Encyclopedias: herpatology

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Monday, December 7, 2009

Herpdigest Volume # 9 Issue #54 12/6/09

HerpDigest.org: The Only Free Weekly Electronic Newsletter That Reports on The Latest News on Herpetological Conservation, Husbandry and Science
Volume # 9 Issue #54 12/6/09
Publisher/Editor- Allen Salzberg
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2010 FULL COLOR TURTLE CALENDAR $13.99 Plus $6.00 S&H- (Few Left not re-ordering)
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"TURTLES: THE ANIMAL ANSWER GUIDE." By Whit Gibbons and Judy Greene
of the Savannah River Ecology Lab. © 2009 176 pages, 35 color photos, 64 halftones, Paperback., 7" x 11"-$24.95 PLUS $6.00 S&H (Limited number of autographed copies left)
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Table of Contents
1) Japanese zoo donates 6 giant salamanders to Smithsonian
2) The Londonist, 12/5/09
3) Strafford Man Fined For Selling Protected Turtles
4) Florida Python Hunts To Be A Year-Round Effort
5) Popular Herbicide (Atrazine) Affects Sexual Development in Frogs, Research Finds
6) New N.C. Laws on Reptiles
7) As Sales Vanish, Skins Stay on Alligators (Alligator Farming Business Crashes)
8) Can Murals Save Turtles?

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"THE FROGS AND TOADS OF NORTH AMERICA" is an amazing book.
It contains:
A CD of all 101 species found in US & Canada./Almost 400 great color photos
101 color location maps /In just 344 pages.
Books this comprehensive usually go for at least $50.00.to &75.00. Or just $19.95 for the
CD. But the publisher is offering it JUST FOR $19.95 Plus 7.50 S&H.(See below on how to order)
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1) Japanese zoo donates 6 giant salamanders to Smithsonian
HIROSHIMA - 12/5/09

Six rare and highly protected Japanese giant salamanders bred and raised at the Asa Zoological Park in Hiroshima City will be sent Monday to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, officials of the two zoos said Friday.

The huge amphibians-two 19-year-old females and four 11-year-olds comprising two of each sex-were all born at Asa, the only zoo in the world where the species has been successfully bred on a regular basis.
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2) The Londonist, 12/5/09

The Saturday Strangeness (excerpt - editor, Interesting, to show how clean the Thames is they mention two ialien species - turtle has to be a snnaper. (Chelydra)

The River Thames was once so polluted that it harboured little life. Now, the river is said to be so clean that many species of creature are said to lurk in its depths. Over the years reports of whales have made national news. Seahorses have also found their way to the waterway, whilst on rare occasions leather-back turtles and walking cat-fish have also been discovered. Certainly the last big fish to have been caught in the Thames were the sturgeon and more recently a Wels catfish, but there is one obscure rumour that a shark was once caught!
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3) Strafford Man Fined For Selling Protected Turtles
Wednesday, December 2, 2009 4:
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Springfield News-Leader) - A Strafford turtle breeder has been fined $5,000 for selling a protected Missouri turtle species to Japan.

Prosecutors say 51-year-old John F. Richards is the owner of Loggerhead Acres Turtle Farm. He was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Springfield for unlawful exportation of protected turtles.

In 2004, federal and state investigators found Richards was commercially raising Missouri native species such as Mississippi map turtles, Ouachita map turtles, river cooters and alligator snapping turtles.

Richards was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2008 on four counts of violating the Lacey Act, a federal wildlife protection law. He pleaded guilty in May.
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4) Florida Python Hunts To Be A Year-Round Effort
December 4, 2009, Los Angles Times

Florida wildlife officials have announced that the state-sanctioned hunting of Burmese pythons will be resumed in January and will be a year-round effort.

The four-month pilot hunting program ended in October, with 39 of the invasive species captured.

Snake owners who released pythons when they became too large to manage are believed largely responsible for this troubling phenomenon. The snakes, which are reproducing in the wild, have become a threat to native wildlife.

"We were able to collect some initial data during the first phase of this program that will help us determine the extent of the population on state-managed land," Scott Hardin, exotic species coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said in a news release.

Applications are required and only qualified applicants will be approved. Florida residency is a must, as is possessing a reptile-of-concern permit plus experience in capturing and handling the snakes and knowledge of euthanizing reptiles.

The constrictors can measure 18 feet long and weigh 160 pounds, and wildlife officials say they could number in the tens of thousands in the South Florida region -- mostly in the Everglades.

"We want to continue allowing experts out there to ensure this exotic species does not spread any farther north in Florida," added Hardin.
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5) Popular Herbicide (Atrazine) Affects Sexual Development in Frogs, Research Finds

ScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2009) - The controversy surrounding the unintended effects of herbicide and pesticide use has intensified as researchers from the University of Ottawa's Department of Biology have identified that atrazine, a heavily-used herbicide, alters the sexual development in frogs.

There have been numerous scientific and journalistic reports on the detrimental effects of herbicides, including atrazine, yet investigations by other research teams report no adverse effects of the popular herbicide.

In an attempt to help resolve differences between the various reports, Dr. Vance Trudeau and his team at the University of Ottawa's Centre for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics developed a system to evaluate the effects of a commercial formulation of atrazine. Specifically, PhD student Valérie Langlois applied it to outdoor tanks where tadpoles of leopard frogs were kept for an entire spring and summer. Under these semi-natural conditions in mesocosms, the levels of atrazine were low and comparable to those measured in the Canadian environment.

