CONSERVATION BIOLOGY OF HERPTILES

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CONSERVATION BIOLOGY OF HERPTILES
I. What is the Problem II. What is Being
Done III. What Needs to be Done IV. Characterist
ics of Rare Taxa
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Currently In Midst of Largest Extinction Since
the Cretaceous Epoch
Species You Know That Are In Trouble Locally
Spade Foot Toad, Newts, Spotted Salamanders,
Queen Snakes, Ring-necked Snakes, Leopard
Frogs, Timber Rattlers, Spotted
Turtles. Nationally Copperbelly Water
Snakes Red-Legged Frogs, Yellow-Legged Frog,
Cascade Frog, American Croc, Alligator
Snappers, Most Amphibians Internationally Most
Crocks, Sea Turtles, SE Asian Turtles,Large
Snakes.
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MAJOR PROBLEMS
1. Commercial Trade/Persecution Pets June
1990-92 in FL 119,813 Commercial
Captures Skins 304,186 pairs of Boa boots
imported in 1981 Alligator Nearly Killed Off in
Late 1960s Meat/Eggs Iguanas in Central
America, Frog Legs Sea Turtles, Pond
Turtles Persecution Lizards in
Iran Snakes in US, Rattlesnake
Roundup Other Snakes for Services
(Appalachia) Antivenin, Scientific Research
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MAJOR PROBLEMS
2. Pollution a. Estrogen Mimics b. Acid
Rain c. Direct Toxicity d. Increased Parasite
Loads in Polluted Habitat e. Retinoids (Vitamin
A Mimics)
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MAJOR PROBLEMS
3. Exotic Species Interactions a. Bullfrogs
b. Bufo marinus c. Fungus In
Australia d. Commensals of Man Goats Pigs
Cats Dogs Rats Mice
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MAJOR PROBLEMS
4. Habitat Modification a. Roadkills b. Crys
tallization of Landscape c. Changes in Flooding
Regimes d. Changes in Fauna e. Destruction of
Habitat f. Fragmentation of Habitat
Tbl 17-1
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MAJOR PROBLEMS
5. Most Are Multiple Factors Example Crotalus
horridus a. Persecution horridus--nuf
said b. Collections Boots, Meat, Churches in
Appalachia c. Oil Field Overflow d. Gasoline
Used in Roundups e. Development of Sand Hills of
NJ f. Habitat Damage From Hogs
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WHAT IS BEING DONE
1. Reintroductions 2. Captive Breeding of
Marketable Populations 3. Listing of
Taxa 4. Monitoring of Rare Taxa 5. Public
Education 6. Reduce Exotic Impacts a. Direct
Persecution b. Cat-on-a-Leash 7. Some Habitat
Conservation
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WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING?
1. Habtitat Conservation 2. Softening
Development 3. Basic Research a. Natural
History b. What Works 4. Public Education
Efforts 5. Reduce Persecution 6. REDUCE EXOTIC
PETS 7. Mutispecies Approaches 8. THINK
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A SPECIES IN REAL TROUBLE
Large, High Commercial Value, Slow
Reproduction, High Juvenile Mortality, Hated by
People, Specializes on Rare Habitat. (Komoto
Dragon)
A SPECIES THAT SURVIVES
Small, Weedy Species Moderately Valuable High
Reproductive Potential High Survivorship
Habitat Generalist Common on Hallmark Figurines
(Bull Frog)