Speakers: Past and Present
12/29/10
Christmas PartyTBA
TBA
11/24/10
ElectionsTBA
TBA
10/27/10
Karen L. Eckert, Ph.D.Conservation in the of the Sea Turtle in the Caribbean Sea.
Dr. Karen L. Eckert received her Bachelor's
Degree in Biology with Highest Honors from
Principia College in 1980, and later a
Certificate in Global Policy Studies (1987) and
a doctorate in Zoology (1988) from the
University of Georgia. Her Certificate thesis
was entitled, 'Multi-lateral Conservation - A
Critique of Past and Present Efforts in the
Wider Caribbean Region'; her Dissertation was
entitled, 'Nesting Biology of the Leatherback
Sea Turtle, Dermochelys coriacea'. She has been
active for nearly three decades in the fields of
sea turtle research and international
conservation policy. She is the Executive
Director of the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle
Conservation Network (WIDECAST,
WIDECAST embraces the largest network sea turtle
research and conservation projects in the world,
and is tasked with preventing the extinction of
six species of endangered sea turtles in the
Caribbean basin. Volunteer Country Coordinators
(conservation leaders, natural resource
managers, educators) serve in more than 40
Caribbean nations and territories, and work
together to create and promote science-based
tools in national policy-making and community
conservation initiatives. Through the
development of comprehensive national 'Sea
Turtle Recovery Action Plans'
(
This innovative program is a model for
multilateral marine resource management in the
Caribbean region and throughout the world. For
her work as Executive Director of WIDECAST, Dr.
Eckert was inducted into the 'Global 500 Roll of
Honour for Environmental Achievement' by the
United Nations in 1994. UNEP has characterized
her as 'one of the most important figures in
conservation and grassroots community
empowerment in the field of endangered species
in the Wider Caribbean Region.' In 1996 she was
among the first cohort of Pew Fellows in Marine
Conservation, a prestigious three-year
Fellowship that specifically recognized her
efforts to restore depleted sea turtle
populations and to promote sustainable
coexistence between Caribbean people and their
marine resources. She received the 2003
ChevronTexaco Conservation Award for 'providing
the world with a unique model that shows how
people and marine life are not only able to
coexist, but to flourish.' She was recently
nominated for the Indianapolis Prize in 2010 for
her efforts 'to inspire local and global
communities and to celebrate, protect and
preserve our natural world through conservation, education and research.'
In addition to her work with WIDECAST, Dr.
Eckert's personal research has taken her
throughout the Western Atlantic, and into the
Mediterranean Sea, Eastern Tropical Pacific, and
Southeast Asia. She is a valued consultant to
many governments and inter-governmental and
non-governmental organizations. She has
published more than 100 scientific and general
interest articles, technical manuals, and policy
documents. Her most recent books, 'Sea Turtles:
An Ecological Guide' (Gulko and Eckert, 2004)
and 'Turning the Tide: Exploitation, Trade and
Management of Marine Turtles in the Lesser
Antilles, Central America, Colombia and
Venezuela' (Bräutigam and Eckert, 2006) are
available from Mutual Publishing (Honolulu, USA)
and TRAFFIC International (Cambridge, UK), respectively.
She is a member of the U.S. Pacific and the
Atlantic/Caribbean Sea Turtle Recovery Teams,
and the Marine Turtle Specialist Group of the
IUCN Species Survival Commission. She served as
Senior Editor of the Marine Turtle Newsletter, a
scholarly bilingual publication with subscribers
in more than 100 nations, for ten years
(1988-1997), and is now a member of the Editorial Board.
09/29/10
TBATBA
TBA
08/25/10
George L. Heinrich (Heinrich Ecological Services)Florida Turtles: Conservation Challenges and Opportunities
George L. Heinrich is a field biologist and environmental educator specializing in Florida turtles. His company, Heinrich Ecological Services, is based in St. Petersburg and conducts wildlife surveys and research, natural history programming, and nature-based tours. A graduate of Memphis State University, his interests include southeastern upland and brackish wetland ecosystems, conservation challenges facing Florida’s non-marine turtles, and the role of education in conserving herpetofauna. He has worked for a number of years on the conservation of gopher tortoises and has studied the ecology and conservation needs of diamondback terrapins as part of a University of North Florida research team since 1995. Recent collaborative projects have focused on two emydids, the diamondback terrapin (research on mortality in crab pots and a distributional study in the Big Bend region) and the Suwannee cooter (impacts of take for human consumption and boat strikes). His efforts to increase awareness of Florida turtle diversity and conservation challenges include natural history tours for the California Turtle and Tortoise Club and the New York Turtle and Tortoise Society. George has served twice as co-chair of the Gopher Tortoise Council and is the founding president of the Florida Turtle Conservation Trust. He has received a number of awards from state and regional NGOs for his conservation work, the most recent being the Crystal Vision Award from the League of Environmental Educators in Florida.
