Have you ever wanted to see a live Gopher Tortoise? Now is your chance!!! JOIN US at our meeting in Februry when Dr. Fox of Animal Hospital of Port Saint Lucie West will be presenting his rehabilitated Gopher Tortoises. Since Gopher Tortoises are a protected species and require special permitting to even handle them this will surely be a fantastic meeting. Dr. Fox will be bringing several specimines with him to show us... Be there!!!

Indian River State College has been so good to St. Lucie Regional Herpetological Society in providing a place for us to hold our meetings that we have agreed to put on 4 presentations throughout the 2010 and 2011 semesters.

Click the logo below to see what programs they have to offer.

Our next presentation will be on December 6th in building C room 206.

St. Lucie Regional Herpetological Society wants to thank the Gopher Tortoise Council for their continuing effort in researching these special animals. A special thank you to Becky Bolt for putting on a great presentation at our August meeting. If you missed it be sure to click on the link below to view the slide show.

Gppher Tortoise Presentation.
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Thank You Becky!

St. Lucie County and St. Lucie Regional Herpetological Society remind you to please Be an Earth-Friendly pet owner.

For more information please read the following for pet owners.

Click the logo above to go to the St. Lucie County website.

If you have a sick or ailing reptile and need an expert opinion be sure to call Dr. Wallace at Tri-County Animal Hospital located in Fort Pierce on Okeechobee Rd. Phone # 772-461-1311
To go to Tri-County's facebook page! Click ---> Facebook
Dr. wallace will be speaking at a future Herp meeting so be sure to check the Calendar.

Type: Lizard

Family: Monitor Lizard (Varanidae)

Diet: Carnivourous

Life span in the wild: 20 to 40 years

Size: up to 10 feet

Weight: 150 lbs.

Protection status: Endangered

Habitat: Volcanic Islands

The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang. A member of the monitor lizard family (Varanidae), it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to an average length of 2 to 3 metres (6.6 to 9.8 ft) and weighing around 70 kilograms (150 lb).

The Komodo dragon has a tail as long as its body, as well as about 60 frequently replaced serrated teeth that can measure up to 2.5 cm (1 inch) in length. Its saliva is frequently blood-tinged, because its teeth are almost completely covered by gingival tissue that is naturally lacerated during feeding. This creates an ideal culture for the virulent bacteria that live in its mouth. It also has a long, yellow, deeply forked tongue

The Komodo dragon does not have a particularly acute sense of hearing, despite its visible earholes, and is only able to hear sounds between 400 and 2000 hertz. It is able to see as far away as 300 metres (980 ft), but because its retinas only contain cones, it is thought to have poor night vision. The Komodo dragon is able to see in color, but has poor visual discrimination of stationary objects.

Their unusual size has been attributed to island gigantism, since there are no other carnivorous animals to fill the niche on the islands where they live. However, recent research suggests that the large size of komodo dragons may be better understood as representative of a relic population of very large varanid lizards that once lived across Indonesia and Australia, most of which, along with other megafauna,died out after contact with modern humans.

Mating begins between May and August, and the eggs are laid in September. About twenty eggs are deposited in abandoned megapode nests and incubated for seven to eight months, hatching in April, when insects are most plentiful. Young Komodo dragons are vulnerable and therefore dwell in trees, safe from predators and cannibalistic adults. They take around three to five years to mature, and may live as long as fifty years. They are among the rare vertebrates capable of parthenogenesis, in which females may lay viable eggs if males are absent, producing only male offspring.

The Komodo dragon prefers hot and dry places, and typically lives in dry open grassland, savanna, and tropical forest at low elevations. As an ectotherm, it is most active in the day, although it exhibits some nocturnal activity. Komodo dragons are largely solitary, coming together only to breed and eat. They are capable of running rapidly in brief sprints up to 20 kilometres per hour (12.4 mph), diving up to 4.5 metres (15 ft), and climbing trees proficiently when young through use of their strong claws. To catch prey that is out of reach, the Komodo dragon may stand on its hind legs and use its tail as a support. As the Komodo dragon matures, its claws are used primarily as weapons, as its great size makes climbing impractical.

Komodo dragons were first recorded by Western scientists in 1910.Their large size and fearsome reputation make them popular zoo exhibits. In the wild their range has contracted due to human activities and they are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. They are protected under Indonesian law, and a national park, Komodo National Park, was founded to aid protection efforts.