At the end of the summer, the results showed that atrazine levels in the tanks were at levels within currently acceptable guidelines. However, researchers also found that the herbicide reduced the number of tadpoles reaching the froglet stage. Also noteworthy was that atrazine had a feminizing effect on the animal, resulting in sex ratios favouring females, with a reduced number of males.

This study, recently available online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, raises important questions about the level of atrazine in the environment, and its negative effects on animal development.

Atrazine is one of the top selling herbicides used worldwide and was designed to inhibit weed growth in cornfields. It is so widely used that it can be detected in many rivers, streams and in some water supplies. This has raised the alarm on the possibility of other serious detrimental environmental effects.

Adapted from materials provided by University of Ottawa.
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6) New N.C. Laws on Reptiles
by Gary D. Robertson, AP 12/1/09

RALEIGH - People who own crocodiles, venomous snakes and large pythons in North Carolina must secure them in containers and face prosecution if the reptiles gravely attack a friend or stranger in legislation that takes effect Tuesday in North Carolina.

The minimum safety requirements for keeping dangerous reptiles are designed to update an abridged 60-year-old reptile law, said Andrew Wyatt of Coinjock, president of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers. Increasing numbers of people now own these reptiles as a pet or for business who aren't linked to zoos or museums.

"People that want to work with these type of animals are going to have to meet best industry management practices," said Wyatt, who helped draft the state legislation sponsored by Sen. Ed Jones, D-Halifax. "They're going to have to step up to the plate to make sure that all the proper protocols are adhered to."

Private owners now will have to store or transport venomous reptiles, large constricting snakes and nonnative crocodilians in "escape-proof" and "bite-proof" enclosures with a working lock. The enclosures must be labeled to include emergency contact information and what should happen if the reptile bites someone or escapes.

Someone who intentionally or negligently handles these reptiles in an unsafe manner could be charged with a misdemeanor. The owner could face up to 150 days in jail if someone besides a family member or employee suffers a life-threatening injury or dies as a result. A current owner who doesn't want to follow the new rules also could face a similar punishment if the person releases a nonnative reptile into the wild, instead of finding a new owner.
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7) As Sales Vanish, Skins Stay on Alligators (Alligator Farming Business Crashes)
RACELAND, La.11/30/09 by Campbell Robertson, New York Times

After five years, Tommy Fletcher and his alligator farming business are facing irreconcilable differences.
"It's like a marriage," he said. "It was a bumpy road, and then all of a sudden it was over."
The alligator industry makes for an odd mix of hardy men on the bayou who smoke Camels and drive crumbling pickup trucks, and Paris and New York fashion setters who consider it reasonable to spend $12,000 on an alligator-strap watch.
This peculiar relationship worked well enough for decades, but it has soured as of late. Last year Louisiana farmers, who produce most of the world's alligator skins, collected over 500,000 eggs from the wild. This year, for the first time, most farmers did not pick up any.
The economy is the lead culprit. Since the fall of 2008, even wealthy customers have begun balking at the price of alligator skin products, which can range from the expensive to the wildly expensive. Bumper crops in previous years, people in the industry say, left an oversupply just as the luxury market began to falter.
But some farmers insist that the newfound frugality of the Gucci set cannot by itself explain the absolute washout of the alligator business. More than a few are beginning to blame the practices of executives in the European fashion business.
"How can this industry fall out so quickly?" Stephen Bonnecarrere asked while tossing live alligators into bins at his father-in-law's farm outside Houma. "It happened too fast."
Since the 1980s, the State Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has worked with farmers to maintain the state's alligator population, estimated at one million to two million.
Alligator farming is hard, messy, costly work, and the lifestyle could not be further from that of the eventual Bergdorf Goodman shopper browsing for a pair of alligator skin loafers. Farmers, often in father-son teams, mark alligator nesting sites from helicopters, then go into the swamps by boat to gather the eggs, fending off mama gators with a pole. (By law, 12 percent of the grown alligators are returned to the wild.)
The landowners are paid for the eggs, and it is expensive to raise an alligator once hatched. The big ones - those that could end up as lavender handbags - tend to bite one another, making the skins worthless. So roughly 9 of 10 alligators reach their demise when they are only about four feet long.
Stolid men wade into shallow tanks and pull the alligators out by hand. Biting happens. After the gators are killed with a stab to the brain, they are skinned and sorted: heads and claws for the French Quarter souvenir shops, meat for the Cajun restaurants, guts for turtles, dogs or anything else whose tastes run that way.
For decades, the skins would be sold to 10 or 15 independent, often family-owned tanneries around the world that specialized in reptile skin, or so-called exotics. The prices were generally good, even generous. Some farmers, the ones that ran big operations, made millions of dollars.
The tanneries in turn would sell to the high-end fashion houses like Cartier, Hermès and Gucci, and from there the alligator would end up wrapped around someone's wrist.
But things changed. In the mid 1990s, Hermès began buying tanneries and, as of a couple of years ago, became the largest player in the exotic tannery business.
Hermès bought aggressively from the farmers, and is still buying, though recently at prices far lower than in the past and lower even than the price of raising an alligator. All of this could be attributed to a very bad market. Luxury watch sales, on which the farmers are hugely dependent, are off by as much as 25 percent. But farmers look at the situation and say something does not add up.
While the tanneries are offering farmers little for their raw product, citing the recession, fashion houses are complaining about the astronomical prices for tanned hides. Many labels are giving up and moving away from alligator altogether, and well-known luxury brands like Manolo Blahnik say it is increasingly difficult to make a profit on such an expensive product.
"Every time I go to Neiman Marcus and say every year the price is going up, they fight me tooth and nail," said George D. Malkemus III, the president of Manolo Blahnik. "They say, 'I'm not going to spend $4,000 for an alligator shoe.' "
If alligator is still popular but is simply unaffordable, asked Zachary Casey, who until three years ago owned one of the largest farms in the state, why are thousands of the reptiles sitting unwanted in Louisiana? And why have prices for the raw product dropped so low? He says Hermès is hoarding the skins, forcing other fashion houses to pay dearly and leaving the farmers with few other options.
Caroline Schwartz-Mailhe, a spokeswoman for Hermès, said in an e-mail message that the company bought only about a third of the skins produced in Florida, Georgia and Louisiana, far from a monopoly. Ms. Schwartz-Mailhe added that the continued aggressive buying from farmers was a way "to support them in these difficult times and to respond to Hermès' increasing development in alligator skins."
Recent signs suggest that the luxury market is rebounding, at least somewhat. But some of the smaller farms simply will not make it.
Mr. Fletcher has been losing $15,000 a month on his little farm off the highway here near Raceland, about 50 miles southwest of New Orleans. He found a python and a loggerhead turtle and is considering opening a roadside zoo for tourists. But the plan of making it big in alligators, which once seemed like a good idea, has left him heavily in debt.
"I guess it's like being married to Miss America," Mr. Fletcher said. "You get all the benefits of the hugs and kisses, but she's mighty high maintenance."
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8) Can Murals Save Turtles?
12/1/09 -From The School for Field Studies http://bit.ly/8c3Un6