07/28/10
Mike PingletonJewels in the Crown: Unique and Memorable Field Herping Experiences, And What Made Them So
Mike Pingleton has been involved with field herpetology and herpetoculture for nearly forty years. Activities in the field have taken him to many interesting places across the United States, and these ‘herp trips’ are documented in his web journals (www.pingleton.com). Over the years Mike has raised and bred many species of lizards, snakes, frogs and turtles. Publications include magazine articles, a book on Redfoot Tortoises, and a forthcoming book on field herping.
06/30/10
Everyone!!!Show and Tell
Bring your favorite herp and give a short talk about it.
05/26/10
Dante FenolioLife in the Dark
-It features life forms that spend all or most of their time in the dark. The talk involves a little something for everyone as there are nocturnal reptiles and amphibians, cave life, termite mound inhabitants, deep sea life forms, etc.
Biography
Dante Fenolio grew up in the fog shrouded redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains in California. Amphibians were a regular part of his daily childhood experience ranging from Pacific Giant Salamanders to Red Legged Frogs. A fascination with wildlife consumed his childhood and continued through high school. Various species of amphibians were maintained and bred in captivity including endangered species like the Darwin's Frog, Rhinoderma darwinii, and the Malagasy Tomato Frog, Dyscophus antongilii as well as species that had been infrequently maintained and bred like the live bearing West African caecilian, Geotrypetes seraphini and the Yellow Eye Leaf Frog, Agalychnis annae. His interests quickly expanded to field studies of amphibians, taking him to places like Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Costa Rica, Madagascar, Kenya, and Uganda.
Finishing a combined undergraduate degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz, Dante Fenolio continued on and earned a Masters degree in Zoology from the University of Oklahoma. While at Oklahoma, he examined the ecology of Ozark blind cave salamanders, Eurycea spelaea. Also while at the University of Oklahoma, Dante was able to participate in the French run canopy raft program (Radeua Des Cimes) where he studied amphibians living in the forest canopy of the largest remaining uncut stand of eastern rainforest in Madagascar. That experience has prompted several projects involving the study of forest canopy amphibians, including the description of several new species of frogs. He continued his education and earned a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Miami involving amphibian conservation and taxonomy.
Dante's research interests involve the ecology of animals living in challenging environments like subterranean ecosystems or forest canopies. He regularly conducts surveys of caves for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, documenting federally listed endangered species and keeping tabs on their populations. He also works with Brasilian colleagues in Central Brasil performing bioinventories of areas involved with hydroelectric power plant projects. With the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Dante helps to coordinate both local and international amphibian conservation efforts and to develop captive breeding methods for endangered species. Dante is finishing a book project right now that covers animals that spend all or most of their lives living in the dark.
04/28/10
Jeff LemmAustralian Herps
Jeff Lemm is a herpetologist at the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research where he has been employed in the Applied Animal Ecology Division for nearly 18 years. An avid field herper, Jeff has also been keeping and breeding reptiles and amphibians for over 25 years. Jeff's professional research interests include monitor lizards, rock iguanas, and native Southern California herpetofauna. Jeff also enjoys photographing wildlife in the wild and has traveled extensively throughout the world in search of his subjects.
03/31/10
Dr. Paul SerenoPrehistoric Crocodilian Research
Dr. Paul Sereno, a professor in the University of Chicago's Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy and a world-famous paleontologist, will speak about crocodilians and their relatives, past and present. One of Paul's many notable discoveries was a remarkably complete skeleton of Sarcosuchus imperator, a 40-foot-long crocodyliform popularly known as SuperCroc. By studying modern crocodilians Paul has gained insights into how Sarcosuchus may have lived and grown. You don't want to miss this one!
02/24/10
Charles KnappIguanids
Charles is the Director of Conservation and Research at the John G. Shedd Aquarium. Upon confirming his invitation to speak he made a point to let me know that the first group he ever spoke to was the Chicago Herp Society in 1993. Charles has spent the last several years away from Chicago working on his graduate degrees. He has done a great deal of research and work in Iguanas and plans on speaking about them.
01/27/10
Ray PawleyGalapagos Tortoises
Ray is a retired curator of reptiles at Brookfield Zoo, who now makes his home near Hondo, New Mexico. Ray will speak about some of his experiences raising Galapagos tortoises at Brookfield and some questions that were left unanswered. In his own words, ''While lectures are basically informative (period), this topic is unique in that the audience will be informed AND will hear about some intriguing unanswered questions that arose while we were raising Galapagos tortoises at Brookfield Zoo. The goal of this talk is to share with the audience what we learned in hopes that some individual(s) might want to seek some answers through their own initiative.''
