Whilst birding recently in the Tanoumah area I came across a Snake-tailed Fringe-toed Lizard Acanthodactylus opheodurus down a tree filled wadi. The lizards were very active even during the hottest part of the day and where always found near small low-lying plants with hard sandy soil. It is superficially similar to its larger congener Acanthodactylus […]
Tag: lizard
Mammals of Kruger Park
In my last post from South Africa, I will share some photos of mammals and reptiles we encountered in Kruger Park. Even though we did not find any surprising animals, it was exciting to see large numbers of common mammals. After the low densities we had experienced in Hluhluwe, Kruger Park felt like the Real […]
Florida Is ‘Raining Iguanas.’ Will The Invasive Reptiles Adapt?
While much of the northern part of the U.S. copes with blizzard conditions, in Florida, it’s raining iguanas. Florida residents have been sharing pictures of the reptiles belly up in backyards and on the side of roads. The effect is brought on by the abnormally cold weather hitting the East Coast of the United States. […]
Advocates Raise Millions for Wildlife Bridge in Los Angeles
It’s not an easy life for the mountain lions and other animals that make their home in the Santa Monica Mountains. Because they’re so isolated, Los Angeles mountain lions are almost 100 percent likely to become extinct in 50 years due to inbreeding, which can cause health problems and unusual behavior. Leaving their territory is […]
POLL: Should the keeping of reptiles and amphibians as pets be banned?
Over the past few decades, more and more households have decided to forego adopting a cat or dog and instead have opted to take in a reptile companion. However, vets are split on whether this is a good idea for both humans and the animals themselves. A group of editorials appearing online in the BMJ’s […]
Wildlife At Miami’s Matheson Hammock Park
At the suggestion of Tom Obrock we made a late May trip to Florida’s east coast with the possibility of observing Bahama Mockingbird, a rare bird species in Florida, that had been reported in Fort Lauderdale at eBird. The immature Red-tailed Hawk above (image 1) was photographed near Homestead in May […]
POLL: Should the trade in endangered wildlife species be banned?
Wildlife traffickers are exploiting a legal grey area to trade in highly lucrative protected lizard species at the world’s biggest reptile fair, a Guardian investigation has discovered. Endangered animals from Latin America, New Zealand and south-east Asia are being offered for sale at prices of up to €5,000 (£3,200) a pair on the sidelines of […]
Scientists discover lizard that changes sex in the sun
A lizard that changes sex in the sun has been discovered by scientists. It is the first time the phenomenon has been seen in reptiles in the wild and could have implications for other animal species because of climate change. The cold-blooded Australian Central Bearded Dragon is widespread on red sandy areas in the semi-arid […]