Murals depicting marine life can be found in most towns on the Baja
peninsula in Mexico - on restaurant walls, the façades of schools, or the
sides of gas stations. What were once drab, white block walls now feature
large illustrations of endangered sea turtles in a variety of scenes: a
grinning anthropomorphic turtle recycling a bag of plastics, a bale of
turtles feeding on shrimp; a group of citizens releasing "Adelita," a famed
local equipped with a transmitter to track her migration. In nearby
Magdalena Bay, their real-life counterparts slice and row through the waters
of their breeding ground with large teardrop shaped shells, rubbery
flippers, and little, blunt heads. These endangered turtles are the flagship
species of conservation in Baja and murals act as tools of a larger movement
to protect marine flora and fauna.

How does a college student with a combined major in art history and
environmental studies make use of this phenomenon? Alyssa Irizarry, a senior
at Tufts University, used hers to create an award winning research project
while studying in Baja, Mexico last spring with The School for Field Studies
(SFS). Her pioneering project Imaging Conservation: Sea Turtle Murals and
their Affect on Communities' Environmental Consciousness and Behaviors in
Baja California Sur, Mexico, which won her the School's Distinguished
Student Researcher Award, not only broke ground in academic circles but also
reinforced the mission of this conservation movement in Mexico.

Irizarry set out to discover just how much of an impact these murals make on
local awareness, opinions, and actions in regard to conservation. Her
project contributed to a component of the SFS Center for Coastal Studies'
Five Year Research Plan, which investigates the outcomes of the sea turtle
conservation movement in Baja California Sur. Under the direction of SFS
professor A.J. Schneller, she sought to better understand how this medium
works as an effective means of developing local awareness of an
environmental issue, which could in turn incite community behavior change.
Complementary to the School's scientific methods, her work posed the
question, "Can the artist as well as the scientist make a contribution to
toward developing this environmental ethic?"

Public murals throughout Mexico's history have not always been utilized as a
tool for environmental conservation. Nor have they always been designed to
be purely aesthetic. In her paper Irizarry outlined a history of public art
in Mexico as a platform for protest and social commentary. Jose Guadalupe
Posada, whose early 20th century prints, often depicting skeletons living
the high life with fancy hats and drinks in hand, not only mocked bourgeois
attitudes in a time of social strife but also conveyed ideas that were both
accessible and easy to understand by the general public. Irizarry cites
McCaughan (2000) who said that public art can be a "function of democracy
inspiring public debate and a sense of entitlement among broad sectors of
the population." She argues that sea turtle murals can be used as a powerful
tool to transmit conservation ideals as well as bring together a community
that may be conflicted.

Indeed, the sea turtle has acted as an icon of conflicting cultural values
throughout Baja's recent history according to Irizarry. Since Spanish
colonization, sea turtle meat has been heralded as an important food item
which continues to present day. Beginning in the mid 1900s, they were
commercially harvested in Baja for trade in the international market.
Overexploitation caused the collapse of turtle populations in the 1980s.
Despite a federal ban in the 1990s on the extraction, capture, and pursuit
of all sea turtle species, their consumption remains an important cultural
tradition in many communities. Furthermore, economic activity of Baja
depends on marine resources and fishing, in spite of decreasing productivity
and overexploitation. Irizarry's survey responses, however, show a trend
that indicates a shift away from the consumption of sea turtles and the
"increase in the desire to care for them." Sea turtles are becoming an icon
of preservation rather than nutrition.

The seeds of preservation were initially planted in community consciousness
with the formation of Grupo Tortuguero in 1999, a marine conservation
organization with the goal of enhancing public cooperation and participation
through a community-based, grassroots model. The group is made up of
concerned fisherman, scientists, and NGO representatives from acrossNorth
America. Grupo Tortuguero has received international attention and has led
to the formation of other community groups around Mexico, all encouraging
civic engagement in the protection of Baja's marine resources. The sea
turtle, their flagship species, is used as a visible community icon of their
message in various creative outlets including murals, comic books, videos,
and posters.