10/28/09
Matt GoodeEcology and Conservation of the King Cobra (Ophiophagous hannah) in the Western Ghats of India
We conducted the first-ever study of wild King Cobras (Ophiopagous hannah) in the Western Ghats of India, near Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, in the district of Shimoga, state of Karnataka. We implanted snakes with radiotransmitters and followed them continuously during their diurnal activity phase. We also made numerous behavioral observations of non-telemetered King Cobras. We observed a variety of reproductive behaviors, including combat, mate guarding by males, courtship, copulation, and nest guarding by females. We also observed King Cobras chasing, capturing and consuming snake prey, and two incidences of cannibalism. We present data on activity and movement patterns, and habitat use. Both males and females moved long distances during the pre-monsoon mating period. We often observed snakes climbing and resting high up in the forest canopy. We discuss our results in the context of ongoing conservation concerns, emphasizing potential effects of habitat fragmentation, and translocation of snakes 'rescued' from human habitations. We also discuss plans for long-term conservation of King Cobras, the entire herpetofaunal community.
Since 1984, I have studied various aspects of amphibian and reptile ecology and conservation. Most of my work has dealt with snakes in general and rattlesnakes in particular, with an emphasis in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts of Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico. I try to bridge the gap between applied and basic research, using natural history, ecological, behavioral, and genetic data to address conservation and management issues. I also have a strong interest in environmental education, and many of my projects have a significant educational component. I recently ended a five-year stint as the Sr. Co-chair of the Southwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. I am a member of the Science Advisory Board of the Malpai Borderlands Group.
09/30/09
Kathryn TosneyHow human selective breeding has changed Australian bearded dragons.
In America, our selective breeding of Australian bearded dragons has produced dragons in many striking colors; it has also unconsciously affected other dragon characteristics, such as size, morphology and health. For instance, the very form of dragons has changed in a way that is consistent with classic signs of domestication. This talk will briefly discuss how such changes come about, the good and bad consequences of inbreeding, and how to minimize unwanted outcomes. She will also talk about a possible physical indicator of inbreeding that may help us select the most genetically robust dragons.
Kathryn Tosney received her Ph.D. at Stanford University and did postdoctoral research at Yale University. She spent many years on the faculty at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and is a long-time member of the Michigan Society of Herpetologists. She is now Professor and Chair of the Biology Department at the University of Miami in warm and herp-rich Florida.
08/26/09
Mark MitchellUV In Snakes And Turtles
Dr. Mitchell will be speaking on UV in snakes and turtles. He is an associate professor in veterinary clinical medicine at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and teaches classes involving zoo and wildlife medicine. He has published over 300 manuscripts, scientific abstracts, books and book chapters. He has a wide range of interests involving all types of exotic animals. He is past president of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians and currently scientific editor of that society's Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine.
07/29/09
Kate JacksonMean and Lowly Things: Snakes, Science and Survival in the Congo
Kate Jackson earned her Ph.D. in biology from Harvard University in 2002. She is currently an assistant professor in the Biology Department of Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. The title of Dr. Jackson's PowerPoint presentation is the same as the title of her recent (2008) book from Harvard University Press. She will speak about her herpetological research in the Republic of Congo, and will be available to sign books following her talk. In her own words from the prologue to the book: '...this is the story of what went into producing a brief report of a survey of amphibians and reptiles, for publication in a scientific journal; the bureaucratic frustrations, disgusting food, parasites, diseases, linguistic confusion, complicated personalities, civil war, isolation, miserable living conditions, cultural misunderstandings, fear, danger, narrow escapes and also great kindnesses. In short, all the things they didn't prepare me for in graduate school at Harvard.'
06/24/09
Show and TellCHS members bring in their favorite pets and give a short 3-5 minute talk about the animal and field questions from the audience. Always one of the most popular meetings of the year. All animals must be properly contained for safe transportation to and from the meeting.
05/27/09
Bryan Grieg FryTopic-TBA
Dr. Fry heads a laboratory at the Department of Biochemistry in the Bio21 Institute of the University of Melbourne that specialises in the research of animal venoms. His life in his own words - ' My name is Dr. Bryan Grieg Fry and I consider myself to be one of the luckiest people alive. I get to travel the globe catching snakes with my lovely wife Alexia! Ever since I was a small child, all I have ever wanted to do is play with venomous animals for a living. Its quite a satisfying feeling to have this childhood obsession come true. It makes my mum feel a bit better about the myriad of strange, unusual and often dangerous animals that took up residence in our household during my years at home!' His most recent accomplishment is his paper on the venom system of the Komodo Dragaon and the extinct giant Megalania has been accepted for publication in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Science).
www.VenomDoc.com
04/29/09
Dave BarkerBall Pythons-He did actually write the book on them...enough said!!
Bio
Dave Barker is a professed life-long snake-aholic. He started his professional career in high school at Mural's Pet Center in Crystal Lake, IL. His first snake friends were Roger Repp and Dale Rover, also from Crystal Lake. Roger introduced Dave to the wonders of the Chicago Herp Society, and Dave and Roger attended CHS meetings in 1969 and 1970, riding the train to downtown and taking a taxi to the Academy of Science.
