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Herping

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Common Garter Snake

Herping is a term often used by professional and amateur Herpetologists to signify searching for reptiles or amphibians.[1][2] The name comes from "herptile", composed of Greek herpeton and Latin reptile, both meaning "to creep".[3] The term is a shorthand for the two classes of cold-blooded tetrapodes.[4]

Herping consists of many activities; any way one can find reptiles or amphibians can be considered herping. The activity or technique depends on the terrain and target species. These include, but are not limited to, searching under natural cover objects (such as rocks and logs) and artificial cover objects (such as trash or construction debris), sometimes called 'flipping,' as in 'flipping rocks' or 'flipping boards;' locating calling amphibians by ear, commonly done in pairs in order to triangulate on the location of the frog or toad; muddling or noodling for turtles by feeling around in mud or around objects submerged in water; dipnetting for aquatic amphibians and turtles; noosing lizards with wire or fishing line on the end of a pole; lantern walking, which involves searching habitat on foot at night; and road cruising, which refers to the practice of driving along a road slowly in search of reptiles or amphibians that are crossing the road or basking on the road surface.

General herping can take place any time, anywhere, whereas road herping or "cruising" usually takes place at dawn or dusk, or during rainstorms. Road cruising during rainstorms has a high probability of finding toads or frogs that may be otherwise impossible to find during normal conditions.

Photography

Equipment

File:Bothrops-atrox--snake-hook.jpg
Highly venomous fer-de-lance handled with a snake hook

Herping activities are often recorded using the latest digital camera or camcorder technology. As many as three flashes may be used for optimal lighting, especially in challenging environments such as tropical rainforests. The multiple flashes create three distracting catchlights in the subject's eye; two may be edited out of the photo by using Photoshop or similar applications.

Photographing venomous snakes at close range places the photographer within striking range, and various shields have evolved to minimize the danger. These bite shields often take the form of an opaque or transparent plastic covering which surrounds the camera and exposes only the lens. Modifications are made to accommodate various flash setups. Snakes are temperature-dependent and are often active in large numbers during optimal weather.[5] Consequently, the greatest danger in venomous snake photography may lie in a bite from an unseen snake near the photographer. Great care must be taken to survey the area, and bites of this nature have occurred on several occasions.

The safest way to photograph venomous snakes is never to touch them.[6] Snakes may be manipulated with a variety of specialized hooks, ranging from large hooks used for moving snakes, to extendable pocket hooks used for minor posing adjustments. Bite-resistant gloves should also be worn.

Setups

A studio set-up with a Carolina anole

Herptiles are extremely weather-sensitive and often appear in heavy rain or other challenging photographic conditions. Some photographers carry cardboard boxes which can be modified in the field to create tiny sets for photography. In a desert area, sand is sprinkled on the bottom of the box and desert debris is scattered about. In wet areas, mossy sets are often developed, which work well for salamanders. The herp is posed to show identifying features and can be photographed at leisure, creating a realistic photo. During heavy rain or cold temperatures, this "studio" work is usually done in the back of an SUV or similar vehicle.

For aquatic herptiles, early spring is often the best period to find them, as aquatic vegetation is still sparse.[7] Aquariums with natural or prefited substrate may be used to obtain natural photographs. The extent of aquatic setups is limited only by the photographer's imagination, and elaborate studio setups have been used to photograph specialized scenes like basilisks running on water.

Techniques

Because reptiles and amphibians are often agitated when captured, various techniques have evolved to pacify subjects of herpetological photography. One technique involves placing a hat or similar object over an animal (typically a snake) so that it coils and rests quietly. The object is then quickly lifted off the animal and a series of photos are taken. Assistants are often standing by out-of-frame to head off escape attempts.[8]

Tourism

Herp-related tourism, like bird-related tourism, is on the rise. Because there are several hundred birders for every herper, herp-related tourism presently has a negligible economic impact. Fortunately, there is no way to engineer wildlife preserves for a specified vertebrate group. Instead, large areas of wilderness are conserved, benefiting all wildlife. Some of the more popular herping destinations include the United States, Costa Rica, the Amazon, Madagascar, and Australia.[9][10]

Other countries such as India and South Africa possess tremendous herpetological diversity and there are entrepreneurial individuals developing ecotourism infrastructure in these areas. One example is Exo-Terra,[11] a division of the Hagen pet supplies company, which since 2004 has traveled to a different tropical African country each year. The company also holds an annual photography contest[12] that showcases some of the best herp photography in the world. The winner of the photo contest goes on the next trip.

Geographical differences

In Canada and other high-latitude countries, the herping season lasts 6–8 months, depending on the area. Ontario is the most herpetologically diverse province in Canada. While species lists may seem high, many Canadian herps have extremely limited ranges and exist only in isolated populations. Many Canadian herp species are threatened and in some cases great care is taken to protect remnant populations.

