LINKS to Field Herping Sites

 

To recommend an additional link, please e-mail your suggestion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forums

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The largest, most active sites:

 

FieldHerpForum

A very busy site with lots of extras, including specialized forums for herp photography, literature, news, and extended discussions.  Hosted and moderated by the managers of HerpNation.com.

NAFHA Forums

Main and Chapter forums of the North American Field Herping Association (NAFHA).  Hosted on HerpNation.com.

Kingsnake.com
Field Notes and Observations

Highly moderated, part of the web’s biggest portal for herps.

Herping With Dylan
Forum

Multiple forums, including trips, photography, videos, and general herping.  Moderated and well-attended.

 

 

Smaller field herping forums:

Generally associated with larger sites devoted to other herp topics

AHA Field Herping Forum

Part of the Arizona Herpetological Association website.  Focuses on Arizona.

Herps of Arkansas
Field Plans and Reports

 

Aussie Pythons and Snakes
Field Herping and Reptile Studies

Focuses on Australia.

Aussie Reptile Keeper
Field Trips

Focuses on Australia.

AZ PARC Field Forum

Part of the Arizona Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation website. Focuses mainly, but not exclusively, on herps of Arizona and the southwest. 

BallPythons.net
Field Herping

 

CA Reptile & Invert Society
Field Herping

Focuses on California.

Caudata.org
Field Herping Groups

For newt and salamander enthusiasts.

CornSnakes.com
Natural History/Field Observation

 

Edmonton Reptiles Forum
Field Herping

On the website of the Reptiles & Amphibian Society of Edmonton, Canada.

European Field Herping Forum

Includes subforums on a wide range of topics related to European field herping.

FaunaClassifieds.com
Field Collecting Forum

 

FieldHerping.eu

Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, with forums by subregions.

Gecko Resource Forums
Field Herping

 

HerpCenter.com
Field Herping Forum

 

HerpForum.org
General Field Herping

 

MaineHerp.org
Field Herping

On the website of the Maine Herpetological Society.

MoreliaPythons.com
Field Herping

 

Nature.net
Reptiles and Amphibians

Focuses to some extent on the Midwest, but not exclusively. 

RedTailBoa.net
Herp Adventures

 

ReptileChannel.com
Into the Wild

Field herping forum of Reptiles Magazine.

RepticZone.com
Field Herping

 

TheReptileRoom.org
Field Herping

 

SnakeTracks.com
Field Herping

 

South African Reptiles

 

South Texas Reptiles
Field Herping

 

SouthwesternHerp.com
Field Collecting & Field Studies

Regional focus.  On the website of the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research.

sSnakeSs.com
Field Herping

 

TurtleForum.com
Field Herping

Requires registration.

 

 

 

 

 

Personal Accounts

By Author    ABC  | DEF  | GHI  | JKL  | MNO  | PQRS  | TUV  | WXYZ

To search for locations, use your browser’s Find command.

A word about Personal Accounts:

When I first created this Links page there were relatively few websites devoted to field herping. My priority at that time was to be as comprehensive as possible.  Since then, there has been an explosion of blogs, YouTube channels, and FaceBook pages that include field herping accounts --- too many to make a complete listing possible or meaningful. 

My aim now is to be more selective, only including reports that represent a certain quality of writing, photography, or subject matter interest.   Personal favorites are highlighted.  I hope visitors find the revised list sufficiently extensive and even more useful.

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ILHerps.com
Scott Albert 

Well-organized list with photos and descriptions of herps where they were found, mostly in Illinois, Missouri, and Colorado.

Full Spectrum Photography
Brad Alexander

Extensive gallery of California and other western herps.  Photos only, many of them superb.

Herps
Patrick Alexander

Photo galleries with captions of Southwestern and Indiana herps found in the field.

Snake Road
Assignment Earth

Video of the famous Illinois road that closes for semi-annual snake migrations.

A.S.E.F.H.

Searchable database of reports posted by members of the Association of South Eastern Field Herpers.  Mostly photos with a few field notes.

Herps of Mexico
Kingsnakes
Western Garters
Dick and Patti Bartlett

Illustrated article of a herp trip to Mexico.
Searching for Kings in Florida.  Narrative with some photos.
Finding Garter Snakes in California and Utah.  Narrative with some photos.

Snake Hunting with the Navy
Karl Betz

Herping while on an extended tour of duty around the Pacific rim, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Gulf.  Narrative only. 

Field Herping
Will Bird

Extensive galleries of herping for fun and research in Kentucky by an expert keeper, breeder, and founder of the state’s herp society.  Photos and captions.