After high school, Dave went to WIU, where he majored in dropping classes and extracurricular snake-hunting. In 1975 he took a job at the Dallas Zoo Department of Herpetology. At the Dallas Zoo he had the opportunity to work with many unusual and poorly known snake species. During his 10-year tenure at the Dallas Zoo, he served as the Zoo's public lecturer, and as a supervisor in the Reptile House and also in the Children's Zoo.
In 1984 he left the Zoo to attend graduate school at UTA. He undertook a study of the geographic variation and natural history of the ridgenose rattlesnake, Crotalus willardi. The next four summers were spent doing field work in Mexico, New Mexico and Arizona; during the school year he taught the Comparative Anatomy labs.
In 1988 he again joined a zoo, this time as Curator of Education at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, TX. After 18 months he returned to UTA to complete graduate school.
In January 1990 he and wife Tracy started VPI, Inc., an incorporated commercial enterprise that specializes in the research and captive-propagation of pythons. They live in the beautiful Texas Hill Country and have two sons, a dog, a cat, two ferrets, and a turtle.
Dave Barker has published over 100 popular articles, and several dozen scientific papers. He is co-author of A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Texas (1984, Texas Monthly Press). He and Tracy have published two volumes in the Pythons of the World monograph. The second volume was recognized as 'The Best Animal Book of 2006' by the Independent Publishers Annual Awards. They currently are working on the third volume.
03/25/09
James ParhamHistorical and Ongoing Changes to Turtle Diversity and Distributions
Jim's academic credits span a broad range. His undergraduate degree is in geology from the University of Rhode Island, he worked on a dissertation in paleontology at U.C. Berkeley, and he's done post doc work in genomics and bioinformatics, the latter at the Biodiversity Synthesis Center (a component of the Encyclopedia of Life) housed in the Field Museum of Natural History. He's working on research projects in the Caribbean, China, the Middle East, and the U.S. His presentation will use his travels and research to show how human activities have affected turtles throughout the world. Jim is a speaker who brings a broad range of skills and expertise to the critical problems facing many reptiles, particularly turtles.
02/25/09
Timothy HermanFound and Lost: Discovery, Extirpation, and (hopefully) Reintroduction of the Kihansi Spray Toad
Discovered in 1996 during the construction of a hydroelectric facility in Tanzania, one of the world's only live-bearing frogs was extinct in the wild by the end of 2003. Successful captive assurance colonies at the Toledo and Bronx Zoos provide the only hope of survival for this highly endemic amphibian.
Timothy Herman grew up in Peoria Il, and received a B.S. from the University of Illinois in 2001. From 1994-1999 he volanteered at the Glen Oak Zoo under Doug Holmes. In 2001 he worked with Chris Phillips and the INHS doing field work and assisting graduate students. In December of 2001 he started at the Toledo Zoo in the herpetology department. His tenure there has taken him to Panama and Africa for various projects. Tim is also an instructor for the AZA's Amphibian Biology, Conservation, and Captive Management course hosted by the Toledo Zoo.
01/28/09
Dan ThompsonBlanding Turtle Recovery Project
more info coming soon.
12/30/08
Christmas PartyTUESDAY NIGHT at 6:30
Herpers are always ready to party and you are invited to join us for a post-Christmas bash.
Our meeting will start early this month at 6:30pm so that we can gather for a pot luck dinner. Tables will be set up to facilitate discussion about a variety of herps so, if you have questions about animals, this will be a great opportunity to meet and talk with an expert.
Meetings are free and open to the public so if you've never been to a meeting we hope to meet you in December.
As always you are encouraged to bring in your herps. Be aware of the weather and transport them in insulated secure containers.
11/26/08
CHS Election Night/Mike RedmerCome cast your vote and be involved in the next CHS board. AND
Current and looming issues in IL herp conservation.
Mike Redmer is a wildlife biologist for the Chicago field office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He currently is a member of the herp Endangered Species Technical Advisory Committee for the state of Illinois. He is on the advisory board of the Midwest Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC), a long-time member of the CHS, and the designated U.S.F.W.S. lead biologist for the eastern massasauga rattlesnake. He has worked for the Forest Preserve of DuPage County and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and is an accomplished speaker and wildlife photographer. With his extensive background in Illinois conservation and his depth of knowledge of Illinois herps, Mike will talk about the state of Illinois herp conservation and what it means to us. November is also the month the society will elect the board members for 2009.
10/29/08
Will Bird and Phil PeakField Herping techniques and what you can do...
Will Bird and Phil Peak will be discussing their new book on field herping techniques. These Kentucky natives have worked hard to be able to make contributions to the knowledge base of their local herps by contributing their field notes, voucher specimens (when needed), and their blood and sweat by being some of the hardest working field herpers around. Their hard work paid off in the past by finding record sized animals for both their state and the country as well as turning up the first Pine Snake in western Kentucky in decades which will hopefully lead to more conservation efforts by the state in that region. The talk will include many neat slides and their enthusiasm which is contagious. They will share some secret tips into their success in the field.
