sociality

Secret Societies: The Social Lives of Reptiles

This article was written by Gordon M. Burghardt, PhD, a member of the ASP Board of Directors. Sociality in reptiles, particularly snakes, has been long misunderstood and even denied. Today it is well-established that many crocodilians have complex courtship rituals and parental care that is far more extensive than that found in many birds and …

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Daryl Prowls

A Tale of Two Trash Snakes Part 4 Read: A Tale of Two Trash Snakes Part 3 The day Carol showed up, we checked under the truck bed liner to find Daryl still coiled in a hunting posture under its downhill edge. “There are two lepidus in the yard…” we would say to one another …

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World Snake Day 2015

July 16 is World Snake Day! While snakes are threatened by many of the same issues that affect all wildlife (habitat loss, climate change, and disease), negative attitudes toward snakes may be the biggest barrier to their conservation because it often impedes efforts to address other threats. So do your part by spreading positive messages …

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Squamate Sociality

Surprisingly like birds and mammals Back when we were called Social Snakes, I loved the quizzical looks I often got in response to that name followed by “But snakes aren’t social…” Au contraire, indeed they are, as are many lizards (together termed squamates) and their social behavior is more like birds and mammals than many guess! Social skinks …

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Ban rattlesnake gassing in Texas!

Each spring, festivals are held throughout Texas in which thousands of rattlesnakes are kidnapped from their dens, kept without adequate food or water, tortured, and finally killed for entertainment and profit (find out more at RattlesnakeRoundups.com). If you have ever been out looking for snakes, or even spent time in rattlesnake habitat, you’ve probably noticed …

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