Join, or Die

Did you know that Benjamin Franklin drew a herp-related political cartoon in an attempt to promote unity among the American colonies? Franklin published his cartoon in the Pennsylvania Gazette on May 9, 1754,… Continue reading →

Snakebite Cures (Sort of)

People fear venomous snakes. Well, most of them do. And with pretty good reason—a bite from some species means possible death. Luckily dangerous snake bites happen very infrequently because most snakes are harmless… Continue reading →

Smouldering Salamanders

Small, quiet, shy, perhaps even cute, a herpetologist might call them. But some have considered the salamander very dangerous. For example, Pliny says that “the milky mucus flowing from its mouth, whatever part… Continue reading →

Trafficking of Moroccan Tortoises

International demand has created an intense market in animal trade, much of it illegal, leading to far more pressure than populations of many species can handle. Trafficking and other human activities now directly… Continue reading →

Urban Wilderness (Fes at Dawn)

I recently found myself alone amongst feathered reptiles above Fes. Simply by going outside before dawn. The world changes somehow, just before dawn. Once the faint gray or brown light of the still-distant… Continue reading →