09/24/08
Mark Mitchell, DVM, MS,PHDReptile Reproductive Assistance Programs: from conservation to captive breeding.
Dr. Mitchell will cover semen collection in reptiles, gender determination via endoscopy, and semen storage. He is an associate professor in veterinary clinical medicine at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and teaches classes involving zoo and wildlife medicine. He has published over 300 manuscripts, scientific abstracts, books and book chapters. He has a wide range of interests involving all types of exotic animals. He is past president of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians and currently scientific editor of that society's Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine.
08/27/08
Michael LannooAmphibian Deformities
Dr. Michael Lannoo is the guru of declining amphibian topics. He is a professor at the Muncie Center for Medical Education at Indiana University School of Medicine teaching neurology. His field studies have taken him from Jamaica to Antarctica. He is the leading figure in the study of amphibian declines and malformations, and lectures widely about frog malformations. He's an author, editor and is the U.S. coordinator of the Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force. In 2001 he won the Field Museum's Parker Gentry Award for Conservation Biology. An engaging speaker with keen insight into the amphibian problem, Dr. Lannoo will talk about frog malformations and environmental threats. He recently published 'Malformed Frogs: the Collapse of Aquatic Ecosystems.'
07/30/08
Ben EvansMolecular markers shed light on cryptic diversity and evolutionary processes: case studies from Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Identifying distinct evolutionary lineages and characterizing their distribution poses challenges to biodiversity conservation. This is particularly true in parts of the world that are poorly studied, and in species complexes whose morphology is highly conserved. In this seminar I will discuss herpetological research that combines fieldwork and molecular genetics to uncover previously uncharacterized diversity. In doing so, this work helps us better understand evolutionary processes that contributed to this variation and offers practical information for biodiversity conservation. We will first focus on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi where geological and ecological factors have generated similar patterns of diversity among multiple species. We will then we will turn to the Itombwe Plateau in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where recent studies have uncovered a previously uncharacterized species of clawed frog that is emblematic of the high conservation value of this poorly studied area.
Ben Evans has been an Assistant Professor at McMaster University since 2004. He earned a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Tufts University in Massachusetts, a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Columbia University in New York, and did postdoctoral work in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on evolution and population genetics of natural populations, and on molecular evolution and expression of duplicate genes.
06/25/08
CHS Annual Show and TellCHS members bring in their favorite pets and give a short 3-5 minute talk about the animal and field questions from the audience. Always one of the most popular meetings of the year. All animals must be properly contained for safe transportation to and from the meeting.
05/28/08
Kevin MessengerHERPETOFAUNA OF SHENNONGJIA NATIONAL RESERVE, HUBEI PROVINCE, CHINA
Kevin Messenger is a graduate from NC State University, receiving his B.S. in zoology in May of 2006. Three days after graduating he was on a plane to China for four months to study herps in a remote region of central China. His job was to survey the 800,000 acre forests of Shennongjia National Reserve; a location that previously had never been surveyed for herps. Not only was he going to be spending most of his time hiking the backwoods of China, but none of the reserve officials knew English very well, meaning Kevin had to have a crash course in Mandarin before going over.
His study in China entailed surveying for herps at various field stations dotted throughout the reserve, ranging from 2,000 ft to 10,000 ft. Part of his job was to introduce western techniques for finding herps, as well as provide the reserve with any sort of conservation measures he could think of along the way. Several obstacles were encountered during the trip, such as poor ID guides and a mandatory assistant that just happened to be afraid of snakes! Kevin? research in 2006 was only half of his project (a study he is ultimately planning to use towards a Master? degree); he plans to return for a one month stay later this year in July, and then wrap up his study with one more summer session, currently planned for 2009.
His talk will primarily be a slide show of some of the amazing animals from this region, interspaced with some graphs and notes on some of his results.
Presently, Kevin works full time as an emergency vet tech in Raleigh, NC, while continuing to take post-baccalaureate classes (mostly Chinese) as he shops around for a graduate school.
04/30/08
Bill LoveHERP PHOTOGRAPHY: Beyond Snapshots
Everyone has a new digital camera these days, and their images of herps are all over the Internet. With so many pics for surfers to look at, how do you make yours stand out from the crowd to display that great field encounter, show off your pet, or sell your offspring? Let this new PowerPoint talk show you how to improve your photography and get your shots noticed. The kind of camera you use doesn? matter. This presentation, by veteran herp shutterbug Bill Love emphasizes the art and technique of capturing great images, not complicated, confusing gadgetry.
Bill Love's herpetological career started about age 5 in New Jersey finding box turtles in the woods near his home. During his youth, a favorite pastime was exploring the woods and ponds to watch and catch the local herps. That habit fully blossomed when he moved to Florida in his mid-teens. A few years later, he started making month-long drives across the U.S. annually to see wild herps, meet herp people, and learn about the emerging art of herpetoculture.
