Rising temperatures could benefit the Common Snapping Turtle. CHAMPAIGN, ILL. — A recently published study of snapping turtle nests at Gimlet Lake in Garden County Nebraska from 1990 – 2015 found that warmer fall temperatures positively correlate to larger eggs and larger numbers of eggs, while warmer spring temperatures are negatively correlated with egg size… Continue reading Rising temperatures could benefit the Snapping Turtle.
Category: Reptile
Midwest Fish and Wildlife Meeting
UBAP herpetologist Sarah Baker co-organized a symposium “Advances and Challenges in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation and Management” and presented “Impact of Snake Fungal Disease on Population Viability” at the 78th Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Milwaukee, WI. Jan 28-31. Student Kelsey Low presented a poster on “Ranavirus Effects on Body Condition and Growth of… Continue reading Midwest Fish and Wildlife Meeting
Team finds first wild alligator snapping turtle in Illinois since 1984
UBAP staff are part of the team that found a wild alligator snapping turtle in Illinois, the first one seen since 1984. Currently working as part of a reintroduction program, Chris Phillips found the turtle while trying to locate a radio-tagged individual they had released in the area. Read the complete story at: Illinois News… Continue reading Team finds first wild alligator snapping turtle in Illinois since 1984
UBAP staff present at Biology of the Snakes Conference
Members of the Urban Biotic Assessment Program, Michael J. Dreslik and Sarah J. Baker, recently attended and presented at the Biology of the Snakes 2017 Conference in Rodeo New Mexico. They gave two oral and two poster presentations. Oral Presentations Dreslik, M. J., C. E. Petersen, S. M. Goetz, J. D. Kleopfer, and A. H.… Continue reading UBAP staff present at Biology of the Snakes Conference
Funding received to survey the Alligator Snapping Turtle
UBAP staff Ethan J. Kessler and Michael J. Dreslik received funding from The Nature Conservancy, Indiana to conduct surveying for the Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys teminckii). The surveys will be a combined effort of trapping and eDNA sampling in the Patoka and White River watersheds. The project also includes some proof-of-concept work for eDNA work at the… Continue reading Funding received to survey the Alligator Snapping Turtle
UBAP staff present at Turtle Survival Alliance
UBAP staff Michael J. Dreslik and Jason P. Ross recently presented at the 2017 Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles. The meeting was held in Charleston, South Carolina from August 6th – 9th and has international attendance. At the meeting, they presented a poster on the effectiveness of passage gates… Continue reading UBAP staff present at Turtle Survival Alliance
UBAP staff present at theJoint Meeting of Ichtyhologists and Herpetologist
Members of the Illinois Natural History Survey’s Urban Biotic Assessment Program and Herpetology Lab recently attended the Joint Meeting of American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, and Herpetologists’ League in Austin, Texas from 12 July to 16 July 2017. They presented on a variety of topics from… Continue reading UBAP staff present at theJoint Meeting of Ichtyhologists and Herpetologist
Biology of the Rattlesnakes II released
Biology of the Rattlesnakes II, edited by UBAP staff member Michael Dreslik, is now available from ECO Herpetological Publishing. M. J. Dreslik, W. K. Hayes, S. J. Beaupre, and S. P. Mackessy (eds), The Biology of the Rattlesnakes II. ECO Herpetological Publishing and Distribution, Rodeo, New Mexico is now available. Click for more information
INHS herpetologists to monitor Will County Blanding’s Turtles
Following the discovery last year of a nesting Blanding’s Turtle in a suburban backyard, INHS herpetologists have been awarded a contract to survey for the endangered Blanding’s Turtles in Will County Forest Preserves. Read article in Daily Herald
Illinois team tackles mysterious disease afflicting wild and captive snakes
INHS scientists are collaborating to understand Snake Fungal Disease and its impacts on endangered snakes in Illinois. “We’re trying to protect an endangered species,” said INHS herpetologist and postdoctoral researcher Sarah Baker, a collaborator with Allender on several studies. “A lot of pit viper populations are declining – not only in Illinois, but nationwide. Snake… Continue reading Illinois team tackles mysterious disease afflicting wild and captive snakes