The United States contains a large number of different habitats and thus has a wide diversity of reptiles and amphibians. In some parts of the country, such as South Florida and South Texas, herping can be productive year round because of moderate winter temperatures. In most cooler parts of the country the herps hibernate in the winter and thus are mostly inaccessible to herpers.[13] Popular herping destinations in the United States are southern California, southern Arizona, Texas, and Florida. These states boast an incredible diversity of herps as well as a number of species that are highly sought after by herpers. It is no coincidence that all of these states are in the southern part of the country; reptiles and amphibians are ectothermic (cold blooded) and thus are typically more abundant in warmer climates.[14]

Media portrayal

Steve Irwin, one of the best known TV herpetologists

Because fear of snakes is widespread, footage of snake hunters draws large audiences and boosts ratings. Herping television programs usually exaggerate the danger of a herping encounter. Menacing music and intense camera angles are used to build excitement in the audience. It can be difficult to locate wild herps on demand. Because of the time and budgetary constraints of filming a wildlife television program, captive animals are sometimes placed in natural settings for the host to "discover" and capture. In some cases, the host may even agitate a calm animal to create excitement. Some of the best known television herpers include:

Safety

Field researcher using heavy welder's gloves to handle an European adder

Herping can potentially be a dangerous activity if not pursued with proper caution. A strike from a venomous snake can potentially be life threatening. Other herping activities, especially "flipping," put a herper at risk of accidentally coming in contact with a scorpion or spider. Safety equipment used to mitigate such dangers includes snake hooks, snake tongs, boots and gloves.[8][15]

Field herpers encompass a wide ethical spectrum, ranging from behavioural observation without approaching the animal to "feeder" animal collection for existing herpetoculture. The majority of herpers practice careful capture and release in the same spot, as many herps have their own territories and replacing them somewhere else would be a disturbance.[16] As wilderness areas shrink, herpers are concentrated into smaller areas, and commercial collectors often encounter field biologists which may have quite different approaches to their study animals. Many species are also threatened or endangered and thus it is illegal to take them from the wild.[17] Another consideration is spreading of diseases, such as the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis responsible for a worldwide decline in amphibian populations, which may be spread inadvertently by humans.[18]

A frog dying from chytrid-infection, a human spread parasitic fungus

Since many herps are nocturnal, herpers often remove animals temporarily for daylight photo sessions. The animals are then replaced exactly where found.[19] There is no "herpers code" and ethical considerations are left to the individual. From time to time, albino and other unusually coloured animals are encountered and these are sometimes kept for herpetoculture. The ethical justification in these cases is that conspicuous animals would be easy prey in the wild. Although true in the case of albino or other light-coloured animals, this is not true, for example, when normally barred individuals are born with striped patterns. In this case the motive is usually commercial, with the collector planning to develop a striped bloodline and charge high prices for an exclusive morph.

There are many different laws in place that affect herpers. Laws vary by country and state and are designed to protect the wildlife and habitats. In most states, a hunting license is required to collect reptiles and amphibians. Some states are more strict than others in terms of herping-related legislature. In Texas, for example, it is illegal to collect herps on public land, and thus the "road cruising" strategy described above is illegal. Herpers should be careful to obey all laws in areas that they hunt. Lawbreaking herpers risk getting fined.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ Essen, Marty (2006). Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents. p. 19. ISBN 9780977859979. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Oldfield, B. & Moriarty, J.B. (1994): Amphibians & reptiles native to Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press. Introduction, p XIV
  3. ^ "Herptile". The Free Dictionary. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  4. ^ Adler, Kraig (1989). Contributions to the History of Herpetology. Society for the Study of Amphibians & Reptile. ISBN 0916984192.
  5. ^ Peterson, Charles R. (1987). "Daily Variation in the Body Temperatures of Free-Ranging Garter Snakes". Ecology. 68 (1): 160–169. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  6. ^ "Venomous Snakes of the Dallas Fort Worth area". Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center. University of Texas, Arlingthon. Retrieved 26 March 2011. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help); External link in |first= (help)
  7. ^ Harris, S. (2010): How to watch newts. BBC Wildlife Magazine Apil issue, p 17 article online
  8. ^ a b Case, Russ (2007), Snakes (Beginning Vivarium Systems), San Diego: Advanced Vivarium Systems, p. 25, ISBN 9781882770946
  9. ^ Freed, Paul (2003), Of Golden Toads and Serpents' Road (Louise Lindsey Merrick Natural Environment Series), College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, pp. 30–47, ISBN 9781585442713
  10. ^ Anthony, Leslie (2009), Snakebit: Confessions of a Herpetologist, Vancouver: Greystone Books, pp. 239–240, ISBN 9781553652366
  11. ^ Exo-Terra
  12. ^ Nactus Award
  13. ^ Gibbs, James P. (2007). The amphibians and reptiles of New York State: identification, natural history, and conservation. p. 335. ISBN 9780195304305. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Rosenfeld, Arthur (1989), Exotic Pets, New York: Simon & Schuster, pp. 33–35, ISBN 0671476548
  15. ^ Arment, Chad (2004). Herper's life list: a field checklist for the native and introduced herpetofauna of the continental United States and Canada. p. 199. ISBN 9781930585188. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Case, Russ (2006), Lizards (Beginning Vivarium Systems), San Diego: Advanced Vivarium Systems, p. 24, ISBN 9781882770915
  17. ^ Arment, Chad (2005). Herper's Field Survey Journal: A Field Notebook For Herpetofaunal Surveys. p. 11. ISBN 9781930585195. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Brem FM, Lips KR. (2008). "Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection patterns among Panamanian amphibian species, habitats and elevations during epizootic and enzootic stages". Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 81 (3): 189–202. doi:10.3354/dao01960. PMID 18998584. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  19. ^ Case, Russ (2007), Turtles and Tortoises (Beginning Vivarium Systems), San Diego: Advanced Vivarium Systems, pp. 24–27, ISBN 9781882770939
  20. ^ Shalaway, Scott (1989). "Let's Go Herping". Pennsylvania Angler. 58 (7). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Board of Fish Commissioners: 7–9.
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