In the late 1970s, he operated a mobile live herp exhibit with two partners, setting up at large malls across the country. Lecturing at schools and civic groups was a typical adjunct job that improved his public speaking ability. The chance to travel and see so many herp species in zoos, private collections, and in nature also led to a serious interest in herp photography; it eventually evolved into one of Bill? passions. His images can be seen today in hundreds of books, magazines, calendars, websites, and advertisements.
Bill and Kathy Love built a collection of herps in the 1980s and honed their skills on reproducing them with great success. Bill later formed Glades Herpetoculture (shortened to Glades Herp when he went into partnership as a full line herp dealership by late 1989). In the following years, he developed a knack for writing while answering customers questions on the company? pricelist. REPTILES magazine, recognizing that talent and his broad background in the herp hobby and industry, recruited him as a monthly columnist in 1993.
Besides active writing and herp photography careers, today Bill leads wildlife eco-tours to Madagascar for his company Blue Chameleon Ventures. Getting out in the field to enjoy herps, and sharing them with the world via words and pictures, is a favorite pursuit. He also still travels to present talks and slideshows, and contributes freelance herp articles regularly.
http://www.bluechameleon.org/03/26/08
Bryan SusonHerps of Ecuador
Bryan is a 2005 graduate of Lake Forest College, receiving his B.S. in Environmental Sciences, with a Minor in Communications. Bryan has had a great deal of experience traveling throughout the world in pursuit of finding and photographing what he believes to be some of the most amazing wildlife in existence. These destinations include Australia, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, and various sites within the United States. Spending 3 months in Ecuador, he participated in various different projects ranging from Eleutherodactylus frog population studies, to dung beetle diversity along elevational gradients in the E. Andes.
He currently works as the Head Animal Keeper at the Wildlife Discovery Center on a part time basis. He has completed the WDC venomous certification program. His work run is mainly composed of venomous reptiles, but also includes monitors and geckos. His personal collection at home is dominated by a beautiful group of Green tree pythons (Morelia viridis), the best snake there is.
02/27/08
John C. MurphyHomalopsid Snakes and the Herpetofauna of Thailand
John is a long time educator, herpetologist, research assistant at the Field Museum, and author. His most recent book Homalopsid Snakes, Evolution in the Mud brings together important information and new knowledge about this fascinating group of snakes. John? travels have taken him to some beautiful places where he has taken photos of a huge range of herps and their environments. John will share his photos, experiences in Thailand, and knowledge of Homalopsids with us at the meeting. To see more of his photos go to his website http://www.jcmnaturalhistory.com.
01/30/08
Zoltan Takacs, Ph.D. University of Chicago, Pritzker School of MedicineHow the cobra escapes its venom
Hungarian-born Zoltan Takacs has been fascinated by reptiles since early childhood and started to pursue venomous snakes at age 14, an addiction he never gave up. His main academic interest is the molecular basis of snake venom resistance -- why cobras, sea snakes, and mongooses are not affected by elapid neurotoxins. He obtained his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Columbia University and currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago. A wildlife photographer, scuba diver, and aircraft pilot, Zoltan's quest for snakes has taken him to over 110 countries, and his work has been featured several times on the National Geographic Channel. More info:
-Summary of Talk-
Snake venom could kill a prey or predator in minutes, nevertheless snakes themselves are resistant to their own venoms. Zoltan's talk will explore this secret from the field to the lab bench. He takes us through the highs and lows of collecting venomous snakes in remote tropical wilderness, obtaining tissue samples, and testing the molecular mechanism of resistance in cobras, sea snakes, and mongooses back at the University of Chicago.
http://zoltantakacs.com10/31/07
Zachary MarchettiThe Beautiful and the Deadly
Zach grew up in the small town of Camden, Maine where he spent his summers in the woods avoiding the crowds of summer tourists by fishing, hiking, camping and exploring the mountains and nearby lakes. Zach? interest in reptiles blossomed during some volunteer work in Ecuador. He was subsequently hired by Global Vision International as a full time staff member on their Ecuadorian Wildlife Conservation project
Zach is now a keeper and lecturer for Clyde Peeling's Reptiland in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. He will accompany the Peeling Productions exhibit for Reptiles. The Beautiful and the Deadly as the keeper and public presenter. This live exhibition features turtles, crocodilians, lizards and snakes and will be hosted by the Notebaert Nature Museum through January 13th. In addition to Zach's lecture at the October meeting, CHS members are invited to a viewing of the exhibit the evening of the November meeting at 6:00pm.
