VIRGINIA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY FALL MEETING-AT THE NATIONAL ZOO!!!

Just wanted to let everyone know that this year's VHS meeting will be held at the National Zoo. More details to come, but we have a wonderful keynote speaker this year: Dr. Anthony Leonardo (http://janelia.org/lab/leonardo-lab) Dr. Leonardo will be discussing the neuroethology of feeding behavior in Salamanders. We're still finalizing our speaker's list but we will also have confirmed, Jason Osborne from Paleo Quest ( http://paleoquest.org/ ). Jason will be talking about Virginia's Herpetological Fossils. Great stuff. We are also going to have some research poster presentations and a tour of the reptile house at the zoo...this will be a fantastic opportunity to talk to the zoo keepers there and tease their brains for husbandry issues...etc... Stay tuned for more details....

I invite each and every one of you guys to attend.

I've never been to a vaherp society meeting and I have also never been to the zoo. I can't wait. I especially look forward to sticking some names with faces.

Keep us updated on the date and time!

Awesome!!!!

BlackboxStar wrote:

I've never been to a vaherp society meeting and I have also never been to the zoo. I can't wait. I especially look forward to sticking some names with faces.

Keep us updated on the date and time!

Awesome!!!

Ooh, that sounds awesome! I love the National Zoo, I've been meaning to go sometime soon anyway!

Speaking of the National Zoo, this is pretty exciting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQvJPFBHXwk&list=UUM9o4LFMuM_y0COTi0VO2DA&index=0&feature=plcp

Yeah I got to see the eggs when they were incubating...this is very exciting.

Not to get to far off topic but is two hatchlings out of 26 eggs normal?

zues wrote:

Not to get to far off topic but is two hatchlings out of 26 eggs normal?

Typically, no. Under captive conditions the mortality rate of eggs is usually pretty low.

jw wrote:

zues wrote:

Not to get to far off topic but is two hatchlings out of 26 eggs normal?

Typically, no. Under captive conditions the mortality rate of eggs is usually pretty low.

Did it have anything to do with the fact that they were keeping them at a different temperature to try an produce more males?

I don't know.
But serious doubt that the high-mortality rate of the eggs was due anything the zoo did or didn't do.

I'm sorry. I was not trying to blame anyone. I was just curious.

Kittiekat149 wrote:

I'm sorry. I was not trying to blame anyone. I was just curious.

No, it wasn't taken that way. I apologize if my answer seemed defensive.

When is the meeting going to be?

october 20th. sorry.. forgot to mention the date

If everything goes according to the plan i was told, I will be home from San Diego in time to make this event

awesome!!!!!!!

Hmmm. I am going to AZ for my nephew's wedding. We will either will be there or just getting back. Would love to go and meet you guys. I'll have to check my schedule.

I WILL HAVE A SCHEDULE SET UP FOR THIS HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE WEEK.

AS OF NOW WE WILL HAVE 4-5 SPEAKERS FOLLOWED BY AN AFTERNOON OF PRIVATE TOURS OF THE REPTILE HOUSE!!!!!! AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE VHS LEADERSHIP, YOU SHOULD COME TO OUR BUSINESS MEETING, WHERE AFTERWARDS WE WILL HAVE DINNER AT THE REPTILE HOUSE WITH DEMO'S ETC...

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: ANTHONY LEONARDO (NEUROETHOLOGY OF SALAMANDER PREY CAPTURE BEHAVIOR) http://janelia.org/lab/leonardo-lab

PALEOQUEST: JASON OSBORNE AND AARON ALFORD FROM PALEO QUEST(PALEONTOLOGY OF HERPS IN VA AND MD). http://paleoquest.org/

POSSIBLY: KIM TERRELL WILL BE GIVING A TALK ON GLOBAL WARMING EFFECTS OF THE NATIVE HELLBENDER SALAMANDER http://smithsonianscience.org/2011/07/hellbender/

POSSIBLY USGS/SMITHSONIAN COLLABORATION ON VIRGINIA SALAMANDER CONSERVATION http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/YearoftheFrog/OpShenandoahSalamander.cfm

GLOBAL EXOTIC HERPETOLOGICAL CONSERVATION TALK BY REPTILE DISCOVERY CENTER.

WE WILL ALSO BE DOING BACKSIDE TOURS OF THE DISCOVERY REPTILE CENTER IN THE AFTERNOON.

WE WILL HAVE A HERP PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASE

AND OTHER THINGS TO BE ANNOUNCED.

STAY TUNED.....

That sounds like a lot of fun!