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Last week a college student majoring in ecology asked what my favorite turtle is. My answer: the diamondback terrapin. Anyone who has held this charismatic creature would agree it’s hard to find a more captivating turtle. Terrapins, the only U.S. … Continued

If ever a salamander was an unsung hero, it is the amphiuma. Reaching lengths of 4 feet, amphiumas are longer than any other amphibian in the Western Hemisphere. So few people ever see one, they do not even have a … Continued

I received two questions last week that are similar to ones I get each year about the dilemma facing people who have unwanted wild animals. Q. I currently have a 2-year-old female ball python. I did not think about the … Continued

Conservation gets complicated when a native U.S. species is appreciated in one part of the country but despised in another. Consider, if you will, the American bullfrog. “In the Eastern US, where it’s native, its oversized impact is a good … Continued

The ecological importance of American alligators as top predators has long been established. A paper recently published in the online scientific journal Animals (MDPI) presents new information about these imposing animals. Thomas Rainwater, a research scientist at South Carolina’s Tom … Continued

Want to participate in an exciting, possibly dangerous, field trip while trekking through a jungle or exploring an underwater cave? Would you like to stand alone in the dark in a Colorado pond surrounded by thigh-deep snow waiting for frogs … Continued

 I received the following questions recently. The answers are pertinent for the season. Q. I will be visiting family in Alabama, Florida and South Carolina and like to look for snakes for fun wherever I am. How likely am I … Continued

The following may be of interest to anyone who engages in outdoor activities around southern rivers, lakes or reservoirs where alligators are known to live. Q. I belong to a water ski association. We are venturing out again for community … Continued

I have received a version of the following question from people in several states, most recently Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee.   Q. We see or hear various frogs and toads in our neighborhood almost year round. This summer, our … Continued

Q. I try to move turtles off the road so they won’t get run over. Box turtles never try to bite me. Snapping turtles always try to bite me. And they never appreciate my help. How aggressive are different kinds … Continued