| Species
in the Spotlight: Crested Gecko |
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Latin Name: Rhacodactylus
ciliatus
Common Names:
Eyelash Gecko, New Caledonian
Crested Gecko
Geographic
Range: Southern
New Caledonia.
Average
Size: 5-8 inches
TL. |
Habitat:
The island of New Caledonia
is found in the southeast Pacific,
just east of Australia. The
island consists of coastal plains
with inland forests and mountains.
The island, is a typical tropical
island, hot and humid. However,
the temperature is definitely
tolerable: staying between 75-80
degrees Fahrenheit for most
of the year. Rarely does it
get below 70 degrees.
Reproduction:
Oviparous. Little is known about
the wild reproductive behavior
of Crested Geckos, but in captivity
they breed readily, with the
female laying two eggs which
hatch 60–90 days after
they are laid.
Interesting Fact:
Long believed extinct, the species
was rediscovered in 1994 after
a tropical storm. It is currently
being assessed for CITES protection
and endangered status. The biggest
single threat to the wild population
appears to be the introduction
of the little fire ant (Wassmania
auropunctata) to New Caledonia.
The ants prey on the geckoes,
stinging and attacking in great
numbers and also compete with
the geckoes for food by preying
on arthropods and insects.
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| Species
in the Spotlight: Electric Blue
Gecko |
 |
Latin Name: Lygodactylus
williamsi
Common Names:
William's Dwarf gecko, Electric
Blue Gecko
Geographic
Range: This small
lizard species is confined to
the Kimboza Forest in eastern
Tanzania. This
tropical forest habitat
|
is
rapidly shrinking
due
to deforestation.
Average Size:
5-8 cm SV
Habitat:
These tiny lizards are generally
housed in planted tropical vivariums.
Provided with UVB light, daytime
temperatures of 85F with a 90F
basking spot, and night-time
lows of 70F to 75F, they have
proven to be fairly hardy. Humidity
should range from 50% to 70%.
Misting twice a day provides
water for drinking, but these
geckos have also been seen frequently
drinking from small cups or
from bromeliad bases. They will
eat a wide variety of insects
including fruit flies, mini-mealworms,
phoenix worms, small silkworms,
roach nymphs, and crickets up
to 1/4" in size.
Reproduction:
Males court females with lateral
flattening, puffing out of the
throat pouch, and head bobbing.
Two to three weeks after copulation,
the female lays a clutch of
2 pea-sized white, hard-shelled
eggs which are glued to a surface
in a secure, hidden location.
Eggs hatch in 60 to 90 days.
Interesting Fact:
L. williamsi are bold, active,
social, and males are territorial.
Social gestures include lateral
flattening, puffing out of the
throat patch, head shaking and
head bobbing, and tail-wagging.
These small geckos are remarkable
for their virtually fearless
nature, and quickly tame. Handling
is not recommended for such
small animals, but they can
be lured onto their keeper's
hands with insect treats, and
will remain active and behave
naturally while being observed,
once they are acclimated to
captivity |
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| Species
in the Spotlight: Redfooted Tortoise |
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Latin Name: Geochelone
carbonaria
Common Names:
Redfoot Tortoise, Red Legged
Tortoise, and it is locally
known in Brazil as Jabuti, and
in Venezuela as Morrocoy.
Geographic
Range: The
redfoot tortoise is found throughout
extreme |
southern
Central America, and central
and northern South America including
the countries of Panama, Colombia,
Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam,
French Guyana, Brazil, Bolivia,
Paraguay, and Argentina. They
are also found on Trinidad &
Barbados, and have been introduced
to many other islands in the
West Indies.
Average Size: Redfoots
will normally reach between
10 and 14 inches (25.4 - 35.6
cm) in carapace length, although
in rare cases may grow up to
16 inches (40 cm). There is
also a smaller phenotype commonly
called the 'cherryhead' redfoot,
which can be identified by its'
bulbous nose and darker plastron.
This phenotype, which does not
bear subspecies classification
at this time, ranges in size
as an adult from 10-12 inches
(25 – 30 cm).
Habitat:
The redfoot occupies a number
of habitats within this extensive
range. It occurs in all types
of forest habitat (rainforest,
temperate forest, and dry thorn
forest), and also dwells in
savanna areas, including man-made
grasslands resulting from ranching
and slash-and-burn agricultural
practices. Forest edges and
savannas seem to be the preferred
habitat for this species, although
there is some disagreement over
this.
Reproduction:
In the wild, the redfoot tortoise
lays clutches of 5 to 15 eggs
between July and September.
They are generally buried in
a nest in the ground in typical
tortoise style. The hatchlings
are round and flat, and are
about 1.5" in diameter.