Tales From the Jungle:  Snakes
Mike Boston

Entertaining anecdotes of encounters with serpents in the rainforests of Costa Rica, by the wilderness expedition guide and director of Osa Aventura.

Philly Herping
Billy Brown

My favorite herp blogger.  Wonderful writing, filled with entertaining and informative reports of local field trips, primarily in eastern Pennsylvania and nearby states.  Narrative with photos.

Brune’s Belize Trip
Carl Brune

Herp photos (mostly lizards) from a December vacation in Belize, with some descriptions.

Reptile Images
David Buttle

Photos with captions of herp trips from around the world.

Galleries
Young Cage

Wonderful photography of herps found in the field, mostly in the Southwest, as well as the Southeast, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Peruvian Amazon, and Australia.  Also, see Young’s excellent Amazon reports on the Clients Comments page of Margarita Tours.

Myanmar Herp Survey Project
California Academy of Sciences

Reports and results from multi-year field research in Myanmar, originally headed by the late Joe Slowinski.

Snaking Down the Amazon
Roz Calvert

A “civilian’s” account of an Amazon herping expedition with Green Tracks.  Mostly narrative with a few photos.

Box Turtle Graveyard
Marty Capron

An unexpected find while herping the Missouri Ozarks.  Narrative with a single photo.

Equador Adventure
Tim Christensen

Photos and captions from field research, by a volunteer for Reptile & Amphibian Ecology International.

Snakehuntingchick.com
Melissa Coakley

Field herping blog and photos from Florida and the western US, as well as Peru and Costa Rica. 

The Amphibian Avenger
Lucy Cooke

Entertaining and well-written blog of a frog lover’s adventures around the world, accompanied by lots of great photos to illustrate the narrative.

Yorkshire Field Herping
Carl Corbidge

Herping in Yorkshire and other parts of England, with side trips to Europe as well.  Blog with lots of good photos and brief narratives.

Field Notes
Michael Cravens

Mostly Midwestern herp trips,  enthusiastic descriptions with nice photos.

Pelee Island Field Trips
Jonathan Crowe

Reports and photos of annual herping trips by members of Ontario Herpers to a Canadian island in Lake Erie.  Mostly narrative with a few photos.

 

 

 

Personal Accounts

By Author    ABC  | DEF  | GHI  | JKL  | MNO  | PQRS  | TUV  | WXYZ

To search for locations, use your browser’s Find command.

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FieldHerping.com
Diamondback Dave

Extensive galleries by an exceptional herper from his many, many herp trips throughout the Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest USA.  Great photos with brief descriptions.

Davidson College Herp Lab
Dr. Michael E. Dorcas

Photos from national and international field trips taken by the faculty and students of Davidson College, North Carolina.

Galleries
Alex Dudley

Photo gallery of Australian herps found in the field.  Excellent pics with descriptive captions.

Herping With Dylan

Lots of enthusiastic videos of field herping, mostly in Illinois and Missouri.

Field Reports
European Field Herping

Extensive listing of field reports by many different herpers from all over Europe.

Project Mosquitia Expeditions
Carl J. Franklin

Entertaining and informative accounts of neotropical field research in Honduras and other countries.  Mostly narrative with some photos and captions.  See additional reports by Carl on the website of the U.T.A. ARD Research Center.

 

Personal Accounts

 

By Author    ABC  | DEF  | GHI  | JKL  | MNO  | PQRS  | TUV  | WXYZ

To search for locations, use your browser’s Find command.

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Galleries
Chris Gillette

Artistic and dramatic images from field trips in Florida, Arizona, California, and the Peruvian Amazon, by a herp guide for Margarita Tours.  Photographs only. 

Tooth and Scale
Andy Gottscho

Field Journal blog based mainly in California but includes other trips as well.  Enthusiastic narratives and many fine photos.

Snakes & Turtles & Crocs, Oh My!
Debbie Gowensmith

A day of herping during a rapid assessment inventory of the biodiversity in Irian Jaya, Indonesia.  Mostly narrative with a few photos.

Holiday Herpetology Expedition Devon Graham

Highlights of an Amazonian herp trip, by the Scientific Director of
Margarita Tours.
  Narrative with some photos.

Field Herping
Andrew Hare

Photo galleries of Kansas herps found in the field.

Chrish’s Field Herping Page
Chris Harrison

A few tales of herping in Texas.  Enjoyable stories and photos.

Field Herping
Troy Hibbitts

Life lists and photos from herp trips in Texas, Florida New Mexico, Arizona, and other miscellaneous states.

