Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢

We are happy to announce the next speaker for our #UrbanEcology event in January! We will have @ylndmc.bsky.social (@ubms.creaf.cat) from @creaf.cat, who will be talking about butterflies in the city.

Save the date with the QR code or going directly to this link: drive.google.com/file/d/19iTA...

What a lovely green colour!

Are you a researcher/practitioner working on urban ecology and conservation? 🌇🌆🏙️🌃

Please join our starter pack!
go.bsky.app/29rs45P

Haha oh gosh, I hope I didn’t make everyone suggest their favourite urban wildlife now. 😅 With or without turtles, I’d love to buy your book!

a man in a suit says where are the turtles ! Alt: a man in a suit says where are the turtles? (Office meme)

And turtles?? 😃 🐢

Don’t forget about the #FindThatLizard Scholarship!! Please share

#science #scholarship #funding #herps #HERpers #lizards #snakes #frogs #salamanders #game #challenge #education

New species 🚨, not one, not two, 13 new bush frogs from Northeast India!!!
One of the exciting revisions I've been involved in for a few years now is out today. It is led by @bitupan-herp.bsky.social, a PhD. student who will soon be a doctor.

Close up image of green iguana’s head next to a tree trunk.

Green Iguana resting on a tree branch.

Green iguana resting on a tree branch looking up.

Green iguana yawning. Photo captured through many branches so the full head is not visible.

Green Iguanas look so prehistoric! I’m glad they are mostly herbivorous! 😍🦎

This is really cool! Bad day to be a frog. 😅

Green Heron picking up frog from water

Green Heron with frog in its mouth

Green heron with frog in its mouth

Green Heron with open mouth while swallowing the frog

A tale in four photos…

This Green Heron took about 5 minutes to swallow this poor little frog! 🐸

Interestingly, the heron kept dipping the frog in water and rotating it so that the frog was facing the throat before swallowing it whole 😱

Osprey flying in the sky with a fish.

Cool bird alert!

Osprey flying away with a fish! Lunch must be delicious! 🐟🦅

Ok weird, I didn’t get the alt-text reminder. 😞 Left photo is a close up of a Cuban anole and the right photo shows the anole resting on a branch.

Cuban Knight Anole! Largest anole in the Dactyloidae family. I really love their big heads! 🦎

I know otters gotta eat too, but it’s still heart-breaking. 😢

They were eating that shell like it was a ripe fruit 😰

The audacity of this otter to munch on the baby turtle next to me, a conservation biologist working on protecting turtles. 😭 Feels like a big F U to me! 😂

An otter eating a turtle while another otter watches.

Two otters in water. One has a turtle in its mouth.

What is a turtle biologist’s worst nightmare? 🤔

I present an example here! 🐢🦦

A baby turtle was devoured by these two otters! 🥹

Curly tail lizard on a rock.

Curly tail lizard on a rock facing right.

Curly tailed lizard on a rock.

A curly tailed lizard with a nubby tail.

Lately, I am obsessed with lizards! I mean, look at their adorable curly tails! 😍🦎

And, of course, they are called Curly-tailed Lizards! 🤭

Ooh thanks for the ID!

Treefrog hanging on to leaf. Water droplet on its butt.

Cute frog alert! I don’t know what species this is or whether it’s even native to Florida, but I really like how this photo turned out! 🐸

Green Heron staring at dragonfly on the end of the branch.

Green Herons are such beautiful birds! And I love this photograph I took in Florida couple of days ago.

Could have been a delicious snack if the dragonfly was caught. 🤭

+++ Hissscord🐍 NEWS +++

Our new server is live! 🐍
A free space for young and experienced herpetologists to connect, collaborate, and get quick help.

💬 DM me here on Bluesky or elsewhere for an invite to the Discord channel!

Please feel free to share and repost!

#Herpetology #SEH2025 #Hissscord

I believe they are called barbels. Probably have a similar function to that of cat fish barbels?

And I just learned two cool facts about them.

Despite their appearance, the adult wasps actually drink nectar. And females can reproduce via parthenogenesis because males are rare. 🤯

Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillar on a leafy branch

Pelecinid Wasp on a leaf

American Dagger Moth caterpillar on a leaf

Common Green Darner in a yellow leaf.

A very buggy Monday! 🐛🐝

Love it!! 😍🐢 Also makes me feel sneezy. 🤧

Snapping turtle floating and basking in a pond. The pond is covered in lily pads.

Sneaky Snapper! 🐢

Super exciting to see a snapper basking in the local city pond! 🌆

They have become very used to human presence.

A thin branch with a herd of small insects that have black and white stripes with red patches on their backs. As the far end, the mother treehopper watches over the youngsters. She is green with yellow spots and clear wings. There are green leaves in the background.

Oak Treehopper Mama Update!
Here she is with entire brood. They're getting big! So, why is it nice to leave some leaves around? These kids will hibernate over winter as adult females in leaf litter.
(Platycotis vittata) PA

Not gonna lie, gars are cool! But it’s turtles for life for me. 😄

Does anyone know of any workshops for Bayesian population viability analysis? Other resources are welcome too!

I am starting a new project and wanted to learn new skills!

#PopulationModelling #Bayesian #PVA