I have many friends ask me why I find reptiles fascinating. There are many factors, but one of my favorite reasons is how successful these creatures are. Reptiles have been on Earth for over 275 million years, and are incredible survivors. The adaptability and ability for them to go on, many of them unchanged, for so long, makes them some of the most intriguing creatures around. Reptiles are found on every continent except Antartica. There are rattlesnakes found at extreme elevations of 16,000 feet in the Himalayan Mountains of Asia, as well as Seaturtles that are able to create heat in their bodies from muscular activity as they dive to extreme depths of over 2,000 feet.
Although I could go on forever about how amazing this class of animals are, my true passion in life revolves around crocodilians. Of course, they are amazing in their own regard. They are the largest members of the Reptile Class. They have a four chambered heart (most reptiles have three). They also are now finding out through DNA and behavioral studies that they are mainly monogamous and are great parents. However, my favorite thing about crocodilians, and Gators particularly, are their ability to form bonds with a natural enemy-me. Of all of the animals that I have cared for, it is no secret that I have a very good rapport with the gators I know. These lumbering beasts have a weakness for a soft spoken blonde. It makes me think that as much as we now know about these animals, that we have so much more to learn. When I am not even training our White Alligator, and he is on land, I will talk to him about my daily nonsense, and his eyes will dilate. His whole body relaxes. This is not a normal response for him when I am not around. He has been known to lunge and hiss at other members of staff, especially men. What could our unlikely friendship mean for Crocodilian kind? I ask myself this often, and hope that we will be able to at least learn more about them, before some of the members of Crocodylia dissapear from our earth completely. I say a prayer for them as often as I can. It will take divine intervention to keep our crocs, and many other of our keystone predators alive to see the next century.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Tough day at the office
In this line of work, there are days that you are tried for patience, even when you have carefully worked daily on honing this skill. Patience is hands down the reason why I can work as a reptile trainer. Can I wait 20 minutes for a 900 pound alligator to walk up a waterfall? Absolutely. I did not see this one coming.
The other day, while training one of my favorite species, our bachelor group of four Broad Snouted Caimans, I was talking softly to the most rediculous creature of the lot, Jose. Jose is on the bottom tier of dominace among these hulking 6-7 foot dragons. Caimans can lunge out of the water and swing back and forth, with the worst aim of all crocs. Today, however, the air is beginning to cool a bit, and the Caimans are moving slightly slower and with more purpose. Jose gently takes a rat, and I think, "what a clever boy, so gentle." Before I can let this thought sink in, he snaps off the aluminum top jaw to the feeding tongs I was using.
Thirty minutes later, after talking my sweet Jose onto land, we have caught the beast in a catch pole, somehow finessed a 4 inch diameter piece of PVC into his jaws, and various vet staff members and other animal care staff with long arms are trying their luck at extracting the metal piece. There is nothing found in his belly, so he is swept off in a flurry of reptile and vet staff members to our state of the art hospital for radiographs. The results showed that Jose, while waiting for me to come back and capture him, had regurgitated not only the metal piece, but both of the jumbo rats he had eaten at feeding time. The lesson I learned that day is, while it is important to check your animals for obstructions, the Caiman is still truely a wild and incredible creature who can take care of himself. I also learned that I will be buying new tongs in the near future.
The other day, while training one of my favorite species, our bachelor group of four Broad Snouted Caimans, I was talking softly to the most rediculous creature of the lot, Jose. Jose is on the bottom tier of dominace among these hulking 6-7 foot dragons. Caimans can lunge out of the water and swing back and forth, with the worst aim of all crocs. Today, however, the air is beginning to cool a bit, and the Caimans are moving slightly slower and with more purpose. Jose gently takes a rat, and I think, "what a clever boy, so gentle." Before I can let this thought sink in, he snaps off the aluminum top jaw to the feeding tongs I was using.
Thirty minutes later, after talking my sweet Jose onto land, we have caught the beast in a catch pole, somehow finessed a 4 inch diameter piece of PVC into his jaws, and various vet staff members and other animal care staff with long arms are trying their luck at extracting the metal piece. There is nothing found in his belly, so he is swept off in a flurry of reptile and vet staff members to our state of the art hospital for radiographs. The results showed that Jose, while waiting for me to come back and capture him, had regurgitated not only the metal piece, but both of the jumbo rats he had eaten at feeding time. The lesson I learned that day is, while it is important to check your animals for obstructions, the Caiman is still truely a wild and incredible creature who can take care of himself. I also learned that I will be buying new tongs in the near future.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Sounds of the forest
Since I was small, I was enchanted by nocturnal ectotherms. Cicadas, hylids, geckos-anything that goes chirp in the night. As an adult, I began keeping them in planted terrariums in my room. I am a light sleeper, and nothing is more beautiful to hear than Malayan Leaf Frogs with their metallic honk as you drift to sleep, or the squeaks and chirps of Rhacodactylus geckos courting, while a summer storm is growling in the distance. Summer is my favorite, as this marks the height of when most ectotherms are in full musical bloom.
I may never do field work in an exotic country, but as long as I have my beautiful forest of music, I feel connected to nature. What have you done to stay close to the fields, forests or oceans?
I may never do field work in an exotic country, but as long as I have my beautiful forest of music, I feel connected to nature. What have you done to stay close to the fields, forests or oceans?
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