tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22923799158311121962024-02-19T10:17:07.219-06:00Alabama PARCBlog of the Alabama chapter of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile ConservationAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285610649119277081noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-11596419485724752842011-07-28T17:52:00.001-05:002011-07-28T17:54:26.526-05:00July 2011 Alabama Indigo Snake Reintroduction UpdateAs many of you know, the 2011 tracking season is in full swing. On May 3, 2011 we re-released the 6 snakes that survived 2010. Of the 17 released in 2010, 6 snakes lived, 6 snakes died, and 5 snakes disappeared. Of the 6 that died, 2 were hit by vehicles, 2 were eaten by predators (one avian, one mammal), and 2 died of “natural causes”. During 2010, 7 snakes disappeared, 2 excreted their transmitters, 2 emigrated onto private land where we were unable to keep track of them, and 3 had battery failure before recapture. However, 2 of these snakes were captured in late February while basking in front of their hibernacula. One snake had excreted its transmitter and was thought dead, the other’s radio battery had died. Both of these snakes were found using the same gopher tortoise burrows as snakes with working radios. The 6 snakes recaptured in February were brought to Auburn where they were implanted with new radios with a longer 2 year battery life. They were then re-released at their point of capture. <br />Since their release, we have been consistently locating all 6, and to date they are all still alive and seem to be doing well. Some of these snakes seem to be at or over the 6 ft mark. A4 was seen eating another copperhead on Mother’s Day. Most of the snakes have been using the same areas that they occupied last year. They have, interestingly, been utilizing many of the same burrows and retreats that they used last summer. <br />On May 16, 2011, 31 more snakes were released onto the site. Of these, 21 were implanted with radios and 10 received only a PIT tag. Of these 21, 10 were female and 11 were male. Of the 21 radioed snakes, 10 were soft released into the pens and 11 were hard released outside the enclosures along a nearby fire break. Within the 6 enclosures, 4 received 2 snakes (2 with a male and a female, one with 2 males, and one with 2 females) and 2 received 1 snake (one with a male and one with a female). Snakes were distributed by clutch and size across the release methods. All of the snakes without radios were males and were hard released outside the enclosures in the area. <br /> It was 11 days before the first snake escaped from the pens. After that, snakes trickled out of the pens. As observed last year, there were no noticeable breaches in the fences and it appears the snakes are finding their way out through underground passages. As of now, 4 snakes (3 females and 1 male) remain in the enclosures. While in the pens, the snakes utilized upturned tree rootballs, burned out stumpholes, and gopher tortoise burrows for refugia similarly to snakes outside the pens.<br /> Several times, snakes from this year’s release located and used the same burrows as snakes from last year’s release. This occurred with both soft and hard released snakes and some of the locations were a considerable distance from the initial release site. These observations were surprising, particularly since the pens and most of the Forest Service compartment around the release site were prescribed burned this winter and spring to improve the habitat in the area. <br />Snakes have occasionally been encountered crossing roads and so far have made it safely across. Do Not Harm signs have been placed around the area and should encourage drivers to avoid running the snakes down. Last week, the Forest Service observed and photographed an unknown snake crossing a paved road. This snake has not yet been identified, but is known to be a snake without a radio, since all of the snakes with radios were accounted for in areas a considerable distance away from here. The unknown snake could be one of the snakes released last year that was last seen in this area or one of 10 males released this year without radios. We hope that with further examination, the photographs taken of this snake will distinguish between these two possibilities. We also hope to encounter this snake again soon and capture it to scan the pit tag so we can be sure of its true identity. <br />Blue Lake Methodist Camp across the Pond Creek drainage has been a popular spot for the snakes again this year. Four of the snakes have been observed on camp property on the same day. The camp director was re-contacted and again expressed support and enthusiasm for the project, welcoming us to track on the property whenever needed. According to her, encounters with venomous snakes are up on the camp this year and she hopes the indigo presence there will help control dangerous encounters. <br />A couple of snakes have also used habitats around the Blue Lake Recreation area this year, and a couple of snakes have recently moved further north. A number of the snakes have also been using neighboring private land. <br />Movement has increased over the past couple of weeks, and many of the snakes have moved into the nearby creek drainages. As observed last year, the males are moving further distances and with more frequency than females. The furthest distance recorded from the release site this year is 2.62 km by a male from this year’s release. <br />Snakes encountered on the surface are often slithering around flicking their tongues and prodding under logs and in holes in a foraging behavior. One snake was observed eating a corn snake yesterday. The tree climbing behavior observed in a few snakes last year has not been documented in the field this year. Many of the snakes have been observed rattling their tails, hissing and inflating their bodies in a threat pose when approached. <br />Habitat use has been diverse, with snakes utilizing all habitats available. The most surprising observation so far in terms of habitat has been the high incidence of snakes locating many of the same retreat sites that were used by snakes last year. The verdict on prescribed burning’s affect on habitat use is still out for now, but is expected to have more influence in winter habitat use when snakes rely more on gopher tortoise habitats for overwintering. <br />Feedback from the local community has remained positive. The new metal signs distributed around the area and placed at trailheads, the local country store and popular recreation areas should increase opportunities to bolster support of the project. <br />As of today, 26 of the 27 radioed snakes are alive and well. Only one snake from this year’s release has been found dead and this mortality appears to be a natural predation. As the snakes find their way around and achieve rapid growth, the likelihood of natural predation should decrease. Additionally, the sighting of an unknown snake by the Forest Service is encouraging, since it may indicate an increase in the survival of last year’s snakes. <br />The overall outlook for repatriated indigos establishing self-sufficient populations in the wilds of Alabama remains good. Although it will be years yet before the true success of the project can be measured, continuing research should reveal important information to increase the chances for success. For conservationists, the success of this project would represent more than just a step in the recovery of a federally threatened species; it would also indicate that years of management in the longleaf have restored this imperiled ecosystem enough to support the diverse array of species that once inhabited this wilderness. As important predators that help keep ecosystem health in balance, and as a part of the natural heritage we had thought forever lost in Alabama, the attempt to return indigo snakes to Alabama is an investment in the future and that is good news indeed.Jimmy Stileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298424937753799893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-23029816067665425142011-07-26T11:20:00.003-05:002011-07-26T11:37:02.139-05:00USFWS adds eastern Gopher Tortoises as a candidate species eligible for Endangered Species Protection<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qFDP6DPIibVaoX4R1WUB-x1lkRso_J7qy3xkF6CoO4ardrOmnEtRGhEXyerM6ibuvVLLOjCAbapLWIOtBAw5wckvmHKbf7A3jr5jaBPvIV81AKUhyOS2qWJ0XFXeSSj3nvcfLL7EzGvI/s1600/Gopherus.