09/26/07
Dr. Daniel D. BeckBiology of Bumpy Lizards, New Icons of the Value of Biodiversity
Daniel D. Beck is a professor of biology at Central Washington University in Ellensburg Washington. Growing up along the Wasatch front in Utah, Daniel D. Beck found his early calling by keeping chickens and catching snakes, for which he built special cages. After stints as a zookeeper and a cabinetmaker, Dan earned BS and MS degrees in biology from Utah State University and a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Arizona . His research on the ecology, physiology, and behavior of helodermatid lizards and rattlesnakes spans 25 years, and has taken him throughout the deserts of the Southwestern U.S. and the Tropical Dry Forests of Mexico and Guatemala. Once, while doing fieldwork in Sonora, Mexico, a Gila Monster even crawled into Dan? sleeping bag! Considered the foremost authority on helodermatid lizards, Dan's new book Biology of Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards was released in summer of 2005 by the University of California Press. His interest in building also persists as many friends helped Dan and his family build a straw-bale house they now inhabit in Ellensburg, Washington.
08/29/07
Dr. Douglas MaderMedical Marvels in Herp Medicine
Dr. Mader, a graduate from the University of California, Davis in 1986, is the co-owner the Marathon Veterinary Hospital, a referral hospital in the Conch Republic. Dr. Mader is a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Canine and Feline Practice) and is a Fellow in the Royal Society of Medicine. Currently he is the consulting veterinarian for the Marathon Sea Turtle Hospital, the Monroe County Sheriff's Zoo, the Key West Aquarium and the Theater of the Sea. Dr. Mader has published numerous articles in scientific and veterinary journals and is on the review boards of several scientific journals.
You may be familiar with Dr. Mader through his monthly column in Reptiles magazine, Veterinarian Q and A and if you've ever taken a herp to the vet, you've likely benefited from his book, Reptile Medicine and Surgery, which is the standard veterinary textbook on the subject.
Dr. Mader is an internationally acclaimed lecturer in high demand so we are lucky to have him as a speaker.
07/25/07
Jim HarrisonThe evolution of venom extraction
Jim Harrison is the director of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo and an acclaimed expert in the field of venom extraction. He has been studying venom for over 30 years and currently extracts from more than 600 animals per week. Jim has a busy schedule but makes time to give presentations about the many unique and almost unbelievable experiences he has had. His lifestyle is one that not many people could handle, or may not even want to attempt, because his life is put on the line each time he takes out a venomous snake for extraction but he provides a valuable product that can save lives.
05/30/07
Chris LechowiczThe 2006 Madagascar Tortoise Tour
Chris, herpetologist at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation in Southwest Florida and longtime CHS member, will talk about his experiences as researcher and tour co-leader on his month long trip to Madagascar. He conducted research on all 4 native tortoises and will present a powerpoint slide show depicting the research and the many amazing herps that he encountered.
04/25/07
Dr. Carl GerhardtVocal Communication in Frogs
Dr. Carl Gerhardt is a professor from the University of Missouri, Columbia.
03/28/07
James H. HardingComparative Life Histories of the Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) and the Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta): Implications for Conservation.
James H. Harding is recognized as the expert on Michigan's amphibians and reptiles, is a research herpetologist specializing in the conservation biology of turtles, and is an instructor at Michigan State University, a mongmany other prestigious positions. He is the author or co-author of four popular books on reptiles and amphibians (listed below), and has written many articles for academic journals, newspapers and magazines. His expertise and advice is often sought by natural resource agencies and private organizations in their management and conservation efforts to protect Michigan's reptiles and amphibians. Michigan Snakes, 2006. Michigan Turtles and Lizards, 1990. Michigan Frogs,Toads, and Salamanders, 1992. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region, 1997.
02/28/07
Whitney BanningEcology of the Blanding's turtle at a Northeastern Illinois Prairie-Wetland Community
Whitney is currently a graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and working for the Illinois Natural History Survey. She has been involved with turtle research in the Chicagoland area for three years and recently completed her M.S. at UIUC on the ecology of Blanding's turtles at the Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve.
01/31/07
Dr. Robert BrodmanDr. Bob's Wild Herping Adventures in Africa
Dr. Bodman is professor of biology and environmental science at Saint Joseph's College, Indiana.
10/25/06
Marty CrumpAmazing Frogs: Appearance, Behavior and Lifestyle
Marty is an adjunct professor of biology at Northern Arizona University.
09/27/06
Dan PearsonKeeping and Breeding the Malagasy Spider and Flat-tailed Tortoises, Pyxis arachnoides and P. planicauda
These species are listed as Vulnerable and Endangered, respectively, on the IUCN Red Data List. Both species were exported from Madagascar in large numbers during 2000 and 2001. Dan currently lives in Gainesville, FL.
08/30/06
Mike RedmerPilgrimage to Panama Presented in PowerPoint: An Old-Fashioned CHS Travelogue, Sans Slides.
This presentation will chronicle the highlights of Mike's recent trip to Panama in May 2006. The purpose of the trip was to see and photograph some of the last Panamanian golden frogs (Atelopus zeteki) remaining in the wild. Atelopus zeteki and other Central American amphibians are being driven to extinction by the spread of Chytridomycosis, a fungal infection that is apparently infective to populations living at medium to high-elevations, and it is believed that the remaining wild golden frogs will not survive more than 1-2 more years. The presentation will be loaded with color photographs covering some of the culture and natural history of this important Latin American Nation, and will discuss some of the efforts to conserve it's unique amphibians.