All of Irizarry's surveys results from town showed that exposure to sea
turtle murals are especially effective in developing pro-environmental
consciousness and possible action. As Irizarry states in her paper, "It is
unknown whether or not the actions are realized, but sea turtle murals can
provide the motivation for community discussion and participation in turtle
conservation." Students and adults alike responded that their behaviors were
affected beyond the initial attraction to the mural's aesthetic qualities. A
substantial number of students reported that sea turtle murals were a strong
reminder to the plight of the species. Irizarry attributes this to existing
knowledge on sea turtles arising from exposure to environmental education in
schools and suggests that viewing the murals reinforces the message.

Irizarry's research project provides both a fresh contribution to academia
of art history and environmental studies and a rural Mexican community with
meaningful information. In discussing a future career she says, "Ideally, I
would love to do environmental education with children or young adults using
art. I think encouraging an environmental ethic at a young age is critical
if we want an environmentally conscious future generation, which we
undoubtedly need. Art can be a way to get students to think outside of the
box, see the environment from a different perspective, and build
appreciation for it."

What does a college student with an award winning project on murals and sea
turtle conservation under her belt do next? After graduation from Tufts,
Irizarry hopes to intern at the SFS Center for Coastal Studies in Baja where
she will continue her mural research in secondary schools.
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Still available:

2010 FULL COLOR TURTLE CALENDAR $13.99 Plus $6.00 S&H

THE COMPLETE NORTH AMERICAN BOX TURTLE
Carl J. Franklin, and David C. Killpack with foreword by C. Kenneth Dodd (who wrote the now classic "Natural History of North American Box Turtles"
Just published. 260 Pages Over 300 full color photos and illustrations.
Hardcover, Eco/Serpent's Tales
Only $49.95 plus $7.50 S&H, lowest price on net
Not even Amazon who are offering it for $59.95.

THE TURTLES OF U.S. & CANADA by Carl Ernst and Jeffrey Lovich, 2009, 840 pp. 240 color photos, 11 line drawings, 52 maps, 8 ½" X 11
Two autographed copies left at list price $95.00
Non-autographed copies on sale for $75.00
($6.00 for S&H sent media mail, delivery confirmation)

THE ECOLOGY, EXPLOITATION AND CONSERVATION OF RIVER TURTLES
by Don Moll and Edward O. Moll. Considered by turtle scientists, and conservationists as one of the best books on turtle conservation. 420 pages; 90 halftones & 3 line illus.; 6-1/8 x 9-1/4; List price $80, now $30.00 plus $7.50 S&H.(3 copies left at this price)

"THE BIOLOGY OF BOAS AND PYTHONS"
Edited by R.W. Henderson and R. Powell
2007,Eagle Mountain Publishing,
448 pages, 30 chapters by 79 authors, over 200 color photographs, maps, figures, and drawings, Table of Contents available, $100.00 PLUS $7.50 For S&H.

LIZARDS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST, (Includes 5 Mexican States) edited by Lawrence Jones and Robert Lovich, 560 pages, Rivo Neuvo Publishers, Tucson, AZ, Over 400 color photos, Covers all 96 species found in the American Southwest. Seventy-Seven experts on these lizards contributed to this book making it the most comprehensive guide to Lizards of the Southwest. An amazing bargain at only $24.95 Plus $7.50 for shipping and handling in the U.S. (autographed copies available) (see below on how to order)

AMPHIBIAN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION: A HANDBOOK OF TECHNIQUES (TECHNIQUES IN ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION) (Paperback) by C. Kenneth Dodd Jr. (Editor) 556 pages, USA, Oxford Univ. Press. Available. $59.95 plus $7.50 S&H LIMITED NUMBER AUTOGRAPHED COPIES, By editor Kenneth Dodd
Table of Contents Available, Chapter one available, free at http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.com/pdf/13/9780199541188_chapter1.pdf

On how to order see below

(IF YOU ARE OVERSEAS -WHICH INCLUDES CANADA AND MEXICO-EMAIL US FIRST FOR SHIPPING COSTS.).
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AND DON'T FORGET HERPARTS.COM FOR THE PERFECT HERP GIFT.

ORDER NOW TO INSURE YOUR GIFT ARRIVES IN TIME FOR THE HOLLIDAYS

Herpdigest Volume # 9 Issue #54 12/6/09

Friday, September 25, 2009

HerpDigest.org: The Only Free Weekly Electronic Newsletter That Reports on The Latest News on Herpetological Conservation and Science

HerpDigest.org: The Only Free Weekly Electronic Newsletter That Reports on The Latest News on Herpetological Conservation and Science
Volume # 9 Issue #43- 09/25/09
Publisher/Editor- Allen Salzberg __________________________________________________________________

New Book

COMPLETE NORTH AMERICAN BOX TURTLE

Carl J. Franklin, and David C. Killpack with foreword by C. Kenneth Dodd
Just published. 260 Pages Over 300 full color photos and illustrations.
Hardcover, Eco/Serpent's Tales

Only $49.95 plus $7.50 S&H, lowest price on net
Not even Amazon who are offering it for $59.95.

And updated version of classic book on North American box turtles by C. Kenneth Dodd, but with information on husbandry.

To order see below

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Table of Contents

1) Bronx Zoo Herpetology Department Collections Manager Position
2) House GOPer Seeks Co-Sponsors For Pet Health Care Tax Benefit
3) Snakes Not Shy About Sex
4) Study Examines Use Of Toad Venom In Cancer Treatment
5) Man-Made Turtle Platforms Float At State Parks
6) Why Do People Make Snakes Pets? -Snake Lovers Say Reptiles Not Vicious Nor Violent
7) Too Many Snakes To Catch Them All (As In Released Or Escaped Ex-Pets)

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
8) Conservative Republicans Suddenly Take A Strong Interest In Reptile Conservation, FOX News Wire Service, Washington DC , 9/24/09.
________________________________________________________________________> Also Available

2010 HERP CALENDARS -
EITHER MAKE A DONATION OF $30.00 OR MORE AND GET A COPY OF THE CALENDAR OF YOUR CHOICE AS A THANK YOU GIFT FROM HERPDIGEST.

TURTLES, FROGS, SNAKES AND LIZARDS

Or order them individually
For THE CLASSIC 2010 FULL COLOR TURTLE CALENDAR
GO TO WWW.HERPARTS.COM (under book and calendars)TO ORDER AND SEE PHOTOS

NEW FULL COLOR FROG, SNAKE AND LIZARD CALENDARS also available...
GO TO WWW.HERPARTS.COM (under books and calendars)TO ORDER AND SEE PHOTOS.

The Frog, Snake and Lizard calendars are 18 month calendars starting at 9/09 so you can start using them now. Very limited supply. Imported from UK. Months and Days of Week in 5 languages, Even includes astrological dates.

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1) Bronx Zoo Herpetology Department Collections Manager Position

The Wildlife Conservation Society's Department of Herpetology at the Bronx Zoo invites qualified persons to apply for the Collections Manager position. The Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society seeks an enthusiastic professional to join our 110-year-old Department of Herpetology! We are currently seeking a qualified individual with demonstrated interest and expertise in herpetology and management of living collections to become our Collections Manager.

Responsibilities include supervising the daily husbandry, enrichment, training, observation, and record keeping for animals in the collection in addition to assisting in the supervision of the maintenance and construction of exhibits or support services.

Minimum Qualifications: A minimum of five years of work experience in a zoological park or related institution. Preference will be given to candidates with a degree in zoological or biological sciences. Candidate must be motivated and energetic, possess management and strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to accept direction, and must be able to express ideas and work as part of a team for the betterment of the department. Individuals with a broad background in crocodilians, squamates (venomous and non-venomous), turtles, and amphibians will be seriously considered. The successful candidate also must possess a working knowledge of computers and basic programs and a valid driver's license.

Please apply online by October 16th at: https://sh.webhire.com/Public/907/
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2) House GOPer Seeks Co-Sponsors For Pet Health Care Tax Benefit
Sam Stein, 9/23/09, The Huffington Post

Even as his party blocks Democratic attempts to expand health insurance for humans, a Republican congressman is trying to round up support for a bill that would provide a $3,500 annual tax deduction for Americans to pay for the medical care of their pets.

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) sent out a "Dear Colleague" letter on Tuesday asking fellow members to co-sponsor his Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act, despite the upsurge in concern over the rising cost of health care coverage for actual humans.

"Dear Colleague," the letter reads.

"According to the 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey, 63% of United States households own a pet. Indeed, the human-animal bond has been shown to have a positive effect upon people's emotional and physical well being. In families with children, pets help to create a nurturing environment and provide ample educational opportunities. For people in later stages of life, pets offer important companionship. No matter the age of the owner, pets have been shown to reduce stress, safeguard against depression, improve social skills, and even ease loss.

"In light of this, please join me in becoming a cosponsor to H.R. 3501, the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act. If enacted, H.R. 3501 would amend the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to allow an annual tax deduction of up to $3500 for qualified pet care expenses. Specifically, "qualified pet care expenses" would be defined as funds spent in connection with providing care (including veterinary care) for a legally owned, domesticated animal."

McCotter's proposed legislation has, not surprisingly, been praised by pet's rights advocates who say it will help provide proper care for animals and ensure that people suffering from the recession don't abandon their pets.

But considering the political context in which the bill is being pushed, it's hard not to scratch one's head. It has become a mantra within the GOP that health care reform legislation (for humans) being considered by Democrats would drain the government of money at a time when the deficit is already out of control. Moreover, as pointed out by the site, Blogging for Michigan, the congressman's legislation would result in many Americans having a greater financial incentive to provide health care coverage to their pets than to themselves.

The IRS only allows me to deduct medical and dental expenses that exceed more than 7.5% of my adjusted gross income. Here's an example from their website:

'Your adjusted gross income is $40,000, 7.5% of which is $3,000. You paid medical expenses of $2,500. You cannot deduct any of your medical expenses because they are not more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income.'

But apparently I could deduct up to $3500 that I spend on my dog!

McCotter has defended the introduction of his legislation by arguing that Congress can, in fact, do more than "one thing at a time." Introduced at the end of July, the bill currently has no cosponsors.
______________________________________________________________________

3) Snakes Not Shy About Sex
by Jannette Parke, 9/21/09 NorthernStar.com. Australia

LOVE is in the air at the Rodwell's farm out Kenilworth way.

Vicki Rodwell of Kenilworth took this amazing photograph of red-bellied snakes, just outside of her house yard.

LOVE is in the air at the Rodwell's farm out Kenilworth way.

Vicki Rodwell says they've had plenty of snakes at their place, but she's never seen anything quite like this display of spring fever.

Two red-bellied blacks were so totally absorbed in their "special cuddle" last Saturday that they took no notice of Vicki or her rottweiler dog.

Vicki captured the image after her dog started barking and growling in a particular way.

"We've had lots of snakes around, mostly browns, but nothing ever like this," she said.

"They were mating right outside the house yard. I thought I've got to get a photo of this and raced up the hill to get my camera and they were still at it when I got back."

The keen photographer said her camera is not usually too far away.

"I'm a camera person; I've always joked that I put on my camera before I put on my undies!"

Just to confirm that it was a mating pair and not two males having a "biffo", The Gympie Times emailed the photo to snake-catcher and herpetologist John Keady.

John confirmed it was a male and female doing what comes naturally this time of year, not two males fighting for mating rights, which can look similar.

"Two fighting males entwine differently and stand up. You can see these two are mating because they're being very gentle, and he's holding her there. The female is on the left and the male is entwined around her."

John urges people to never attempt to catch, corner or kill a snake, as this is when 90 per cent of bites are inflicted.

"These are two beautiful, healthy specimens," John said of the subjects in Vicki's photo.

Photos of snakes at: http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2009/09/21/snakes-snapped-in-natural-behaviour/
_________________________________________________________________________

4) Study Examines Use Of Toad Venom In Cancer Treatment
September 24th, 2009,Phys.org

Huachansu, a Chinese medicine that comes from the dried venom secreted by the skin glands of toads, has tolerable toxicity levels, even at doses eight times those normally administered, and may slow disease progression in some cancer patients, say researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

The results from the Phase I clinical study, a collaborative research project between M. D. Anderson and Fudan University Cancer Hospital in Shanghai, are reported in the online Early View feature of the journal Cancer. The study marks the first time a formal clinical trial has examined the relationship between huachansu dose and toxicity, although the drug is common in China and approved by the Chinese Food and Drug Administration.

Huachansu is widely used to treat patients with liver, lung, colon and pancreatic cancer at oncology clinics in China. Chinese clinical trials conducted since the 1970s have demonstrated the anti-cancer properties of huachansu, citing total response rates of 10 percent and 16 percent observed in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and lung cancer, respectively1,2.

"Studying traditional Chinese medicine such as huachansu is new to American research institutions, which have been skeptical and slow to adopt these complementary treatments. However, it is important to understand its potential role in treating cancer," says Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., one of the paper's authors and director of the Integrative Medicine Program at M. D. Anderson. "We wanted to apply a Western medicine-based approach to explore the role of the toad venom compound in cancer patients and test if it is possible to deliver a more potent dose without raising toxicities or side effects."

The clinical trial was conducted at the Fudan University Cancer Hospital while M. D. Anderson provided training and ongoing consultation. The institutions collaboratively designed the trial that was approved by both institutional review boards. M. D. Anderson and Fudan University Cancer Hospital signed a sister institution agreement in 2003, creating a framework for research, educational and clinical collaboration.

The typical dose of huachansu used in China is approximately 15 milliliters of drug per meter squared of body mass (mL/m2). In the study, 15 patients with stage III or IV hepatocellular (liver) carcinoma, nonsmall cell lung cancer or pancreatic cancer received one of five dose levels ranging from 10 mL/ m2 up to 90 mL/m2 from January 2005 through July 2006. The treatment was repeated daily for 14 days followed by seven days off (one cycle). After two cycles, most patients received other treatments. Quality control methods were put in place to ensure huachansu of a uniform and consistent lot. _____________________________________________________________________

5) Man-Made Turtle Platforms Float At State Parks
Republican Herald.com
by leslie Richardson (staff writer lrichardson@republicanherald.com)
Published: September 21, 2009

BARNESVILLE - People aren't the only ones who like to bask in the sun at area state parks.

Turtle basking habitat platforms were placed in the waters of Locust Lake and Tuscarora state parks last week so the turtles living there have a place to sun themselves.

Ben Page and Mike Swartz, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission habitat managers, Robin Tracey, environmental education specialist at both parks, and several volunteers built and placed the platforms in the water Wednesday.

The turtles will climb onto the platforms to bask in the sun as a means of thermal regulation.

Some turtles, like the painted, slider and diamondback varieties, will leave the water to dry out in the midday sun. They usually cling to vegetation or floating logs or lie on rocks. They use the sun to raise their body temperatures, since they cannot generate heat or regulate their own internal temperatures.

"They will be used mainly by painted turtles. We have a healthy population of them," Tracey said. "They need the platforms since we do not have enough natural structure for them to hang on to."

Four of the hemlock lumber and PVC pipe structures were pulled by canoe into the spillway pond at Locust Lake, while 10 went into the cove and dam areas at Tuscarora.

"They will act like a broad base, just like a floating log," Page said.

Tracey said the parks usually team up with the fish and boat commission each year on a project, sometimes involving fish, other times turtles.

"We put six of these in Tuscarora about 10 years ago, but we haven't seen them since the flood of 2006," Tracey said.

Once saturated, the platforms, anchored in the shallow water by concrete blocks tied with steel cable to the underside, will rise about one inch above the water.

Tracey said the platforms will make it easier for campers and others using the state parks to view the turtles.

"I am hoping for a late Indian summer so the turtles will make use of them before going underground," Tracey said. "They will be great for the kids to see."

Page said the platforms have about a 20-year life span, and similar structures used for pan fish that were placed in the water at Yellow Creek State Park in 1988 still exist.

"I really wanted these," Lew Williams, parks manager, said. "I am all for improving the habitat of our reptilian friends."

Williams said the fish and boat commission bore the cost of the project and similar projects like the fish structures installed last year at Tuscarora. _____________________________________________________________________________

6) Why Do People Make Snakes Pets? -Snake Lovers Say Reptiles Not Vicious Nor Violent
WESH.COM, Orlando, September 22, 2009,

DELTONA, Fla. -- Snake owners say they love reptiles.

The slithery creatures have made local headlines lately after an 18-foot Burmese python was found in the back yard of an Apopka home.

But why do people make the potentially dangerous creatures as pets?

A group of snake owners in Deltona said they just can't get enough of the reptiles.

They're cold-blooded, sometimes poisonous, and depicted as evil, but Ron Doria, a white-collar medical sales director, can't get enough of his snakes.

"They have such a bad rap of being something so vicious and so violent. It's not like that. It's just, it's false," Doria said.

Doria keeps over 40 snakes in his Deltona home. He shares his passion with a friend, Brian Radenberg, who owns over 100 snakes. Radenberg made the news when the city of Deltona tried unsuccessfully last year to force him to get rid of his venomous snakes.

There's also Scott Quint, a software engineer who owns 35 snakes. Why do these men have such a fascination with the animals?

For Quint, it's the science.

"They're beautiful animals. I think, evolutionally speaking, they're one of the most unique animals," Quint said.

For Radenberg, it's the way they feel.

"They just kind of crawl around on you, and I don't know, they're comfortable," Radenberg said.

And for Doria, who owns rattlesnakes, it's the thrill.

"I like the risk, a little bit, of knowing we have something ... control something that doesn't want to be controlled," Doria said.

The men said because they have the proper caging, proper licenses, and the experience to handle snakes, it mitigates any danger. They get frustrated by the negative stereotypes assigned to snake owners.

"There's still a belief that, if you keep snakes, you're somehow different. You're weird or you're not like everybody else, and admittedly, there are plenty of people who can give that appearance, but there also are plenty who do not," Quint said.

While snake owners may love their snakes, do their snakes love them back?

"They won't show affection, of course, like a dog or a cat. They don't have a brain large enough to do that, and everything is basically instinct for a snake," Chaz Hanna said.

Hanna sells snakes. He believes they're popular pets simply because they're fascinating to watch and easy to care for.

For many people, a learned fear of snakes makes the thought of owning one repulsive.

To help ensure the safety of others, both Radenberg and Doria have posted warnings on the entrances to their homes stating that venomous snakes live inside.

That way, if emergency personnel such as firefighters or police ever have to enter, they'll be forewarned. __________________________________________________________________________

7) Too Many Snakes To Catch Them All (As In Released Or Escaped Ex-Pets)
Monday, 21 Sep 2009, foxtampabay.com

DURANT - A giant snake is on the loose in eastern Hillsborough County, but wildlife officials say they are not going after it.

They say so many people have dumped pet snakes, they don't have the resources to go after them all.

Carol St. Pierre discovered the 10-foot boa constrictor next her to home in Durant.

"We're seen snakes out here, but that was the biggest one I have ever seen," she said. "I think it's in the woods across the street," St. Pierre said.

Even though it has been a while since she saw the snake, she says she is still shaken up. News reports about potentially dangerous Burmese pythons showing up in the Tampa Bay area have made her feel even more uncomfortable about her close encounter with the scaly beast.

St. Pierre was walking across her yard, and thought she saw a pile of dirt. Then it hit her. The pile of dirt was alive, reptilian, and very big. As she ran into to her house the snake began slithering away. But before it disappeared into the dense underbrush, she snapped half a dozen photos of it.

After seeing the pictures, wildlife officials say it is a common boa, a pet that escaped, or was dumped.

Officials say they are usually not a threat to people, but pets can be another story.

"The main staple of their diet is small mammals," said Breanne Stripina with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "So any small mammals would be venerable, that would include small pets like dogs and cats."

Even though boas generally don't look for trouble, just knowing that the snake might come back gives St. Pierre the willies. Her husbandsays he isn't even fazed at all.

"If you don't go playing around with them, they usually leave you alone," he said.

If you have a snake , or other exotic pet you don't want any more, you can hand it over to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission during one of its amnesty days -- no questions asked.

They are held at different locations around the state several times a year.

For a list of dates and locations: http://www.myfwc.com/WILDLIFEHABITATS/Nonnative_AmnestyDayEvents.htm

A giant snake is on the loose in eastern Hillsborough County, but wildlife officials say they are not going after it.

They say so many people have dumped pet snakes, they don't have the resources to go after them all.

Carol St. Pierre discovered the 10-foot boa constrictor next her to home in Durant.

"We're seen snakes out here, but that was the biggest one I have ever seen," she said. "I think it's in the woods across the street," St. Pierre said.

Even though it has been a while since she saw the snake, she says she is still shaken up. News reports about potentially dangerous Burmese pythons showing up in the Tampa Bay area have made her feel even more uncomfortable about her close encounter with the scaly beast.

St. Pierre was walking across her yard, and thought she saw a pile of dirt. Then it hit her. The pile of dirt was alive, reptilian, and very big. As she ran into to her house the snake began slithering away. But before it disappeared into the dense underbrush, she snapped half a dozen photos of it.

After seeing the pictures, wildlife officials say it is a common boa, a pet that escaped, or was dumped.

Officials say they are usually not a threat to people, but pets can be another story.

"The main staple of their diet is small mammals," said Breanne Stripina with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "So any small mammals would be venerable, that would include small pets like dogs and cats."

Even though boas generally don't look for trouble, just knowing that the snake might come back gives St. Pierre the willies. Her husband says he isn't even fazed at all.

"If you don't go playing around with them, they usually leave you alone," he said.

If you have a snake , or other exotic pet you don't want any more, you can hand it over to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission during one of its amnesty days -- no questions asked.

They are held at different locations around the state several times a year.

For a list of dates and locations: http://www.myfwc.com/WILDLIFEHABITATS/Nonnative_AmnestyDayEvents.htm _______________________________________________________________________

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

8) Conservative Republicans Suddenly Take A Strong Interest In Reptile Conservation.
FOX News Wire Service, Washington DC , 9/24/09.