Galleries
Ashley Hockenberry

Exceptional photography of herps (and other wildlife) found in the field, mostly in Canada, plus some in Arizona, Florida, West Virginia, and Singapore.  Pictures only.

Herp Indiana
Andrew Hoffman and Todd Pierson

Brief accounts of Indiana herping, nicely recorded with narrative and photos.

Herping the Trans-Pecos
John Hollister

An extensive site with the most comprehensive information and pictures about herping West Texas. 

Herping Trips
Eric Holt

Herp trips targeting various species of turtles in Florida.  Many fine photos with brief comments.  Scroll to the bottom of the home page to find the herp trip links. 

Reptile Papers
Raymond Hoser

Articles about Australian herps and herping.  Scroll down the list and look for titles that describe field trips.  Narrative only. 

House of Herps

A monthly compilation of articles contributed from a variety of herping blogs.

In Deepest Darkest Amazon
Kit Howard

A non-herper’s perspective on a herping expedition with Margarita Tours.  Kinda fun and interesting to see what we look like to normal people.  Narrative and photos.

Field Notes
Bryan Hughes

Blog of an Arizona herper.  Lots of nice photographs, some narrative.

 

Personal Accounts

 

By Author    ABC  | DEF  | GHI  | JKL  | MNO  | PQRS  | TUV  | WXYZ

To search for locations, use your browser’s Find command.

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Jadin Expeditions
Robert Jadin

Mostly photos, with some descriptions, from field trips in Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest, and Central and South America.

Happy Herpin!
Mike Jewel

Herps found on field trips to Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, and New Jersey.  Photos only.

Reptile List
Terry Johnson

Arizona herps photographed in the field.  Pictures with brief descriptions.

Herp Trips
Jim Kaveny

Highlights of Costa Rica herp expeditions, by the leader of Hiss ‘n’ Things and trip participants.   Extensive daily journals with links to some photos.

Field Trips
Kent Reptile & Amphibian Group

Ongoing blog of outings and sightings by members of a local herp society in England.  Narratives with some photos.

Kentucky Appreciation
Kentucky Herpetological Assoc

Field accounts and photos of herping in Kentucky, by members of the state herp society.

Texas Field Herping
Clint King & Michael Smith

Photos of field trips and links to an informative newletter that includes articles on Texas herping.  Mostly narrative with some photos.

Trip Report – Yucatan Peninsula
Daniel Kronauer and Frank Rheindt

Detailed and highly informative report of a combined herping/birding trip to the Yucatan region of Mexico and Guatemala.  Narrative with some photos. 

Herp Trip Photo Travelogues
Bill Love

Exquisite photos and well-written adventures of fascinating herps from Madagascar, Mexico, and the American Southeast and Southwest.  By the director and tour guide of Blue Chameleon Ventures.

Another Dream Come True
Terry Love

Nicely written and photographed account of field work in the Peruvian Amazon, by a volunteer researcher for Fauna Forever Tambopata.

Thailand Snake Journal
Vern Lovic

Dispatches from Thailand about local herping and snake encounters.  Blog with brief entries and some photos.

 

Personal Accounts

 

By Author    ABC  | DEF  | GHI  | JKL  | MNO  | PQRS  | TUV  | WXYZ

To search for locations, use your browser’s Find command.

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Stewed Thoughts
Stewart MacDonald

On-line blog of an Australian herpetologist. Brief accounts of field trips with some photos.

Trip Diaries
 Shawn Mallan

Journals and photos of herp trips to Costa Rica with Green Tracks and Hiss ‘n’ Things, and to Amazonia with Margarita Tours.

The Snake Hunt
Chris Maser

Engaging story about finding Pacific Rattlesnakes for a field study in Oregon.  Mostly narrative with a few photos.

Herping in West Malaysia
Chris Mattison

An article reprinted from Reptiles Magazine recounting a herping expedition to  Malaysia.

Field Trips  
Chris McMartin

An extensive site listing dozens of trips throughout the U.S. and around the world, with separate accounts for the many species found. Stories and photos.

Herpin’ in North Carolina
In Search of Living Jewels
Joe McShary

Detailed accounts of extended herp trips to NC and Panama.  Very informative and well-written narrative with excellent photos.

Journals
D. Bruce Means, PhD.

 

Detailed daily diaries of herping expeditions in Australia, India, Brazil, and Costa Rica by the renowned host of herp documentaries and director of the Coastal Plains Institute in Florida.  Narratives only, no photos.

