How Toxic Algae Threatens Reptiles and Amphibians

How Toxic Algae Threatens Reptiles and Amphibians

If you’ve spent any time herping near ponds, lakes, or slow-moving streams, you’ve probably seen it, water coated in a green, paint-like scum or streaks of red-brown film drifting across the surface. While some algae growth is natural and even beneficial, not all...
How Reptiles Smell Their World

How Reptiles Smell Their World

When you’re out herping, one of the most fascinating things to witness, if you’re lucky enough, is a snake or lizard flicking its tongue or rubbing against a rock in a very deliberate way. To the untrained eye, it might just seem like quirky behavior. But...
Reptiles and Amphibians That Use Mimicry to Survive

Reptiles and Amphibians That Use Mimicry to Survive

When you’re out herping, one of the most fascinating encounters isn’t just spotting a rare species, it’s realizing the creature you’re staring at isn’t what it seems. Some of the most remarkable reptiles and amphibians are mimicry masters, using deception...
How Amphibians Survive Freezing Temperatures

How Amphibians Survive Freezing Temperatures

When we think of herping, most of us picture sun-warmed trails, damp forests, or muggy swamps teeming with movement, frogs calling, salamanders darting under rocks, and the occasional snake basking in a clearing. But once the temperatures drop and the first frost...