake. I really wasn’t aware that I was supposed to be formally released from the hospital and I guess they were frantic, looking for me while Hans and I were out having a good time. When I got home later in the afternoon, I got a big “ass chewing” from my worried mother who had to take me back to the hospital to sign a whole lot of paperwork and then be wheeled out to the parking lot in a wheelchair. I told them there was really no need for the special treatment, as I had been having a wonderful time at the lake with my good buddy, but they insisted on following protocol.

Gerald shares several short recollections:

One of the earliest things that comes to mind when I think of the early days of my friendship with Hans is how casually things were done back in those days. Hans and I would frequently exchange live specimens with each other. He would send me things from Nevada and I would send him things from my native South Texas. There was no buying and selling. In fact, with us there was not even any true exchanging or trading of animals. When I went out in the field and found things that I thought maybe Hans would be interested in, I would just package them up often in a old cigar box fastened together only with twine. I mailed them at the post office by Special Delivery for a dollar or two. No one thought anything about just mailing the stuff. He would do the same with me. I never knew when a ‘care package’ would be arriving, or what it would contain until I opened it. Once there was a Boomslang (Dispholidus typus) inside. I had no clue as to what it was and it took a couple of days for me to get it identified. My young wife certainly was not impressed when I finally told her what it was.

“Sometime, while Hans was in Africa, we lost touch with each other. It was not until years later, after Hans had been stationed in St. George with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, that we were reunited. Hans was working deer hunters in the ‘Arizona Strip’ when he stopped into a hunting camp to check out several hunters. One of those hunters happened to be a South Texas Sheriff. Hans and the Sheriff struck up a conversation and when he learned the Sheriff was from South Texas, Hans told him he had lost touch with an old friend (me) who had been a law enforcement officer down in South Texas. Much to his surprise the Sheriff told Hans that he knew me and that I had changed agencies several times over the past few years chasing after a career. He told Hans I was now with a state agency working out of Austin and gave him my contact information. The next afternoon I was startled to hear from Hans after not knowing where he was for a number of years. That afternoon we picked up right where we left off years before and we never drifted apart again even though we have always lived in different states.

I recall visiting Hans and his family in Tucson in 2002. We spent a day herping in the Santa Rita Mountains. My main target on that trip was to find a Green Rat Snake (Senticolis triaspis intermedia). Until then I had never seen one in the wild. Hans casually

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said, “No problem. We’ll go out and find one in the morning. You can always count on finding them in certain areas in the early morning hours before it warms up.” I was a tad bit skeptical, but sure enough we hit the spot he was talking about the next morning and turned off the pavement onto a jeep tail. In less than 5 minutes there one was…a Green Rat Snake crossing the jeep trail just ahead of us. I jammed the Tahoe into park and jumped out running up to the snake. Then I just stood there looking at the snake in awe. I could not believe it. Finally Hans asked me if I was going to pick it up or just stand there and watch it crawl away. I finally came to my senses and grabbed the snake.

Gerald Keown (left) and Hans Koenig (right) with a Green Rat Snake after a day of herping in the Santa Rita Mountains South of Tucson, Az. Photo by Krista Koenig Bakke.

After my retirement from the State in Texas, we moved to Cody, Wyoming for a few years. Hans and his family visited my wife and I there in June of 2006. I recall us spending a cool wet summer day showing them Yellowstone National Park. Hans was looking forward to retirement and he and Heidi were checking out parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho as possible places to move to once he did retire. That would be the last time I would ever see Hans in person.

In November of 2006 I underwent cancer surgery in Billings, Montana. After I was out of recovery and back in my room, my wife told me that Hans had just called to see how my surgery went and how I was doing. He was the first call that she received after my surgery. But that is the kind of true friend Hans was…sincere and caring. We moved back to Texas from Wyoming in 2007, but seldom did a week pass that Hans and I did not visit via phone or email. We had our last phone visit about two weeks before he had his fatal heart attack while at work in Salmon, Idaho on January 18, 2013. Heidi rode with him in the ambulance to the hospital and she stayed at his side in the ER until he passed away just a few minutes after arriving.

Hans left behind his wife Heidi, daughter Krista Koenig Bakke (Ryan), sons Bill and John, father Alexander (Maria), brother Bill Koenig (Louise), sister Gretchen Koenig Paul (Chris), sister Enna Marie Turrold (Steve), and a wealth of long-time sincere friends and associates. Yes, he really did make the world a better place for all of those he surrounded himself with.

2012 Award for Excellence in Herpetological Photography Presented to Orry Martin

by Gerald Keown

This Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus molossus) was photographed by Orry Martin of Conroe, Texas while field herping in Pima County, Arizona.

On March 23, 2013 Orry Martin, a school teacher and avid herper from Conroe, Texas became the recipient of SWCHR’s 2012 Award for Excellence in Herpetological Photography. Orry has contributed a number of outstanding photographs to the SWCHR web site during the past year with four Photo of the Month wins to his credit in 2012. His portrait of a Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake last November was selected as our Photo of the Month for November 2012. Now the image has won him SWCHR’s annual Award for Excellence in Herpetological Photography. This award consist of a commemorative plaque mounted certificate, and a $150 cash award.

SWCHR Board Member Gerry Salmon (L) presents the SWCHR 2012 Award for Excellence in Herpetological Photography to Orry Martin (R) during the March 23 meeting of the East Texas Herpetological Society in Houston, Texas where Orry is a member.. Photo by Gary Heyroth.

The Award for Excellence in Herpetological Photography will continue to be presented on an annual basis. While SWCHR is very pleased with our first six years of having sponsored this award, recognizing and rewarding talented individuals demonstrating a high degree of photographic excellence in the field of herpetology, we have decided that the time has come to improve the program and make it even more meaningful and more competitive. Watch for details of major changes in this program beginning with our 2013 award.

SWCHR CODE OF ETHICS

As a member of the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research, I subscribe to the Association’s Code of Ethics.

Field activities should limit the impact on natural habitats, replacing all cover objects, not tearing apart rocks or logs and refraining from the use of gasoline or other toxic materials.

Catch and release coupled with photography and the limited take of non-protected species for personal study or breeding use is permitted. The commercial take and sale of wild-caught animals is not acceptable.

Collecting practices should respect landowner rights, including but not limited to securing permission for land entry and the packing out of all personal trash.

Captive-breeding efforts are recognized as a valid means of potentially reducing collection pressures on wild populations and are encouraged.

The release of captive animals including captive-bred animals into the wild is discouraged except under the supervision of trained professionals and in accordance with an accepted species preservation or restocking plan.

The disclosure of exact locality information on public internet forums is discouraged in most circumstances. Locality information posted on public internet forums usually should be restricted to providing the name of the county where the animal was found. When specific locality data is provided ot one in confidence, it should be kept in confidence and should not be abused or shared with others without explicit permission.

Other members of the Association are always to be treated cordially and in a respectful manner.

SWCHRPO BOX 624SEGUIN TX 78156