Posting by CobraCaroline

Do you know a child who loves snakes? How about a child who loves exploring in the park and asks questions about every leaf, rock, and worm?  Or a child who wants to know how an airplane flies or what makes the trash truck so loud?  If so, you know a child who is interested in science.

While hiking in the cold winter woods the other day, I began thinking of all the family members, teachers, and other adults who encouraged my interest in snakes , reptiles, and the natural world when I was a child.

Although no one in my family loved (or even liked) snakes, my parents allowed me to explore the woods and swamps near my house,  bring home and even the keep garter snakes and frogs I found.  My grandparents brought me to reptile lectures at the zoo  and baked cakes in the shape of snakes and lizards for my birthdays.  When I was 9 years old, my grandma even snake-sat for me while I was on vacation – and my pet brown snake gave birth to over 20 live baby snakes while under her care!

Due to the encouragement of my family, I developed a life long love of and respect for nature and science.   My goal in creating Reptiles Alive over 16 years ago was to inspire the same interests for science in other people – especially children.

Watching television shows or looking at a computer screens are two dimensional experiences that have little impact on our senses .  Seeing a snake or lizard in a picture will not inspire the same excitement as seeing a real, living, breathing animal up close.

Imagine the difference between looking at a picture of an apple on a computer screen and holding a real apple in your hand.  Which experience will give you a better appreciation for what an apple really is?

A child who comes home from a Reptiles Alive show wanting to learn more about reptiles,  is a child who has been inspired to learn.  An interest in snakes and animals can lead to interests in other aspects of science.  A love of nature and animals can lead to compassion for all living creatures and our planet itself.

Do you love seeing a professional, exciting, safe and fun live animal show at your school, library, scout meeting, party, or special event?  Are you in favor of inspiring children to care about wildlife and the environment?  How do you feel about small businesses providing jobs and income for families?

RIGHT NOW there is legislation, both passed and impending, causing negative impact professional wildlife educators, environmental education, small businesses and families.

This week, the US Fish & Wildlife Service passed a nonsensical ban on the interstate transport of Burmese pythons and 3 other snake species to protect Everglades National Park.  However, according to USFWS officials who created the ban:  “Although the ban should put a stop to additional pythons entering the country, officials say it will not solve the snake problem in the Everglades. We still have to look at improved management and removal to better protect our habitat.”

So a MAJOR piece of government regulation that will have overreaching negative impacts on families and small businesses across the United States will not even accomplish what it’s intended goal was!!!

Now, there is another looming piece of government regulation.

Proposed Virginia Senate Bill Number 477 will be a major blow to Virginia’s citizens.  Unintended consequences of this ill-conceived legislation will impact everyone from school children to the Virginia tourism industry.

Please take the time to read the bill and reach out to the Virginia Senators involved in this proposal.  Their names and contact information can be found at http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+com+S01

You might also consider contacting your local newspaper, radio, or televisions stations to let them know how you feel about the proposed bill.

NEXT – The Reptiles Alive LLC Official Response to Proposed Senate Bill No. 477

The school year is just getting swinging.  You have been given the task of hiring and hosting this year’s school assemblies.  You have finished hiring your performers – now it’s time to get ready for the show.

Step One:  Choosing the Right Location for the Show

A variety of factors make up a good school assembly performance space.

• Availability – the performer will need time to set up and break down before and after the assemblies, so be sure the space is available during the full time the performer will be at your school.
• Size – More space is always better than not enough.  Try to secure the largest possible venue for the performance.  Keep in mind the size of your audience and the size of the actual performance space.  Also respect FIRE CODE occupancy limits.   If you think there may not be enough room to accommodate all the audience members plus the performance area , you may need to book extra shows.
• Access: Most school assembly performers come with a lot of baggage, literally speaking.  PA systems, props, and especially live animals are not easily transported up stairs or for long distances.  Choose  a performance space that is easy to load equipment and animals into.  Try to choose a location is wheelchair accessable (this makes loading with a cart easy.)  If there will be stairs, be sure to let the performer know in advance as stairs may present a problem for some performances.
• PARKING: Please be sure you have  a close parking spot reserved for your performer.  No Parking = No Performance for us here at Reptiles Alive and for many other performers as well.

STEP TWO:  Know Your Performer’s Show Set Up Requirements

• Closely read ALL of the paper work the performer has sent you:  contracts, prep sheets, etc…  Contact the performer with any questions you may as soon as possible.  If your performer has not informed you of any specific needs or requirements ASK them BEFORE the date of your assembly.
• Arrange with your school’s staff to have the performance space set up as needed on the date of the assembly.

