Camera Critters 63

It's time for Part 2 of our Behind The Scenes Tour of the Reptile House at the Houston Zoo. I've had several emails asking why the reptile house. I've got several answers! First, it's hotter than Hades this time of year in Houston and the reptile house is indoors and air-conditioned. Second, I like reptiles and amphibians. 2008 was the year of the frog and my interest in these critters grew. It was a lot of fun for me to hold the Giant Waxy Monkey Tree frog.

Just a little about the Year of the Frog 2008:

The Global Amphibian Crisis Why do we need amphibians?

We need amphibians. Humans have discovered antibiotic and anti-tumor properties, analgesics, anti- inflammatory compounds, and natural adhesives from amphibians. We have used them to learn anatomy and for medical research and tests. Changes seen in amphibians have often been heralded as an indicator of changes in ecosystems because of their semi-permeable skin, which makes them particularly sensitive to changes in their terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Where are the amphibians?

The Problem
Frogs and toads are disappearing, along with salamanders, newts, and the unusual caecilians. Older than the dinosaurs, recent studies show that almost one-third of all known amphibian species (and there are over 6,000 of them!) are faced with the possibility of extinction, while 120 species are thought to have gone extinct in recent decades. No other class of organisms – birds, mammals, or plants – has faced such a high risk of widespread extinction.

The Culprits

- Habit loss

• Chemical pollutants -

• Invasive species -

• Disease - A mysterious fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (“Bd”), is the culprit behind both current and historic, dramatic and rapid amphibian population declines throughout the world, including “pristine” mountain areas.

I urge you to Google and learn more.

Meanwhile, back to our Behind The Scenes Tour!

Most of our tour really was behind the scenes, in areas the public doesn't see. We were surprised by the number of critters that are never placed on display. There were many critters that were confiscated at airports that now have permanent homes at the zoo and will never be on exhibition. There are snakes that have simply gotten too old to be out -- one has cataracts, another has a bad back, and other animals simply get too stressed to be placed on exhibition.

Cage after cage of venomous snakes.

Blue Poison Dart Frog

Dart Poison Frogs from the rain forests of the Americas come in a dizzying array of colors and patterns. Some are used by native tribes to poison the tips of blow-darts for hunting. Poison dart frogs, in general, are safe from predators because their bright, bold colors serve as a warning signal to birds and other animals that might eat them. The colors warn about potent toxins in the skin strong enough to kill almost any animal that eats it. Complex compounds in the skin secretions of dart frogs are now being studied by scientists for potential medical use. These hopping pharmacies have already provided a possible substitute for morphine which is non addictive and 100 times more potent.

Rhinoceros Iguana

Rhinoceros Iguanas, like all squamates, must warm themselves from external sources. Clever solar collectors, they shift position as the sun moves to fine-tune internal temperature.

Like all squamates, this Rhinoceros Iguana is covered in scales—small, hard, platelike thickenings of the skin. Scales protect bodies and help reduce water loss. Unlike fish scales, squamate scales are specialized folds of skin.

SIZE

These big, heavy-bodied iguanas were once the largest animals on the Caribbean islands where they live. Their only enemies were—likely—birds of prey, such as hawks. Today, they are food for humans and their pets.

HORN

No one knows the function of the horns that give the Rhinoceros Iguana its common name. Bigger in males than females, they may be useful in combat among males and in displays such as head-bobbing.

A few of the 40 or so species in the family Iguanidae are medium-sized lizards, between 15 and 30 centimeters (six inches and one foot) long. But most species are large, and none is larger than the Rhinoceros Iguana. These animals have successfully crossed ocean barriers; several species live on remote islands.

Panther Chameleon

When Judith placed the Panther Chameleon in my hands she kept saying "he has claws. They may scratch you. I can't leave him out long. He gets stressed easily." Let's just say ... he stayed out longer than I think Judith imagined! We got along quite well. Unfortunately we didn't get a picture of Judith picking him up from me and putting him back in his cage -- he curled his tail around my fingers. Too cool!

Panther Chameleons are very finicky creatures, who require a precise environment which almost exactly mirrors that of a jungle, and are time consuming. They also require a lot of particular vitamin supplementation and have a demanding diet, consisting of mostly crickets. They also eat mealworms, super worms, wax worms, and butter worms, though the latter two are not recommended for sustained periods of time, as they are very fattening.

Panther Chameleons can live up to 10 years in captivity. Females, if bred often, usually only live 2-3 years after laying eggs (between 5 and 8 clutches) because of the stress put on their bodies.

Like most species of chameleons, the Panther Chameleon is very territorial. They spend the majority of their life in isolation, apart from mating sessions.

Parsons Chameleon

This Parsons Chameleon was one of the confiscated animals and will never be on exhibit.

The Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii) is a very large species of chameleon that is endemic to isolated pockets of humid primary forest in eastern and northern Madagascar. It is listed on CITES Appendix II, meaning that trade in this species is regulated. As with the majority of chameleon species from Madagascar, it is illegal to import Parson's chameleons from their native country.Despite their large size, these animals are very delicate in captivity. They may live to 20 years of age in the native land.

Parson's in Captivity
Because of their striking appearance, Parson's Chameleons were once imported to the United States of America in fairly large numbers. Sadly, because of their delicate nature, suceptability to stress, and lack of care on the part of the importers, nearly all of these animals died shortly after arrival in the USA.

Between January of 1988 and June of 1994, over 4000 C. parsonii were reported to have been imported to the USA. Most people agree that the actual number of animals entering the country was significantly higher. Not accounted for are animals smuggled on the black market or which were not accounted for in shipping documents.

Some people estimate that the total number of Parson's Chameleons imported for the pet trade in the USA could exceed 10,000 animals. Actual numbers are impossible to calculate, since records prior to 1988 are not available.

Of the estimated 10,000 animals imported, all but a few have died. A recent project by CIN to document all known captive Parson's turned up fewer than 200 imported animals. This suggests a deplorable survival rate for an animal whose life expectancy is estimated to be greater than 20 years.

Behavior
Parson's are very stationary animals. Adults may go for long periods without moving except to eat, drink, mate or deficate. They also do not spend much time basking, like many other true chameleons. They will, however, sit in the sun for short periods and slightly flatten one side of their body toward the sun. These sunning sessions are rarely more than 10 - 15 minutes long and usually take place early in the morning as soon as sun is available.

Next week Part 3 and the real STAR of our visit!

Have a wonderful weekend.