How did you come to work with snakes in Bali? As someone who has been interested in snakes and other wildlife since I was a small boy, I was allowed to keep reptiles at home, and I will forever be grateful to my parents for encouraging me and allowing me to do this. After going … More Ron Lilley: The Snake Man of Bali
Introduction of an Alien: In 1947, Roswell, New Mexico was famously rumored to be the site of an unintended landing. Strange reptilian beings were reported to have been removed from the debris of a metallic vessel. The area has since become synonymous with all things “extra-terrestrial”. Around the same time on Guam, an island in … More Alien Autopsy: Anatomy of an Invasion
I killed a frog when I was twelve years old – I stepped on it accidentally while walking through the yard. I hadn’t killed it outright, but I had eviscerated it and there was nothing I could do to save it. I tried to walk away and put the animal out of my mind, but … More Animal Rights Gone Wrong?
The typical life cycle of an amphibian is often exemplified by that employed by Ireland’s native Common Frog (Rana temporaria). A large number of eggs are laid in a lentic water body and externally fertilized. The young undergo an aquatic larval stage before emerging on land as froglets. Once the eggs have been laid, the … More Amphibian Reproductive Strategies
I have recently finished my undergraduate degree in Zoology at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. I was given the opportunity to go out to Borneo with the University for a Field Course that is run for masters students studying relevant post-graduate courses. The trip would see me spend 10 days in Sabah with the rest of … More Photographic Diary: Borneo Field Trip
Climate change; two words synonymous with a growing list of threats facing the continuity of our planet, and coming to the forefront as one of the most prominent problems of the 21st century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) describes climate change as ‘a statistically significant variation in either the mean state of the … More Sex and Climate Change – Yes, You Read That Right…
It’s not easy being green, or so that charming, amphibious, banjo-strummer would have us believe. But however difficult life is for the emerald-hued denizens of this great, blue, planet, there’s no denying that green is the colour of life. There is a reason we seek out fields, forests and gardens when we need rest and regeneration. … More Gallery: Green
Venomous and poisonous animals capture the imagination of people across the globe. Whether through fear or fascination, toxic creatures (epitomised by reptiles and amphibians) have long been the object of interest amongst the public and scientists alike. This has lead to an incredible body of research on the benefits to individuals of having a chemical arsenal, often obvious such … More It’s Not Easy Being Mean
Last year I was lucky enough to spend several months volunteering with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF), where I worked on conservation projects with two endangered passerines; the Mauritus Olive white-eye, and Mauritius Fody. Whilst there I got the chance to work on other conservation projects, including the reptile recovery programme. Mauritius was once home … More Field Herp Diaries: Volunteering on Mauritius
If there is one aspect of snake anatomy and physiology that everybody is familiar with, it is probably their ability to consume prey many times larger than their own skull. One of the most bizarre feats one can witness in nature, is an egg-eating snake ingesting a massive egg. Even more amazing, and perhaps a … More Biting Off More Than They Can Chew: How Snakes Swallow Large Prey
The Herpetological Society of Ireland 