07/26/06
Bob HendersonTree Boas of Grenada.
05/31/06
William Griswold, DVMHiding in Plain Sight: Florida's Overlooked Herpetofauna.
Although few states can rival the diversity of reptiles and amphibians found in Florida, many of the Sunshine State's rarest, most unusual, and most unique reptiles and amphibians remain unknown to the average herpetologist. Dr. Griswold will share photographs, natural history vignettes, and personal experiences from eighteen years of field herping throughout Florida.
04/26/06
To be announced03/29/06
Thomas EimermacherSwimming with Cobras.
Thomas, a graduate student in biology at Southeastern Louisiana University, will give an account of an expedition he led to study Storm's water cobra, Boulengerina annulata stormsi, which inhabits Lake Tanganyika in Western Tanzania.
02/22/06
Alan KardonCrotalus polystictus: A Long-term Mark and Recapture Study
Alan, curator of the Reptile/Amphibian/Aquarium Department at the San Antonio Zoo, will speak on Life History Traits of the Lance-headed Rattlesnake, Crotalus polystictus. Alan and his colleagues have discovered that this tropical Mexican rattlesnake differs in many interesting ways from the temperate species that are more familiar to most of us. Alan will also present photos from recent trips to the Mexican states of Durango and Zacatecas.
01/25/06
Dr. Paul T. AndreadisI Like to Watch: Insights from Observing Herps.
Paul is a visiting Assistant Professor at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Paul will show a field video of various herps (and other animals), with emphasis on the foraging behavior of cottonmouths. His suggestion to all is: In captivity, admire them, but admire what they do as well as how they look. In the field, catch if you must, but watch first if you can.
11/30/05
Bob BavirshaBob will speak to us about some of his impressive animals and will bring in some live examples.
10/26/05
Tom JohnsonTom, the author of The Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri and former state herpetologist for Missouri, will speak about his 10 favorite Missouri herps.
09/28/05
Roger ReppArizona Herpetological Potpourri: The Last 35 mm Slide Show?
Naturalist and rabid avocational field herpetologist Roger Repp will present Arizona Herpetological Potpourri: The Last 35 mm Slide Show? In this presentation, Roger will spurn the use of PowerPoint, maps and charts. He will instead use the best slides of 25 different herpetographers to demonstrate cryptic coloration, color polymorphism, color ontogeny, and natural history aspects of the herpetofauna of Arizona. Roger will take us from the sandy dune country of Arizona to the forested peaks, and include in situ shots of wild herps captured in incredible behaviors. Roger promises that there will be something for all lovers of herps in this program.
08/31/05
Jeff EttlingOperation Armenian Viper: Radio-tracking Vipers in Khosrov Reserve
Jeff, Curator of Herpetology and Aquatics at the St. Louis Zoo, will speak about populations of the Armenian viper, Montivipera raddei and how they have experienced a steady decline over the past twenty years as a result of human pressures. Data from this study will be used to prepare a conservation management plan for the species.
06/29/05
Dr. Philip A. CochranEcology of Wood Turtles in Northeast Wisconsin and Their Potential Role as Seed Dispersers.
Dr. Cochran is a professor of biology at Saint Mary's University in Winona, Minnesota.
05/25/05
Dr. Emily N. TaylorWhy Are Male Rattlesnakes Larger than Females?
Most rattlesnake species show sexual size dimorphism, with males being larger than females. Dr. Taylor, of Arizona State University, will describe a series of experiments she conducted to determine the mechanism responsible for this dimorphism, and will discuss its evolutionary and ecological significance.
04/27/05
Charlie PainterHerpetological Miscellany from New Mexico.
Charlie has worked as staff herpetologist with NMDGF for 20 years. His main interests include conservation and natural history of southwestern amphibians and reptiles. Current projects include investigations of the status and distribution of sand dune lizards, Chiricahua leopard frogs, Jemez Mountains salamanders, and denning ecology of prairie rattlesnakes.
03/30/05
Rebecca ChristoffelLearning to Live with the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake.
Rebecca Christoffel, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University and who received a CHS grant for this project two years ago, will describe her public education and outreach efforts in southeast Michigan.
02/23/05
Nathaniel J. Dominy, Ph.DThe Sensory Biology of Reptiles
Dr. Dominy is a professor in anthropology at UC-Santa Cruz. Although his research emphasizes the sensory ecology of primates, he has abroad interest in the sensory biology of reptiles, particularly their visual systems. The visual system of reptiles differs quite remarkably from our own because reptiles have four instead of three cone photo pigments in the retina. The substance of Dr. Dominy's talk will focus on how reptiles use vision and color in an ecological context, from foraging to sexual signaling.
01/26/05
Maureen KearneyTwo Difficult Problems in Herpetology: The Origin of Worm Lizards and the Origin of Snakes.
Maureen works at the Field Museum of Natural History.