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633700231531727938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qFDP6DPIibVaoX4R1WUB-x1lkRso_J7qy3xkF6CoO4ardrOmnEtRGhEXyerM6ibuvVLLOjCAbapLWIOtBAw5wckvmHKbf7A3jr5jaBPvIV81AKUhyOS2qWJ0XFXeSSj3nvcfLL7EzGvI/s320/Gopherus.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>(The following is information from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service press release issued 26 July 2011. The press release in its entirety can be found </em></span><a href="http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/Releases-11/20110726_nr_Gopher_Tortoise-12-month_Warranted_but_Precluded_Finding_Eastern_Portion_of_range.html"><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>here</em></span></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>.)<br /></em><br /></span>In a press release issued today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that gopher tortoises east of Mobile Bay will be added to the list of candidate species eligible for Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection. While candidate species receive no statutory protection under the ESA, inclusion on the candidate list promotes cooperative conservation efforts for these species.<br /><br />"After careful review, we have determined the gopher tortoise east of Mobile Bay is facing many of the same problems and challenges as the western population, which is already listed as threatened," said Cynthia Dohner, Southeast Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "We hope increased protection and conservation efforts in the next few years by private landowners and state and federal agencies in Alabama Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina can reduce those threats."<br /><br />In making this determination, the Service completed a comprehensive review – known as a 12-month finding – and found sufficient scientific and commercial data to propose listing the species as threatened or endangered throughout its range. However, the Service is precluded from beginning work immediately on a listing proposal because its limited resources must be devoted to other, higher priority actions.<br /><br />...<br /><br />The eastern portion of the gopher tortoise’s range includes Alabama (east of the Tombigbee and Mobile Rivers), Florida, Georgia, and southern South Carolina. In these areas, the gopher tortoise will become a candidate species for listing under the ESA. In the western range states, west of the Tombigbee River in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, it will continue to be listed as threatened under the ESA.<br /><br />Threats to the gopher tortoise include habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, predation, inadequacy of regulatory mechanisms, and incompatible use of herbicides in forest management.<br /><br /><em>(For more information on the Gopher Tortoise - one of the South's iconic reptile species - see information from the </em><a href="http://outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Reptiles/Turtles/gt.cfm"><em>Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources</em></a><em> and the </em><a href="http://www.gophertortoisecouncil.org/about.php"><em>Gopher Tortoise Council</em></a><em>.)</em></div>Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-12085409112614752912011-06-08T18:08:00.007-05:002011-06-13T21:01:44.525-05:00Red Mountain Park Added as a New AAN Partner<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPs3MbMTiNuT0JlE5odPXJwZbv4ave7St-NkYjTal0k9XzNsvxFyGHIca8-iIs76i4rtMEpxC9C9Hlva-ILVMJUqzcCPlkF7W2viteVqPOt2IklusEVjEbijhLiqWjWrM6EjPX7sFWX-P/s1600/Red+Mountain+Park+June_7_2011+Pictures+001.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617847324470435122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPs3MbMTiNuT0JlE5odPXJwZbv4ave7St-NkYjTal0k9XzNsvxFyGHIca8-iIs76i4rtMEpxC9C9Hlva-ILVMJUqzcCPlkF7W2viteVqPOt2IklusEVjEbijhLiqWjWrM6EjPX7sFWX-P/s320/Red+Mountain+Park+June_7_2011+Pictures+001.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><span style="font-size:78%;">Habitat at Red Mountain Park - Photo by Dr. Jennifer Layton</span></center></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>ALAPARC and the Alabama Amphibian Network (AAN) would like to extend a warm welcome to <a href="http://howard.samford.edu/biology/">Samford University</a> and <a href="http://www.redmountainpark.org/">Red Mountain Park</a> as partners in the AAN! Dr. Jennifer Layton (Samford) has been working with Red Mountain Park officials in Birmingham to install new coverboard and treefrog shelter arrays at the park for participation in the network. This site is a great addition to the seven environmental education partners already serving in the network and will add a unique comparison with the AAN’s site at <a href="http://www.ruffnermountain.org/">Ruffner Mountain Nature Center</a>. Both Ruffner Mountain and Red Mountain are located in habitat characteristic of the <a href="http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1308">Valley and Ridge physiographic province</a> and will provide a great snapshot of this region’s amphibian diversity.<br /><br />Huge props to Dr. Layton and colleagues for spearheading the design and installation of the site, and we look forward to this new partnership! For more information on the AAN – a collaborative citizen science network funded through <a href="http://legacyenved.org">Legacy, Partners in Environmental Education</a> – please visit the <a href="http://alaparc.org/Outreach/AL_amphibian_network.html">ALAPARC website.</a> </div>Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-18561509572761723902011-04-23T15:32:00.005-05:002011-04-23T15:53:57.620-05:00Outdoor Alabama Fact Sheet Info Now Online<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjoXB3k-j5xBqmBQsvEyGTdt5pl1GND_1xJMAYoi02jp_D3PLZOi9uFaDy9ByLewD54ll2W-tOcUwF050zItBITJY6qa1YsuLPDZbOuPPNCLFAFl9fVd3PR760U5-d4D5eCSsa3zQ2wigM/s1600/avivoca.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 306px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598884598841548082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjoXB3k-j5xBqmBQsvEyGTdt5pl1GND_1xJMAYoi02jp_D3PLZOi9uFaDy9ByLewD54ll2W-tOcUwF050zItBITJY6qa1YsuLPDZbOuPPNCLFAFl9fVd3PR760U5-d4D5eCSsa3zQ2wigM/s320/avivoca.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Since our organization's inception, ALAPARC has had a continuing partnership with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources's award-winning <a href="http://outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/"><em>Outdoor Alabama</em> website.</a> As part of this partnership, ALAPARC members have contributed over 15 species profiles for Alabama herpetofauna for publication. These profiles serve as one of our first lines of defense in combating a lack of herp awareness by communicating reliable, comprehensive info about reptiles and amphibians to members of the public in a jargon-free, accessible format. In return, the ADCNR has graciously allowed us to link to these profiles as part of our own website's <a href="http://alaparc.org/AL_Herps/species_list.html">inventory of Alabama herps.</a><br /><br />Not all of these species currently contain published profiles, however, and we are seeking to complete this species list as soon as possible. Laura Laurencio has recently created an excellent <a href="http://alaparc.org/Outreach/profiles.html">outreach initiative page</a> on our website to aid in this effort, including an Excel spreadsheet of those Alabama species that <a href="http://alaparc.org/Outreach/Outreach-Database.xls">currently need profiles.