Photo Albums I and II  
Konrad Mebert

Herping from Central Europe to the Balkans, with sidetrips to Costa Rica.  Exquisite photo galleries of both herps and habitats, with maps and travelogue comments.

Kevin in China
Kevin Messenger

Amazing reports from a herp survey in an unexplored area of China.  Lengthy, detailed accounts with gorgeous photos of incredible herps and habitat. (Temporarily unavailable.)   

Mud Snakes
John Murphy, Harold Voris, Daryl Karns

Trapping water snakes on the muddy bottoms of drained lakes in Thailand.  Narrative with photos.

Out in the Field
Gary Nafis

Clever collection of California herping photos and videos, including categories such as habitats, herpers, tracks, etc.  On the website of CaliforniaHerps.com.

The O-Files
OHherper

On-line blog of field herping notes from Ohio, Wisconsin, and other exotic destinations.  Mostly narrative with some photos.

Herps of Papua New Guinea
Mark O’Shea

A search for the New Guinea Small-eyed Snake by the popular television host and field herpetologist.

SC Tales of Herping
SC Observation Notes
Gene Ott & Joey Holmes

Good collection of local field trips in South Carolina, as well as a daily journal of SC herp sightings.  Mostly narrative with links to some photos.

 

Personal Accounts

 

By Author    ABC  | DEF  | GHI  | JKL  | MNO  | PQRS  | TUV  | WXYZ

To search for locations, use your browser’s Find command.

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Field Herping
Daniel Parker

Mostly Florida reports, with a few other miscellaneous states, posted on various herping forums.  Primarily photos with some narrative.

Snake Hunting in Kentucky
Phil Peak

Many photos of herps and habitat from one of Kentucky’s master field herpers. 

Snakes of Hudspeth County, TX Jason Penney

Snakes and where to find them in this West Texas county, organized by species and habitats.  Excellent descriptions, photos, and cross references.

Herpetology Community
Bill Peterman and others

Photo galleries and captions of many herps found throughout the US (and a few from Costa Rica). 

Field Herping
Lennart Petterson

Blog by a Saskatchewan herper with lots of local trips in Canada, plus some to Sweden, Peru, and the United States.  Many fine photos accompanied by well-written narratives.

Field Trips in France & Corsica
Daniel James Phillips

Field herping in France and the island of Corsica, including a daily journal from the author’s home region.  Narrative with many photos and some videos as well.

Herp Indiana
Andrew Hoffman and Todd Pierson

Brief accounts of Indiana herping, nicely recorded with narrative and photos.

 Notes From the Field
Mike Pingleton

One of the very best field herping sites around.  Lots of outstanding reports from the Midwest and all over.  Superb storytelling, well illustrated with photos. 

Field Herping
Jason Poston

Blog site of local trips in Pennsylvania and other near-by states.  Narratives and photos.

Herping in Hostile Territory
Dave Prival

An article about hunting the Dos Cabezas Mountains in Arizona.  Narrative only.

Herp Journal
Matt Ricklefs & Jim Scharosch

An exceptional site.  Hundreds of Midwest herp trips, with excellent narratives, photos, and field notes, by a pair of accomplished and long-time herping buddies.  

Herps
Don Roberson

Pictures of herps found in the field with descriptions of the species and when they were photographed in the wild.  Mostly California herps, but also includes accounts from Asia, Africa, Australia, South America, and Mexico.

Snake Adventures
Robby Robbins

Attractive blog with many nice photos, personable narratives, and a friendly sense of humor.  Mostly local herping in Utah.

Looking for Reptiles in the Amazon
Matt Russell

Road cruising near Iquitos, Peru. 

Herping in Peru
Philip Samuelson

Recounting a herping expedition to Amazonia with Green Tracks. 

Field Survey Trip Reports
SARCA

Enjoyable accounts of field research conducted by the Southern African Reptile Conservation Assessment. Entertaining narratives and photos by scientists with a sense of humor.  Scroll down document list and click on selected surveys.

Vipers Garden
M. Schweiger

Herping all around Europe.  Photo galleries with captions, plus field accounts with narratives and pics.  Click on link to “Reports and Pictures”.

Herping Trip Reports
Herping Michigan Blog
Nick Scobel

Lots of field accounts from Michigan and Illinois, plus entries from New Jersey, with many nice photos and narratives, as well as several videos.

Snakes Alive!
Pamela Selbert

Chicago Tribune article about the annual herp migrations on Snake Road in southern Illinois.

Collections
Nathan Shepard

Albums of herps and herpers in the field, mostly local herping in North and South Carolina, plus trips to Florida, Arizona, