Road Running!

Quite often reptiles and amphibians can be seen crossing roadways throughout Calvert County.  In fact, all too often, these animals are killed or injured by car traffic.  If you are reporting any animals observed on the road, be sure to get an exact location so that the proper MARA block can be linked with your sighting.  Photographs are always helpful too.  Also, be very careful for your own safety anywhere near our busy Calvert County roadways!

This pretty garter snake was observed on May 9, 2012 near King's Landing Park in Huntingtown (Lower Marlboro, SE).  The snake was photographed by CHESPAX staffer, Michelle Daubon.

This gartersnake was seen crossing a road near King's Landing Park  in  Huntingtown.

Reptiles and Amphibians in the News!


Here's an interesting article about the re-introduction of Louisiana pine snakes back into their native habitat.  Scientists bred pine snakes in captivity and hatched the eggs at the Memphis Zoo.  The baby snakes were implanted with tiny transmitters called PIT tags.  The technology will  allow scientists to identify the released snakes upon recapture and to track their movements near the release site.

Louisiana pine snakes are one of the rarest snakes in the United States.  The snakes have declined due to loss of habitat from expanded logging activities in the south.  Restoration of long leaf pine forestland has raised the hopes of bringing back the Louisiana pine snake from the brink of extinction.

The Louisiana pine snake, one of the rarest snake species in the United States.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507165555.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Ftop_news%2Ftop_environment+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Top+News+--+Top+Environment%29

Reptiles and Amphibians in the News!


The Calvert FrogBlog post on March 13 refers to an article from the Washington Post about the ranavirus that is affecting frogs and turtles in Maryland.  


This article and video clip from the Voice of America website further explores this serious problem.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/Reptiles-Amphibians-in-US-Succumbing-to-Deadly-Ranavirus-147292065.html?utm_source=May+2012&utm_campaign=BayStat-May2012&utm_medium=email

Reptiles and Amphibians in the News!


Deadly Fungus at work in the wild

The fungal infection that has killed a record number of amphibians worldwide leads to deadly dehydration in frogs in the wild, according to a new study by University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco State University researchers.

Dead southern mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana muscosa) killed by the chytrid fungus. Sixty Lake Basin, Kings Canyon National Park, California USA. (Credit: Photo by Vance T. Vredenburg)

For the full text of the article go to:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120425193048.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Ftop_news%2Ftop_science+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Top+News+--+Top+Science%29

Our seventh grade students continue to turn up exciting specimens!  This hatchling red-bellied cooter was found by  Mrs. Thames class of Northern Middle School during an April 17 CHESPAX trip to King's Landing Park (Lower Marlboro, SE).  This little turtle may have recently emerged from hibernation as evidenced by the mud covering its plastron or top shell.in the photo below.   It is likely that this little cooter hatched late last summer or early in the fall of 2011.

Hatchling Red-bellied Cooter found by seventh grade students at King's Landing Park  (Lower Marlboro, SE)

Spotted Salamanders are the largest salamander native to Calvert County.  This species is a member of the group known as the "Mole Salamanders", named for their behavior of burrowing into the topsoil and leaf litter in search of earthworms and insects.

On rainy nights in the late winter, these salamanders migrate by the hundreds and even the thousands to small ponds throughout Calvert County to breed.  After mating and laying their eggs (see post from March 13, 2012)  the adult salamanders return to their forest habitat and burrow back into the earth,

Spotted Salamander collected near a home in Lusby, MD (Cove Point, CW) 

Our seventh grade SAV season began today with a visit from Ms. Deck's class from Plum Point Middle School.  Although our target was submerged aquatic vegetation, wildlife sightings are also a part of the data that is gathered by our students.

The sighting of a red-bellied turtle basking near SAV survey marker #2 and that of a green treefrog near the fishing pier are also valuable records for the MARA survey.  These animals both came from the Lower Marlboro, SE block.

Red-bellied Turtle from Cocktown Creek in Huntingtown

This Green Treefrog was found by a Plum Point Middle School  class during their CHESPAX trip