</a><br /><br />If you are an expert on one of the species listed at the link above, please consider serving as an author! “Expert” is a relative term, of course, so we welcome anyone with a strong familiarity of a particular species and a desire to condense knowledge from the scientific literature into an easy-to-read, jargon-free format for public consumption. If you're interested in becoming an author, please contact Wally Smith at whsmith1@crimson.ua.edu for more info. </div>Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-56030624831916313202011-04-18T14:21:00.004-05:002011-04-19T15:49:50.499-05:00Outreach Database Now Online!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWKM9oshHQg4LPKlBSK6k67JHV-9YrMg2sGhfDkLHTTqIfPn0vJJ7MVh_rvXFHMqxt5tjFIBHHMHlbxKyjHWp9NJ-HIeXlXsswCj_h2KzEgUas-74FZieXoYf1Q1xeWHHwFfvJYWewQnh/s1600/Outreach.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597008245702086498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWKM9oshHQg4LPKlBSK6k67JHV-9YrMg2sGhfDkLHTTqIfPn0vJJ7MVh_rvXFHMqxt5tjFIBHHMHlbxKyjHWp9NJ-HIeXlXsswCj_h2KzEgUas-74FZieXoYf1Q1xeWHHwFfvJYWewQnh/s320/Outreach.bmp" border="0" /> <br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Amphibian outreach program with the Alabama Hiking Trail Society</div></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>As a service to educators and the greater public in Alabama, ALAPARC has assembled a <a href="http://alaparc.org/Outreach/database.html">network of herp outreach program providers in the state.</a> These individuals regularly present educational programs at schools, nature centers, and other venues around Alabama, geared towards improving public awareness of Alabama's herpetofauna and associated conservation efforts. Our hope is that condensing outreach providers in one central location will make these individuals and groups more accessible to the community and facilitate communication between providers.<br /><br />If you are an educator or outreach coordinator wishing to plan a herp presentation for your school or group, please browse the spreadsheet provided at the link above to view a list of program providers and their service area in the state, as well as their contact information and other details for scheduling a program. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>As of 18 April, the database includes only those ALAPARC members who volunteered personal info on our sign-up sheet at the 2010 meeting. If you aren't currently on the list but frequently give herp outreach programs and would like to be included, please contact Wally Smith at <a style="COLOR: #4b6320" href="mailto:whsmith1@crimson.ua.edu">whsmith1@crimson.ua.edu</a> for more information on being added to the network. </div>Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-27149616859348081822011-03-07T07:24:00.000-06:002011-03-07T07:24:10.464-06:00Frogging By Ear Workshop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmn9_FR4qQxh_ofXXjYugXEvuyhO11yNLL_HHg5BDmRSJroCFfugKxVaPYFTHJm5HLsnpLS0JvqS-D83ChGtv956nhWuFYPFYreoBxHhXKcJIpqAonCcJ5AwfzLakAsvBEpC7Vu2VlpeSh/s1600/Hyla+gratiosa_touched.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmn9_FR4qQxh_ofXXjYugXEvuyhO11yNLL_HHg5BDmRSJroCFfugKxVaPYFTHJm5HLsnpLS0JvqS-D83ChGtv956nhWuFYPFYreoBxHhXKcJIpqAonCcJ5AwfzLakAsvBEpC7Vu2VlpeSh/s400/Hyla+gratiosa_touched.JPG" /></a></div><br />
When: 25-27 March 2011<br />
Where: Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center, Andalusia, Alabama<br />
<br />
Come spend a fun weekend in the longleaf with herpetologists, Jimmy and Sierra Stiles, learning all about frogs in Alabama’s frog hotspot. This region supports one of the highest frog species diversities in the United States. Participants will learn how to recognize frogs by their call and by using field marks to identify frogs in hand. Nightly field trips will tour local frogging sites for hands-on practice. Learn how to choose the best sites for listening to frogs, no matter where you are. We will demonstrate how Google Earth and other map resources can be used to identify the best spots for exploring the sounds of the night. Local frogs will be used to illustrate techniques to target species by understanding their life history, habitat and survival needs. We will present some interesting new techniques used for long-term monitoring and research as well as discuss some low-cost methods for managing your land for maximum frog diversity. Participants will have opportunities to photograph local frog species as well as some other interesting local reptiles and amphibians. The workshop will be based out of the <a href="http://sdfec.auburn.edu">Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center</a>. We will be able to explore over 90,000 acres of prime frog habitat.<br />
<br />
Workshop Schedule<br />
<br />
Friday March 25th<br />
2:00-5:00 Introduction to frogging, species identification, habits and habitats<br />
5:00-5:45 Break<br />
5:45-6:30 Dinner<br />
6:30-9:30 Trips to local ponds<br />
<br />
Saturday March 26th<br />
8:00 Breakfast<br />
9:30-12:00 GIS maps and frogs, Froglogging<br />
12:00-12:30 Lunch<br />
12:30-2:00 Break<br />
2:00-5:00 Photograph, experience and investigate live reptiles and amphibians<br />
5:00-5:45 Break<br />
5:45-6:30 Dinner<br />
6:30-9:30 Trips to local ponds<br />
<br />
Sunday March 27th<br />
8:00 Breakfast<br />
Cost of the workshop includes all lodging, meals, and instruction<br />
$235 for single occupancy in a room per person<br />
$225 for double occupancy in a room per person<br />
<br />
To register or for more information contact<br />
<br />
Jimmy and Sierra Stiles<br />
5687 US Hwy 29<br />
Andalusia, Alabama 36420<br />
334-881-0084<br />
205-533-1407<br />
jrstiles@earthlink.net<br />
<br />
REGISTRATION DEADLINE 21 MARCH 2011Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285610649119277081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-68118901397557409292011-02-21T08:59:00.000-06:002011-02-21T08:59:54.250-06:00Opp Rattlesnake Bounty RetractedAs a follow up the previous post, you can read about how, due to concerns raised about the rattlesnake bounty, <a href="http://www.andalusiastarnews.com/2011/02/14/city-of-opp-retracts-bounty-on-snakes/">Opp retracted this policy</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iWeucJXZkiYf8wzQPNBcgUeWZmuqqZVCEtYO9-XH4ZbRHS7OnCBugsez2lytVH8j61fi-5lhQ9eN-2-CQ652aLf2EmcITtLDVqZxAnLAfmKbFcYsKDUR57McBTIu98ZSvdKsIznVLQ29/s1600/Crotalus+adamanteus1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="285" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iWeucJXZkiYf8wzQPNBcgUeWZmuqqZVCEtYO9-XH4ZbRHS7OnCBugsez2lytVH8j61fi-5lhQ9eN-2-CQ652aLf2EmcITtLDVqZxAnLAfmKbFcYsKDUR57McBTIu98ZSvdKsIznVLQ29/s400/Crotalus+adamanteus1.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285610649119277081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-19897982730069186082011-02-09T08:41:00.004-06:002011-02-09T08:58:20.671-06:00ALAPARC Press Release: Conservation groups send letters opposing Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHziiaLpWaTYWzQXqwTGH5WUpsjP-auk4O8zCF7xk7uY220oeZli1aoxpPa60Uo55Pwtu-vp3j8WPPrq4WN0slVAYtaAPMwWrKdbZMxBpi9MnKB29DbWAqGAzcbzRWfX5pMdXoEyUn1vdj/s1600/Eastern_Diamondback_Rattlesnake_002.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571703549319125522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHziiaLpWaTYWzQXqwTGH5WUpsjP-auk4O8zCF7xk7uY220oeZli1aoxpPa60Uo55Pwtu-vp3j8WPPrq4WN0slVAYtaAPMwWrKdbZMxBpi9MnKB29DbWAqGAzcbzRWfX5pMdXoEyUn1vdj/s320/Eastern_Diamondback_Rattlesnake_002.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Opp, Ala. (Feb. 7, 2011) — Controversy is again brewing over the Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo.The 51st annual event will be held April 1-2 in Opp, a small city that holds just 6,500 residents.