Step 3:  The Day of the Show

• Arrive at the school at or before the approximate arrival time of the performer so you are there to greet them and assist in getting the performer checked into the school, parked, and shown to the performance space.
• Keep a phone with you that you have given as your emergency contact number for the performer.  This way you will know if the performer is running late or having other trouble getting to your show that day.
• If the agreement was for payment to be given on the day of the show, make sure to have the signed check in the proper amount ready to give to the performer.

Now, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

I enjoyed one of the most beautiful scenes of a jungle on my trip to Costa Rica.  We were high in the mountains above the Pacific Coast rain forests surrounded by beautifully maintained gardens.

Every morning I would watch the clouds rise from the valleys into the sky.

And every evening settle down into the valleys for a long rest.

Many of the mountains were very high.  These ones rise above palm plantations.

The trees were amazing.  I tried to hug a few, but they were too big.

Many of the trees have enormous buttress roots.  They help hold up the massive trees.  People used this strategy when building huge buildings before they were built with metal and concrete.

Is this where chocolate comes from?

Not only can the canopy be delicious, but also fun. The animals climb along the massive branches in the dark canopy.  We prefer to fly, zzzzzzzzzzip!

Down from the emergent layer in the sun into the dark unknown.

Under the canopy in the understory and forest floor, it sure is dark!  No wonder baby trees take so long to grow big.

Down here there is plenty of water.  Just not enough sun for many plants to grow on the forest floor.

Speaking of the sun, I think it is time it went to bed.  All of this exploring has worn me out.

Good night!

A small blurry brown shape dashed away in to the trees to my right.

I croched down with my camera poised for a picture of the blur, now hidden under a many leafed bush.  My husband taps my left shoulder and guides my eye with an outstreached finger to the opposite side of he trail. There, on a fallen log streatched out among dappled light with his regal head held high was the elusive king.

He did not move and neither did I.

I nearly forgot the camera cradled in my right hand.  He stayed frozen as a statue as I framed and shot picture after picture.  All while struck in complete amazement as this skittish creature simply relaxed not 20 feet from me. The brown basilisk or jesus christ lizard is an easily frightened creature, dashing away at the slightest hint of danger.

Basilisks may be found in forests across Central America and northern South America often climbing expertly along branches.

They are omnivorous, dining on delicious bugs, animals, and vegetable matter.  Perhaps this lizard now staring me in the eye is resting after a nice meal of sweet tree flowers and the nutty crunch of insects.

Basilisk translates from latin, the language of science, as ‘”little king,”

perhaps derived from the little crown of scales on the back of his head. To me, this animal looks like something that has not existed since the Permian age.  With the huge sails on its back, this three foot long lizard looks more like a miniature Dimetrodon than an iguana’s cousin.  Scientists believe the sails on the dinosaur Dimetrodon’s back were used for temperature regulation. Perhaps this is what the basilisk uses his scales for in the tropical rain forest.

As impressive as his sails are, it is his feet which makes this lizard famous.

This handsome lizard can run blindingly fast to escape hungry predators.  The Costa Ricans or Ticos, call this lizard Jesus (Hey-soos) Christo (Cree-stow) for his amazing ability to run across the surface of water.  Any animal this size would immediately crash into the water on the first step.

This ability has be described in detail in a 2004 study by Shi-Tong Tonia Hsieh of Harvard University, as a vertical slapping of a foot directly onto the surface of the water forming a bubble of air around it.  This is followed by a horizontal push backward to propel the creature forward before the leg is pulled up to the body, ready for another slap downward.

Each toe is surround by a fringe or flat flap of scales thereby increasing the foot’s surface area and preventing it from breaking the surface tension of water.  This fringe also enables the lizard to become an expert climber.

The gorgeous basilisk ensured I had some very nice photographs of him before simply sliding off the side of the fallen tree and beyond my vision.

I thought this would be my only basilisk sighting for the trip.  However, only a few days later,  I heard a rustling noise on the edge of a gurgling stream.

Baby basilisks only slightly resemble their parents.  The triangle shaped head and bright yellow stripe above the eye helped me guess the species of this animal.  I would have thought this youngster would be even more shy than the adult.  This one became the perfect lizard photo model posing lizard pozes as I crept forward snapping nearly 30 pictures before he tired of the game and dove into some dense brush, out of sight.