International Herpetological Symposium It is not too late! You can still register for this fantastic conference. It started in 1976, and this year it will be in Ft. Myers, with a field trip to Iguanaland! The talks cover the spectrum of herpetology, conservation, academia, and herpetoculture. If that's not enough, there's also a field herp trip, a benefit auction, a banquet, and more. The agenda is packed! Check out everything you'll be missing if you do not go and then get registered.
June 18-21
"The first Symposium of Captive Propagation and Husbandry of Reptiles and Amphibians was held in June 1976. That inaugural meeting at Hood College in Frederick, MD, eventually evolved into what we know today as the International Herpetological Symposium (IHS).
Each year the IHS is held in a different location and hosted by a zoological, herpetological or herpetocultural institution. Its purpose is two-fold:
- To provide an annual symposium for the dissemination of information and research pertaining to the natural history, conservation biology, captive management and propagation of amphibians and reptiles
- To build a community open to all individuals who are interested in reptiles and amphibians and provide a platform that fosters the exchange of ideas and information
Individuals from all areas of herpetology and herpetoculture are involved in the planning of each event, and all are invited to attend." - IHS
Register and get details at https://www.iherpsymp.org/.
CrocFest: 1st Time in Texas Save the crocs! Join us on June 7 for the first-ever Texas CrocFest at Crocodile Encounter, located at 23231 County Road 48, Angleton, Texas 77515. Cost of admission gets you into the park, food, drink, and a chance to participate in a herp-centric auction.
Proceeds will support Kyle Shaney and his team as they survey key areas across Borneo, searching for the Sunda gharial, Tomistoma schlegelii. The team hopes to confirm the presence of Tomistoma in previously unsurveyed areas and determine population metrics of these elusive crocodilians in areas where they have been previously documented. The goal is conservation planning and identification of future research priorities.
Get all details at https://www.facebook.com/crocfests.
Buy tickets online athttps://www.crocodileencounter.com/. Click Book Now. Scroll and choose Texas CrocFest. Click June 7 and choose your tickets.
NEW SHIRTS! The new shirts have just arrived! We have two styles (see below): blue-tongued skink and ball python. The ball python logo is an online exclusive, and we will not have this shirt at shows. It is also limited to fewer than 300 shirts available. Order your shirt and other swag at https://usark.org/shop.
Both designs from Adeline Robinson Art are screen-printed on cotton/polyester blend shirts that are extremely soft and wrinkle-resistant.
 
UPDATE: Federal Light Bulb Ban UPDATE May 7: Reptile, amphibian, and other animal keepers will get some relief from the Department of Energy ban on specialty animal care light bulbs. Bulbs that were unreasonably banned will be available again, provided a special sticker is applied to the packaging. This is great news for animal welfare! We have an excerpt below and have included a link to the full Enforcement Policy Statement. Thank you to everyone who engaged on this issue!
"Pursuant to Executive Order 14154, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces that effective immediately it will not take enforcement actions against any seller of noncompliant general service lamps (GSL), where such GSLs are marketed and sold exclusively for use in the care of reptiles, amphibians, or other small animals. Any other sale of non-compliant GSLs is subject to the discretionary enforcement powers of DOE...
As DOE initiated enforcement actions for sales of noncompliant GSLs, veterinarian and zoo organizations, along with concerned reptile owners, reached out to DOE expressing concern over the sales ban, which they claimed prevents them from obtaining lamps used for the health and care of their reptiles, amphibians, and other small animals. These groups indicated that they regularly use certain lamps, which meet the GSL definition but fail to meet the standard, for the lamps’ infra-red and heating properties, which foster the growth and development of reptiles, amphibians, and other small animals. These groups have requested that DOE exempt from the GSL sales prohibition any lamp marketed and sold solely for use for the care of reptiles, amphibians, or other small animals...
To be given enforcement leniency under this policy, a manufacturer or retailer must affix to all such lamps the following warning label:
This lamp is only available for purchase under DOE’s limited Enforcement Policy for GSLs Marketed Exclusively for Animal Health and Care. The purchaser is advised to consider suitable, available substitutes."
Read more at https://usark.org/24bulbs/.
Find A Vet Need a good herp veterinarian? The Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) can help. ARAV provides a free Find-A-Vet service at http://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661. |
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