<br /><br />Each year, almost 100 Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are hunted throughout south Alabama. In the past, many were taken from gopher tortoise burrows. Those captured are placed on display for the rodeo and then killed afterward. Last year, an estimated 20,000 people flocked to Opp for the city’s biggest attraction.<br /><br />However, citing declines in the Eastern diamondback’s population, some conservation groups believe the “bring ‘em back alive” component of rattlesnake roundups should end, while maintaining other aspects of the festivals. Biologist <a href="http://www.brucemeans.com/">D. Bruce Means</a>, Executive Director of the Coastal Plains Institute, published a report in 2009 using 50 years worth of data collected from roundups in Opp and three Georgia towns. His findings provide a sobering survey of the impact those events have on the species.<br /><br />“Both numbers of snakes and weights of the largest snakes that participants turned in annually declined in the last two decades,” he reported. “Statements by roundup officials and rattlesnake hunters support that roundup hunting has depleted local rattlesnake populations and forced hunters to travel further to collect snakes in recent years.”<br /><br />With Opp’s rodeo less than two months away, some conservation groups have sent letters to city officials urging them to end a recently enacted policy that compensates residents for capturing live snakes for the event. In an interview with the Andalusia Star News, Opp City Planner Don Childre said the city will pay $8 per foot of rattlesnake and $100 for each live unharmed snake over five feet in length. For any snakes measuring more than eight feet (this length exceeds any turned in over the past 50 years), the city will pay $1,000. Opp has paid hunters for years to capture the snakes, but many of those hunters have since quit, according to Childre. He told the newspaper that because of this, “‘we thought we’d open it up to the public.’”<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.gophertortoisecouncil.org/">Gopher Tortoise Council</a> (GTC), a nonprofit organization promoting conservation of gopher tortoises and other unique upland species within the Southeast, <a href="http://onemoregeneration.org/">One More Generation</a>, a nonprofit in Georgia dedicated to preserving endangered species and the environment, <a href="http://www.ruffnermountain.org/">Ruffner Mountain Nature Center</a> and the <a href="http://alabama.sierraclub.org/">Alabama chapter of the Sierra Club</a> are among the organizations pushing for the policy’s retraction. In its letter, the GTC stresses the danger in encouraging the general public to capture rattlesnakes, a potentially deadly species.<br /><br />“Because of this ill-conceived request, untrained individuals inspired by monetary gain are likely to put themselves at great risk capturing, handling, and transporting rattlesnakes,” the letter states. “Although rattlesnakes are unlikely to bite unless provoked (e.g. by capture) a bite from a rattlesnake is potentially debilitating and can even be fatal.” Furthermore, the GTC states that a common practice associated with collecting rattlesnakes involves gassing tortoise burrows, which is against the law in Alabama, but difficult to enforce.<br /><br />“Gassing burrows can kill or harm the other inhabitants of tortoise burrows (of which there are >360 species including the gopher tortoise, a species federally protected west of the Tombigbee River and state protected to the east),” the GTC letter states. “Tortoise burrows are also known refuges of the eastern indigo snake, a federally listed-threatened species recently reintroduced to Conecuh National Forest.”<br /><br />The letter also claims that offering a bounty will encourage unregulated exploitation of rattlers. Although the roundups are not as detrimental as the habitat loss and degradation the snake encounters throughout its range, they can still impact the species’ overall numbers, according to David Steen, co-chair of the GTC.<br /><br />“Concentrated collecting within a particular area is likely to result in considerable decreases in population size and in the most extreme cases, elimination of the species in that spot altogether,” he said. “Between habitat loss, road mortality, and collecting (among other factors), the Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake has to contend with many new threats; this is likely why many biologists think the species is declining overall.”<br /><br />Steen believes holding an event that celebrates the snake instead of one that includes capturing and killing it will still attract the crowds Opp sees each year. “Festivals of this type are great revenue producing opportunities and can be considered part of Southern culture,” he said. “But, collecting and killing of wild animals doesn’t need to be on the schedule to retain all of that. Educational displays of captive animals will probably satisfy the vast majority of rattlesnake enthusiasts.”<br /><br />He cited the San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival in San Antonio, Fla. as a prime example of this. The festival, which one newspaper estimated draws more than 30,000 people, offers snake and reptile exhibits, as well as other educational programs concerning the environment. In its letter, the GTC told Opp officials that it would be interested in participating and promoting similar educational activities at future festivals.<br /><br />For a copy of Means’ study on rattlesnake roundups, visit <a href="http://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_4/Issue_2/Means_2009.pdf">http://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_4/Issue_2/Means_2009.pdf</a>. </div>Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-39158152276596977172010-11-19T09:29:00.010-06:002010-11-19T12:31:37.299-06:00Alabama Amphibian Network reaches 2,000 student mark<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeh9gderRryu6ZKJLv5h94yPIfFLMJ0uUD3xm0DZHoU-b0Nmk6ZMyl1CO9fp-JvtruH-BhBqLfYqRAFZBgjWr0ZkXJRW2rG4tcx7gVZMdohyReYQwC3ZsAZvjiUs79Uqn4bmK2fDjvevF/s1600/PVC.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541289362893461010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 296px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeh9gderRryu6ZKJLv5h94yPIfFLMJ0uUD3xm0DZHoU-b0Nmk6ZMyl1CO9fp-JvtruH-BhBqLfYqRAFZBgjWr0ZkXJRW2rG4tcx7gVZMdohyReYQwC3ZsAZvjiUs79Uqn4bmK2fDjvevF/s320/PVC.jpg" border="0" /> <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-size:85%;">A treefrog perches on a PVC treefrog shelter near a wetland at Ruffner Mountain Nature Center (photo courtesy Nick Bieser)</span></div><br /></a><br /><br /><br />As of November 2010, over 2,000 students and other members of the public have participated in the <a href="http://alaparc.org/Outreach/AL_amphibian_network.html">Alabama Amphibian Network (AAN)</a> at environmental education centers across Alabama. The AAN is a collaborative citizen science partnership between <a href="http://alaparc.org/">Alabama Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation</a>, the <a href="http://www.ua.edu/">University of Alabama</a>, and seven environmental education centers across the state. The project has been made possible via funding from <a href="http://www.legacyenved.org/">Legacy Partners in Environmental Education.</a> The AAN was officially launched this summer.