Interesting Fact:
The Redfoot Tortoise is popular
as a pet, though it is protected
under Appendix II of the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES), which means
that this species may not be
exported from its home country
without a proper permit. In
every country in its range,
the biggest threat to the survival
of red-footed tortoises is overhunting
by man. Interestingly enough,
tortoises are considered "fish"
by the Catholic Church and during
holy week, redfoots are consumed
in huge numbers. Redfoots are
collected and shipped to many
different South American cities
to be sold as a delicacy. The
fact that redfoots can tolerate
long periods of time without
food and water, an otherwise
evolutionary advantage, makes
this species both easy and profitable
to transport. |
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| Species
in the Spotlight: Ball Python |
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Latin Name: Python
regius
Common Names:
Royal Python, Ball Python
Geographic Range:
Found in Africa from Senegal,
Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea,
SierraBenin, Niger and Nigeria
through Cameroon, Chad and the
Central
African Republic to |
Sudan
and Uganda.
Average Size: Males
3-4ft., Females 4-5ft.
Habitat:
Grasslands, savannahs, and sparsely
wooded areas.
Reproduction:
Oviparous, with anywhere from
3-11 rather large, leathery
eggs being laid (4-6 being most
common). These are incubated
by the female under the ground
and hatch after 55 to 60 days.
Interesting Fact:
This species is particularly
revered in the traditional religion
of the Igbo people of southeastern
Nigeria. It is considered symbolic
of the earth, being an animal
that travels so close to the
ground. Even among many Christian
Igbos, these pythons are treated
with great care whenever they
happen to wander into a village
or onto someone's property;
they are allowed to roam freely
or are very gently picked up
and placed out in a forest or
field away from any homes. If
one is accidentally killed,
many communities in Igboland
will still build a coffin for
the snake's remains and give
it a short funeral.
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| Species
in the Spotlight: Red Eyed Treefrog |
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Latin Name: Agalychnis
callidryas
Common Names:
Red Eyed Green Treefrog
Geographic
Range: Red-eyed
tree frogs inhabit rainforests
from southern Mexico,
through
Central America, to Northern
Colombia.
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Average Size:
Males range from 2 (5.08 centimetres)
to 2 1/2 inches (6.35 centimetres),
while female range from 2 1/2
(6.35 centimetres) to 3 inches
(7.62 centimetres) on average.
Habitat:
Red Eyes are found in the neotropical
rainforest of central America.
This species of frog is completely
arboreal, or tree dwelling,
and they are excellent jumpers.
These frogs rarely descend to
the ground and move in a very
stealthy and deliberate manner.
They are completely nocturnal.
Reproduction:
During the mating season, when
rainfall is at its highest,
males of the red-eyed tree frog
call ("chack") to
get the attention of the female,
who then caries him on her back
around for up to several hours
during the opposition process.
The female chooses a leaf above
a pond and lays her eggs, called
a clutch. The eggs develop into
small tadpoles , which hatch
after several days and fall
into the water below. They remain
in the water anywhere from 3
weeks to several months, until
they metamorphose, or develop
into frogs.
Interesting Fact:
The red-eyed tree frog has three
eyelids and sticky pads on its
toes. Red-eyed tree frogs are
not poisonous and rely on camouflage
to protect themselves. During
the day, they remain motionless,
cover their blue sides with
their back legs, tuck their
bright feet under their belly,
and shut their red eyes. Thus,
they appear almost completely
green, and well hidden among
the foliage. |
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| Species
in the Spotlight: Green Tree Python |
 |
Latin Name: Morelia
Viridis
Common Names:
Chondro, Chondropython
Geographic
Range: Found
in Indonesia (Misool, Salawati,
Aru Islands, Schouten Islands,
most of Western New Guinea),
Papua New Guinea (including
nearby |
islands
from sea level to 1,800 m elevation,
Normanby Island and the d'Entrecasteaux
Islands) and Australia (Queensland
along the east coast of the
Cape York Peninsula).
Average Size: Adult
Green Tree Pythons average 120–200
cm (3.9–6.6 ft) in length.
Habitat:
Green Tree Pythons are found
in the rainforests, bushes and
shrubs of New Guinea, its surrounding
islands and the very north of
Australia. They are solitary
and they spend their life among
the branches of trees, only
descending to the ground to
move between them.
Reproduction:
Oviparous, with 1-25 viable
eggs per clutch. In the wild
eggs are incubated and protected
by the female, often in the
hollow of a tree. Hatchlings
are lemon yellow with broken
stripes and spots of purple
and brown, or golden or orange/red.
Over time the color changes
as the animal matures, color
of the adult depends on the
locality of the animal (some
taking many years to finish
color change).
Interesting Fact:
Primarily arboreal, these snakes
have a particular way of resting
in the branches of trees; they
loop a coil or two over the
branches in a saddle position
and place their head in the
middle. This trait is shared
with the emerald tree boa, Corallus
caninus, of South America. This
habit, along with their appearance,
has caused people to confuse
the two species when seen outside
their natural habitat. Green
Tree Pythons can live up to
35 years old (in captivity). |
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