For the last several weeks the aids of several prominent Republican Senators have been preparing a number of position papers on the positive effects of climate change for the upcoming G-20 summit. This one, the first to be released, only concerns sea turtles, but it gives us a preview of what is to come. These will be regarded as landmark documents in that they are the first attempt by the Republican leadership to show any interest at all in our nation's conservation concerns. A spokesperson for the Senators said this is just one of a number of up coming attempts by the Republicans to work with the Senate majority on topics they know will have the full support of Congress and the current administration. One key Democrat brushed this off as nonsense and saying that the Republicans were simply trying to divert attention away from the negative press they are now getting regarding their stand on health reform.

"In order to expand the Bush administration's effort to make people aware of the benefits of global warming we thought it might be informative to show how it will also benefit many species of wildlife, in this case marine turtles. Currently there is some misinformation going about that global warming is detrimental to sea turtles. Irrational fears, unfounded rumors and hysterical exaggerations set forth by various so-called environmental groups have no place in conservation. Its time to address this and to start thinking positive," the aids announced to a gathering of reporters at one of the Capital's local nightspots. A number of recognized national conservation organizations have already applauded today's announcement. Most sea turtles have remained on the Endangered Species Lists for decades, so it is important to recognize that they are now getting some long overdue help from a quite unexpected source." If we can't do away with the ESA then by God we have the power to fix it so these species are no longer endangered," one outspoken aid was overheard to say to a local TV reporter.

Ten reasons why Global Warming will be important to sea turtle conservation:

1) As primarily tropical and sub tropical species sea turtles will be able to expand marine forging areas as ocean temperatures increase. Changing oceanic currents and shifting frontal boundaries will allow all species to explore new warm water areas in their quest for food and nesting sites.

2) Rising sea levels will eliminate many of their lower elevation nesting sites, forcing the turtles to nest in fewer places, thus, making it easier to track and protect ALL remaining nesting rookeries.

3) Increased cyclone activity will displace all ages of marine turtles, often bringing them near shore, or even on shore where they can be seen, enjoyed and brought back to health by concerned people. The increased levels of awareness will help with regional conservation efforts for all species. A number of species will become less common making them more desirable must-see targets for amateur naturalists, this in turn will have a positive economic impact on coastal ecotourism as well as awareness for their conservation needs.

4) Melting of polar ice will increase the total volume of the world's seas diluting standing pollution loads to more acceptable levels.

5) Longer nesting seasons for sea turtles nesting on temperate beaches will increase egg production as turtles can produce additional clutches. Emerging hatchlings will no longer need to negotiate cool inshore waters in the fall.

6)Reduced need for migration, and less time spent on hostile "wintering" grounds will eliminate an important stress factor for nearly all species. Additionally, the hatchlings will not be required to travel as far to get back to the sea. Adults will not need to swim or crawl as far to nesting sites, there by not needing to store all those layers of body fat. Obesity is believed to be one of the major mortality factors for marine turtles. Trimmer turtles will he more efficient in their marine foraging.

7) Warmer ambient temperatures of nesting beaches will produce more female sea turtles per nest because of sex determination by incubation temperatures. Additional females in the population will quickly increase global stocks.

8) Competition with fisheries, and by catch issues will all but be eliminated as most coastal-based fishing centers will be underwater, commercial fishing activity will become a thing of the past.

9) Ghost crabs, coastal populations of raccoons and foxes and other nasty, land-based nest predators are expected to all but disappear as a result of drowned beach dunes and barrier island habitats. Permanently submerged beaches should eliminate the negative impact of four-wheel drive beach vehicles on the turtle's nests.

10) Rising sea levels will result in expanding foraging areas for coastal sea turtles and rooftops of abandoned buildings may provide predator free, island-like, nesting sites for several species. Continental shelf waters will cover larger areas of the earth's surface, while the pelagic waters will not decrease in size. This should be a tremendous benefit to inshore species and at the same time will not negatively affect any of the pelagic marine turtles.

A well-known radio talk-show host had but a single comment when he announced this over the air. "Like, HELLO; they are sea turtles, rising sea levels-- less land equals more open sea. DUHA! What's so complicated about that you eco-freaks? "

The prestigious international conservation organization of the Associated Sea turtle Scientists (ASS) followed up with a quick press release stating that this is a major first step in the right direction but a lot more important research remains to be done. Just last week the organization received a major four-year grant from a major oil company to further study the thermal regulatory needs of marine turtles. When asked for a comment, the company's VP remarked "We don't mind supporting good research, it the wasting of money by throwing it away at helping the turtles themselves that bothers us. In a decade when our profits are only up by 130% we need to watch our spending."
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MORE ON the
COMPLETE NORTH AMERICAN BOX TURTLE
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The natural follow-up to Dr. Dodd's now classic, "North American Box Turtles," A Complete Natural History,

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This is a beautiful book with excellent design, photos and wonderful drawings by David Killpack.

This book is a compilation of work of Carl Franklin and David Killpack's over 30 years of field experience,

An amazing resource for anyone interested in the natural history and husbandry of all species of North American Box turtles

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TURTLES OF THE US & CANADA BY Carl Ernst and Jeffrey Lovich
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THE AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF NY STATE
The first and only guide to the identification, distribution, natural history and conservation of the reptiles and amphibians of New York State. Paperback. By Gibbs, Breisch, Ducey, Johnson, Behler and Bothner. 422 pages. Over 55 color plates. Once $35.00, now $25.00 plus $6.00 S&H.

FOLLOWING THE WATER: A HYDROMANCER'S NOTEBOOK
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