<br /><br /><br /><br />Participants in the AAN are using coverboards and PVC treefrog shelters - two types of equipment used by herpetologists to sample amphibians in the field - to learn about amphibian ecology and gain hands-on experience with amphibians. EE partners in the network currently include <a href="http://www.campmcdowell.com/cmec/">McDowell Environmental Center</a>, Jacksonville State University's <a href="http://www.jsu.edu/epic/lrc/index.html">Little River Canyon Field School</a>, <a href="http://www.escambia.k12.al.us/turtle/curriculum.htm">Turtle Point Science Center</a>, the Alabama Wildlife Federation's <a href="http://www.alabamawildlife.org/alabama-nature-center/">Alabama Nature Center</a>, <a href="http://www.ruffnermountain.org/">Ruffner Mountain Nature Center</a>, the <a href="http://arboretum.ua.edu/">University of Alabama Arboretum</a>, and the <a href="http://bbgardens.org/index2.php">Birmingham Botanical Gardens</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br />Amphibians represent one of the planet's most threatened vertebrate groups, with up to one third of all species considered <a href="http://www.natureserve.org/library/amphibian_fact_sheet.pdf">threatened with extinction</a> by international conservation organizations. Another third of all amphibian species lack the basic scientific information necessary for determining their current status. The AAN is seeking to alleviate both of these problems in Alabama by increasing public awareness of amphibians and providing biologists with information on amphibians' distribution, ecology, and status across the state. Alabama is located in a world hotspot of amphibian diversity, making it a perfect location for the project.<br /><br /><br /><br />Besides the 2,000 people already exposed to amphibians by the project, the AAN has also yielded a potentially new scientific discovery. Participating staff at Camp McDowell have observed unique, undocumented behavior in the <a href="http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/amphibians/Salamanders/nss.cfm">Slimy Salamander (<em>Plethodon glutinosus</em>)</a>, one of Alabama's most common amphibian residents. This observation is currently being prepared for publication.<br /><br /><br /><br />Be sure to stay abreast of ongoing developments in the Alabama Amphibian Network by checking out the <a href="http://www.alaparc.blogspot.com/">ALAPARC blog</a> and the <a href="http://alaparc.org/Outreach/AL_amphibian_network.html">AAN website</a>, which will be updated soon. </div>Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-29685167874856240672010-11-06T14:19:00.002-05:002010-11-06T14:23:44.112-05:00Live Blogging our MeetingWe've completed the submitted talks for the year and have been caught up on all the work people have been conducting in the last year. We also heard Sean Graham's seminar on the outcomes of the ALAPARC hellbender initiative. Unfortunately, all the surveys of the last few years have failed to produce a single hellbender. Sean suggested although there may be a couple old individuals left in the state, it's unlikely the species has much of a future. Wally Smith also updated us on the education and outreach efforts our chapter has been involved in, we suggest you check out our <a href="http://www.alaparc.org">website</a> for more information.<br /> Chris Thawley is now describing how anyone can collect information that will help researchers study the genetic make-up of amphibians and reptiles.Alabama PARChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00237114799678426323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-11460519343017755072010-11-06T08:02:00.003-05:002010-11-06T08:07:39.135-05:00Saturday AM at the ALAPARC MeetingWe kick off our agenda shortly with a talk by Ken Marion at UAB about how the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has affected marine reptiles and we'll be hearing later about a dozen other talks about amphibian and reptile conservation in the state. Last night we enjoyed libations during our poster session and this morning we are waking up with coffee provided by <a href="http://www.highergroundroasters.com/">Higher Ground Roasters</a>. Hopefully, you're here, everybody else is.Alabama PARChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00237114799678426323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-87981516820893356022010-11-05T14:35:00.002-05:002010-11-05T14:43:25.403-05:00Live Blogging Our MeetingHi all,<br /><br /> We will periodically update you with the progress for our meeting. Our panel discussion is underway and we're currently hearing insights as to how the general public and landowners may react should the Gopher Tortoise be federally protected. Joe McGlincy of Southern Forestry Consultants, Inc., is describing how private landowners possess much of the remaining tortoise habitat in Alabama and it's important to communicate with them how to effectively conserve the species while preserving their ability to profit from their land.<br /> Jessica Homyack of Weyerhaeuser is reinforcing the importance of private lands, 84% of appropriate tortoise habitat in the range where the species is proposed for listing is on private property.<br /><br />There's still time for you to make it down!Alabama PARChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00237114799678426323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-46751281684989101052010-10-28T21:21:00.001-05:002010-10-28T21:22:57.677-05:00One Day Left to Register For Our Meeting!Don't miss this year's meeting in Andalusia, Alabama. The registration deadline is tomorrow. <a href="http://www.alaparc.org/Meetings/Fall2010.html">Check out our website</a> for registration instructions and this year's program!Alabama PARChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00237114799678426323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-57468368771936079052010-08-18T14:05:00.006-05:002010-08-18T14:20:46.832-05:00ALAPARC Press Release: Alabama Amphibian Network officially launched<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlPLYT8SONLofXJyU4i9fPVb0juGznD8DjU6tWA1n4DoVRXUCi_xvACaKknCRSGSvdcptrt8FSEM3xAUy4sIxl4elEZ3Eh8rQtH-LeMatdgo53lCVOkOenBQRp5l1gae0fYU-afK8UkD-/s1600/Gastrophryne.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 381px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 365px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506829879762219426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlPLYT8SONLofXJyU4i9fPVb0juGznD8DjU6tWA1n4DoVRXUCi_xvACaKknCRSGSvdcptrt8FSEM3xAUy4sIxl4elEZ3Eh8rQtH-LeMatdgo53lCVOkOenBQRp5l1gae0fYU-afK8UkD-/s400/Gastrophryne.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Aug. 17, 2010)—Who knew a little bit of plywood and PVC pipe could help unlock the secrets of Alabama’s amphibious underworld?<br /><br />The <a href="http://bsc.ua.edu/">University of Alabama</a> recently launched a project that spans seven nature centers across the state and will hopefully help scientists and the public alike develop a better appreciation for the state’s resident amphibians.<br /><br />Dubbed the <a href="http://www.alaparc.org/Outreach/AL_amphibian_network.html">Alabama Amphibian Network,</a> the project was made possible through a $2,000 grant the university received last June from <a href="http://legacyenved.org/">Legacy Partners in Environmental Education.</a><br /><br />Legacy is an organization dedicated to providing environmental education programs for Alabama residents. <a href="http://www.alaparc.org/">Alabama Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation</a> is an acting partner with the network, having provided an online home for the project, aiding in communication between the university, Legacy, and participating nature centers, and hosting data collected from the project.<br /><br />The project involves installing coverboards (2x4-foot pieces of plywood) and PVC tree frog shelters, both of which mimic amphibians’ natural habitats, at each of the environmental education centers, said Wally Smith, a University of Alabama PhD candidate coordinating the project.<br /><br />“These environmental education centers have been chosen for the network due to their location across habitat types from the mountains to the coast, their ability to reach students from all demographic groups, and their excellent track records of environmental education,” said Smith.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.campmcdowell.com/cmec/index.htm">Camp McDowell</a> in Nauvoo, <a href="http://www.ruffnermountain.org/">Ruffner Mountain Nature Center</a> near Birmingham, <a href="http://www.jsu.edu/epic/field_schools.html">Little River Canyon Field School</a> near Ft. Payne, the Alabama Wildlife Federation's <a href="http://www.alabamawildlife.org/alabama-nature-center/">Alabama Nature Center</a> at Lanark in Millbrook, the <a href="http://arboretum.ua.edu/">University of Alabama Arboretum</a> in Tuscaloosa, <a href="http://www.escambiak12.net/turtle/index.htm">Turtle Point Science Center</a> in Escambia County, and the <a href="http://bbgardens.org/">Birmingham Botanical Gardens</a> are all participating in the project.<br /><br />Smith said the nature centers can use the equipment in educational programs to supplement curriculum involving amphibians and forest/wetland ecology.<br /><br />“The educators get a valuable education tool out of the project that improves science literacy, while we, as scientists, get much-needed information that improves amphibian conservation,” he said. “It's a win-win situation.”<br /><br />Nick Bieser, conservation land manager with Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, said the center decided to partner with the University of Alabama to help further conservation and environmental education.<br /><br />“This project will hopefully help show the general public that amphibians are an important part of the ecosystem and deserve the same protection as other animals,” said Bieser. “By providing the public a chance to see these animals up close and learn what kinds may be living in their backyard, favorite fishing spot, or nature preserve, we hope they will have more interest in helping to protect them.”<br /><br />So far, Bieser said the coverboards have yielded only a few insects, but as time progresses, he expects that will change.<br /><br />“We expect to get slimy, zigzag, spotted, and red salamanders as well as spring peepers, gray tree frogs, and green tree frogs,” he said.<br /><br />The center plans to incorporate the coverboards and PVC shelters into its “Wetland Explorers” program.<br /><br />Bieser said the program allows children to use dip nets to catch tadpoles, dragonfly larvae, and other aquatic creatures.<br /><br />“We will incorporate the coverboards and PVC shelters and show the children the adult stages of some of the amphibians in the wetlands and talk about their life cycles,” he said. “These shelters will also likely be used in our weekend and night programs when we take groups out to the wetland for night or frog call hikes.”<br /><br />Smith said programs such as this one can help people learn to better appreciate a world they are often unaware exists.<br /><br />“A lack of public awareness about amphibians is a fundamental problem in Alabama when it comes to conserving our wildlife and natural heritage, and amphibians are one group of animals that is taking a big hit within our state's borders,” he said. “The AAN attacks this problem head-on by exposing what we hope will be thousands of Alabamians to the beautiful and fascinating world of frogs and salamanders that lives all around us.” </div>Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-35555751716621024142010-07-04T12:02:00.004-05:002010-07-04T12:35:57.820-05:00Indigo Reintroduction as of 7/4/2010Independence Day and the Indigos seem to know it. Seventeen days since their day of independence and all are alive and none have disappeared breaking several peoples predictions(you know who you are) and beating the odds on several friendly wagers. They have all set up their own territories. Most have picked an old armadillo or gopher tortoise burrow as their retreat from the south Alabama heat. One found its way into the stump of an old longleaf pine long since rotted away leaving only the standing heartwood. I can't figure out how it got in there(no obvious hole around the stump) but it is certainly in there. Tracking snakes is amazing. Without radio telemetry one would never know they were standing on top of a 4ft long snake! They seem to be coming out and hunting/basking in the early mornings and late afternoons. Then going back to their same hole during the heat of the day. Today almost half of the snakes were seen out and about, yet most were within an easy slither from their refuge. We haven't seen any more feeding since the first week although several had bulging bellies. Things are looking positive for the future of the Indigo in south Alabama! Lets hope that the trend continues!Jimmy Stileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298424937753799893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-63588681007267291712010-06-30T11:28:00.003-05:002010-06-30T11:31:21.501-05:00Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting Details<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHndqnmSmKQnFX0JN79zsRC2WASBD9NR8E66XBClU0wMGuREAKWyUUZKIWCTo-lR_g2PR4XjtGm_QiI8qBtwOzrl52mu5jGn97e2V85BOl8LFWMg2JXC-yiXZNYXmENLMpUDp6mAMJ_0W/s1600/Gopherus+polyphemus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHndqnmSmKQnFX0JN79zsRC2WASBD9NR8E66XBClU0wMGuREAKWyUUZKIWCTo-lR_g2PR4XjtGm_QiI8qBtwOzrl52mu5jGn97e2V85BOl8LFWMg2JXC-yiXZNYXmENLMpUDp6mAMJ_0W/s400/Gopherus+polyphemus.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488604983611911586" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.gophertortoisecouncil.org">The Gopher Tortoise Council</a>, ALAPARC's partner in reptile conservation, has announced the details of their upcoming meeting:<br /><br />Please join us October 7-10, 2010 at the Alabama 4-H Center in Columbiana, Alabama for the 32nd Annual Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting.<br /><br />REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS AUGUST 20th (link to registration below). Abstract submission is now also open.<br /><br />Preliminary Agenda:<br /><br />Thursday, October 7: GTC Business Meeting<br /><br />Friday, October 8: Special Alabama Session and Panel Discussion Regarding the Potential Implications of a Range-wide Federal Listing<br /><br />Friday will kick off with a keynote presentation by Craig Guyer (Auburn<br />University) followed by presentations highlighting tortoise and longleaf pine research and conservation in Alabama. In the afternoon, a panel discussion will convene to discuss how a federal listing will influence various stakeholders. A question and answer session will allow the audience to participate. <br /><br />Saturday, October 9: Ecology and Habitat Conservation and Ray Ashton Tribute<br /><br />Conference sessions will focus on traditional meeting topics, such as gopher tortoise ecology, commensal species ecology, and upland habitat conservation efforts. On Saturday afternoon, we will remember a gopher tortoise conservation pioneer.<br /><br />Hotel: This year's meeting will be held at the Alabama 4-H Center in Columbiana, Alabama. Lodging is included in registration packages (link below). <br /><br />Saturday Evening Social: Join us Saturday night on-site for beverages and the musical stylings of Olin Howlin, an Auburn favorite.<br /><br />We were able to keep costs for our meeting low by creating registration packages, please select one that best fits your schedule. All packages include Gopher Tortoise Council Meeting Registration (Use PayPal to pay, you may do so below the package descriptions). Send an e-mail to davidasteen@gmail.com with questions.<br /><br /><a href=" http://www.gophertortoisecouncil.org/events.php">REGISTRATION INFORMATION AVAILABLE HERE</a><br /><br /><a href=" http://www.annualgtcmeeting.com/"><br />ABSTRACT SUBMISSION HERE</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285610649119277081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-50497468503730850282010-06-23T15:11:00.001-05:002010-06-23T15:12:27.173-05:00Indigo Reintroduction as of 6/23/2010Indigo Snake update 6/23/10<br /><br />The first week of tracking the released Indigo Snakes brought some exciting events. The first snake tracked on the day after the release was found eating a Copperhead. This confirmed a prediction of mine, that these venomous snakes would play a role in the diet of the Indigo snakes! The event was captured on HI DEF video by the Discovering Alabama team so be looking for the footage on the show about the Indigo Snake repatriation program. Another was seen devouring a Gray Rat Snake. One of the snakes was found to be 20-30 ft. up in trees with thick brush and vines twice. The best news is that after one week all the snakes are accounted for, and all seem to be doing well. They appear to be adjusting to the wild just fine. Stay tuned to new posts for the latest updates on what the snakes are doing in the wild.Jimmy Stileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15298424937753799893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-91787634554808255072010-06-23T07:24:00.003-05:002010-06-23T07:27:24.805-05:00Indigo Snake Updates From the FieldYou've likely already heard a lot about the recent indigo snake reintroduction project in Conecuh National Forest (if not, click <a href="http://www.outdooralabama.com/news/release.cfm?ID=820">here</a>). But here's something you don't know: those tasked with monitoring the released snakes have agreed to provide news on how and what the snakes are doing via this blog! Stay tuned for updates from the field from Jimmy and Sierra Stiles.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285610649119277081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-27908075386268416132010-06-05T20:50:00.003-05:002010-06-05T21:13:46.842-05:00Volunteer info for Alabama oil spill effortsWith oil beginning to <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/02/AR2010060204505.html">wash ashore on Alabama's coasts</a>, more and more individuals are attempting to find info on how to volunteer. This blog post will attempt to condense links of several organizations within the state involved in coordinating volunteer efforts or information on efforts related to the spill. One of ALAPARC's partner organizations, The Nature Conservancy, has designed <a href="http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/alabama/features/oilspill.html">a webpage</a> where those interested can view detailed information on current and planned efforts, as well as a link for registering to volunteer. In addition, the <a href="http://www.joinacf.org/oil_info.html">Alabama Coastal Foundation</a> and <a href="http://www.alabamawildlife.org/oilspill/">Alabama Wildlife Federation</a> have links on their sites where volunteers can register and view info on efforts on the Alabama coast. Lastly, the governor's office has set up <a href="http://www.servealabama.gov/2010/OilSpill/OilSpillinfo.aspx">a webpage through its Office of Community Initiatives</a> that lists several opportunities and avenues for those wishing to volunteer.<br /><br />This list is but a small sampling of opportunities available through both nonprofits local to Alabama and more broad organizations, such as the <a href="http://www.audubon.org/">Audubon Society</a>, that are focusing efforts across the entire Gulf region. Both unpaid volunteer opportunities and paid positions are available through different groups depending on background and training. Restoration efforts will likely continue long after initial attention on the spill declines, so be sure to keep monitoring these outlets and others if you have interests in helping with volunteer efforts. Also feel free to post other opportunities with groups in the state in the comments below this post, if you know of them. Just remember to make sure that any time or money you choose to donate to the spill recovery is going through a reputable organization such as those listed above.Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-63570537815616063262010-05-23T18:15:00.002-05:002010-05-23T18:22:15.386-05:00Calling all Flickr users!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlYfiUUE-3GdY1Xr4Q51o0X0tMVY0SVFwM_6DpPzNUwDbe4MRyFi62SzKkC8Xh0lelbrRA2dFHxRwgyJzI1YfBw44X402kq9f8BVMFc8eDMsSvjUGQTEO58HDnNtZ8pnyqIny6y3N-lvc/s1600/Ocmulgee_2602.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474609696782951954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlYfiUUE-3GdY1Xr4Q51o0X0tMVY0SVFwM_6DpPzNUwDbe4MRyFi62SzKkC8Xh0lelbrRA2dFHxRwgyJzI1YfBw44X402kq9f8BVMFc8eDMsSvjUGQTEO58HDnNtZ8pnyqIny6y3N-lvc/s320/Ocmulgee_2602.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Do you have a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/">Flickr account</a> and have photos of herps, herp habitat, or herpers from around Alabama? <a href="http://www.alaparc.org/">ALAPARC</a> now has a group and photo pool on Flickr where you can upload your herp-related photos from around the state. You can view the group <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/1401032@N24/">here</a> and click "Join this Group" to join and begin uploading your photos. Feel free to sign up, contribute photos and even participate in online discussions. Tell your friends! </div>Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-13710680300302578892010-05-18T18:05:00.002-05:002010-05-19T22:58:41.295-05:00Ruffner Mountain joins Alabama Amphibian Network<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Zy3NH31ugOCo54GsLfuU11kyVrzm0ulunyxOosCw-iQpV04F2DphMZ4qhJc-PPURUPuakHZ_RZeCxs9zvE5XifXRvRlTSoe3ALzlD54yVqmmovfpA7jzbV4xEW3r2yd1k4VY2z6cWGXr/s1600/Ocmulgee_2718.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473196667678051874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Zy3NH31ugOCo54GsLfuU11kyVrzm0ulunyxOosCw-iQpV04F2DphMZ4qhJc-PPURUPuakHZ_RZeCxs9zvE5XifXRvRlTSoe3ALzlD54yVqmmovfpA7jzbV4xEW3r2yd1k4VY2z6cWGXr/s320/Ocmulgee_2718.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>ALAPARC would like to welcome <a href="http://www.ruffnermountain.org/">Ruffner Mountain Nature Center</a> to the Alabama Amphibian Network! Ruffner Mountain, located just east of downtown Birmingham, is one of the state's most unique nature centers, complete with a variety of habitats including an abandoned quarry on the 1,011 acres surrounding the mountain's slopes and summit. The AAN site for Ruffner Mountain will be located at one of the nature center's unique and biodiverse wetlands (pictured above), where EE center staff will be using the network's tools in their ongoing educational programs. Ruffner Mountain will be a vital link in the AAN due to its unique location, scope of users, and excellent staff/educational programs.<br /><br />The <a href="http://alaparc.org/Outreach/AL_amphibian_network.html">Alabama Amphibian Network</a> is a collaborative outreach partnership and citizen science effort ongoing at seven environmental education centers across Alabama, being administered by the <a href="http://bsc.ua.edu/">University of Alabama</a> and <a href="http://alaparc.org/">ALAPARC</a>, with funding graciously provided by <a href="http://www.legacyenved.org/">Legacy Partners in Environmental Education.</a><br /><br /><br /></div>Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-58724195791180670532010-04-27T18:45:00.002-05:002010-04-27T18:56:50.712-05:00Amphibians and Reptiles of Alabama's National Forests<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0PKyeMymlTtuubntnXe6_L3pMNEhyphenhyphena-a_hVP-nJ5m2_ERWvTLT23R2hF5eU3EKXApTglCrL67SUAj6yL-H2zIZI1eLsMmhJuimx8ONDi45s13aHHLi-83u43bpVSKNt4Evq2ZFJSYWA7/s1600/PSRU+10-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0PKyeMymlTtuubntnXe6_L3pMNEhyphenhyphena-a_hVP-nJ5m2_ERWvTLT23R2hF5eU3EKXApTglCrL67SUAj6yL-H2zIZI1eLsMmhJuimx8ONDi45s13aHHLi-83u43bpVSKNt4Evq2ZFJSYWA7/s400/PSRU+10-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464970079909526194" /></a><br />Do you spend any time hiking, camping, or fishing within <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/alabama/">Alabama's National Forests</a>, such as Talladega, Bankhead, Tuskegee or Conecuh? If so, you may have come across one of many species of amphibians and reptiles that may be found within their borders. Due to the diversity of habitats protected in these areas, each forest harbors a unique assemblage of animals. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_qCkXVlK1nQlwgE_b3WKnBB3UCb0Ubpm0XKHeoP6GNtNwgCD5MChKpOj3S5PsdAa5bJR3pEOeFfEKbAo43Qvpi2R17p247WDPstTCFwIw-SPVOrezC4vWmEjKwnBbO9nmBimjd3zfP_8/s1600/maculatum.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_qCkXVlK1nQlwgE_b3WKnBB3UCb0Ubpm0XKHeoP6GNtNwgCD5MChKpOj3S5PsdAa5bJR3pEOeFfEKbAo43Qvpi2R17p247WDPstTCFwIw-SPVOrezC4vWmEjKwnBbO9nmBimjd3zfP_8/s400/maculatum.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464970077595826818" /></a><br /> Now, thanks to Sean Graham and others, there are now <a href="http://www.alaparc.org/pubs.html">amphibian and reptile checklists for each National Forest in Alabama</a>. Print them out next time you're headed out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ckjruYgt0_tueyM5bY6BKYUlpVvwdMr-p1rKUP-tJaA-sPbd_HNWjWqmDjzisUd3sNYgk7alr23qtkmrDllt1Dbx8Z3BB1FJ09zLN4VPfdtXI9ccabk2QOqXKQMgrl9sPqAFze5SiBS8/s1600/good_adamanteus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ckjruYgt0_tueyM5bY6BKYUlpVvwdMr-p1rKUP-tJaA-sPbd_HNWjWqmDjzisUd3sNYgk7alr23qtkmrDllt1Dbx8Z3BB1FJ09zLN4VPfdtXI9ccabk2QOqXKQMgrl9sPqAFze5SiBS8/s400/good_adamanteus.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464970070612419714" /></a>Alabama PARChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00237114799678426323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-63819120058259495542010-04-22T13:27:00.003-05:002010-04-22T13:31:55.432-05:00Congratulations to ALAPARC's Secretary, Dr. Bill SuttonALAPARC is proud to announce that <a href="http://alaparc.blogspot.com/2009/07/bill-sutton-joins-alaparc-as-secretary.html">Bill Sutton</a> obtained his Ph.D. this week from Alabama A&M University. Congratulations to Bill and we'll all be looking forward to reading about how forest management practices have influenced the amphibian and reptile populations of Bankhead National Forest, Alabama.Alabama PARChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00237114799678426323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-65579106074814713712010-04-22T09:17:00.004-05:002010-04-22T09:30:02.437-05:00Opp Rodeo in National News<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRbs33wYBbHPTgC3sw5JcU6i9lsxFgF3a3MrNqVCwbuoejBZkuIrQCegwIbLrFHqDZogFoRWk2g4whxMvQIig1VoYqPD6i1e1j23tACoMwjsAGIKhL56VZ-ZIuAXQSewQ4PEMGv24GGav/s1600/C.adamanteus_D.Steen.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRbs33wYBbHPTgC3sw5JcU6i9lsxFgF3a3MrNqVCwbuoejBZkuIrQCegwIbLrFHqDZogFoRWk2g4whxMvQIig1VoYqPD6i1e1j23tACoMwjsAGIKhL56VZ-ZIuAXQSewQ4PEMGv24GGav/s400/C.adamanteus_D.Steen.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462968787859846322" /></a>If you're from Alabama, you're likely familiar with its sole rattlesnake rodeo, which attracts thousands to Opp each year. Although the number of rattlesnakes harvested for Opp is small compared the two roundups in Georgia, it is still a source of concern for conservation biologists. Dr. Bruce Means recently published an article describing long term trends observed among rattlesnakes and linked these patterns to the roundups. You can download a pdf of the article <a href="http://www.brucemeans.com/pdf/2009_MEANS_Roundup_Effects_paper.pdf">here</a>. Armed with this knowledge, the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned Georgia to investigate the prevalence of tortoise burrow gassing and also asking the Governor to outlaw roundups.<br /><br /><br />The national news has picked up the story (focusing on Opp), and a small sampling of the dozens of news outlets that ran it can be found below:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/21/national/main6418228.shtml">CBS News</a><br /><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36692072/ns/us_news-environment/">MSNBC</a><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gIqWj7FSzLyKMHdLm-3oPpSzjJhAD9F7CDPG0">The Associated Press</a><br /><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126156781">NPR</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14285610649119277081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2292379915831112196.post-3005640536156907602010-04-01T18:46:00.006-05:002010-04-01T21:32:30.370-05:00Alabama Amphibian Network going online!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8fneLC6byXhlnMvAcEPAkjLUBJKBSRYIi3zxF8QLfsV7rRt5LxW5xWJ8KNI-0K9OQll09AIF9AZp_-R65nndsT2axFtBLwWlrWc8fOlt4s2A_DxK17oSVKZRJ4fOI_Vjp7RBBS3JvNSM/s1600/Brevard2010_2190.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455323643872289906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8fneLC6byXhlnMvAcEPAkjLUBJKBSRYIi3zxF8QLfsV7rRt5LxW5xWJ8KNI-0K9OQll09AIF9AZp_-R65nndsT2axFtBLwWlrWc8fOlt4s2A_DxK17oSVKZRJ4fOI_Vjp7RBBS3JvNSM/s320/Brevard2010_2190.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>Over the past few weeks, several ALAPARCers have been helping the University of Alabama install coverboards and other sampling equipment at environmental education (EE) centers across the state. Being deemed the "Alabama Amphibian Network," these EE centers will be taking part in a statewide citizen science project aimed at both increasing public awareness of amphibians/science literacy and updating our scientific knowledge of amphibians across Alabama. Below are several photos from the site installations, as well as a description of the project:</div><br /><div><strong>What it is</strong>: The AAN is a first-of-its-kind project in the South that uses established EE centers as long-term monitoring and educational sites to further amphibian outreach goals across the entire state. Centers have been chosen for the network that reach multiple demographic groups (rural, urban, etc.), as well as those cover the full spectum of Alabama's habitat diversity, from the mountains to the Gulf. Sites will include the bottom of a sandstone canyon in northwest Alabama, a second-growth woodlot in suburban Tuscaloosa, and isolated wetlands near Perdido Bay - just to name a few. The AAN is being supervised through the <a href="http://web.mac.com/ljrissler/lab/">University of Alabama</a> and ALAPARC and is being very graciously funded by <a href="http://www.legacyenved.org/">Legacy, Inc.</a>. The photo below is of one of the network's sites: a canyon harboring (among other species) green salamanders at <a href="http://www.campmcdowell.com/cmec/">Camp McDowell</a>:</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7DjxJHsHCvDlCKZIHEZK1AZwBCUkf_N2XisZDUtsgMxSFy5-S96xmjwYV5Ij_8g2Rp_SzyYlZHe4COJJGMEOGLzeSVCqJTmJrbXtTJnLArKdi5ysnqvxjU1HzEqBJJo-M_WIN3nsGK6R/s1600/Brevard2010_2202.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455323105686946530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7DjxJHsHCvDlCKZIHEZK1AZwBCUkf_N2XisZDUtsgMxSFy5-S96xmjwYV5Ij_8g2Rp_SzyYlZHe4COJJGMEOGLzeSVCqJTmJrbXtTJnLArKdi5ysnqvxjU1HzEqBJJo-M_WIN3nsGK6R/s320/Brevard2010_2202.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>How it works</strong>: EE centers are being provided with coverboard arrays, PVC treefrog shelters, field guides, and curriculum to be used in herp education programs. EE center personnel use these sampling arrays to provide students with hands-on experience of amphibians in their native habitat. EE centers also record data from individuals collected in the arrays, thus involving students and the greater community in active scientific research.</div><br /><div><strong>What it will do</strong>: The AAN will increase public awareness of amphibians among Alabama's citizenry, providing us with a vital tool for combating habitat destruction: an educated base. Data from the AAN will also be used to update distributions and knowledge on population trends of amphibian species in the state over the long term.</div><br /><div><strong>What you can do</strong>: Check the <a href="http://www.alaparc.org/AL_amphibian_network.html">AAN website</a> for updates on the project's progress, as well as opportunities for personal involvement. Also feel free to provide comments and feedback for the project here as more information is released - we value your input! We hope that our EE partners will become long-term educational partners with ALAPARC, as well!</div>Wally Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08970283377548355506noreply@blogger.com0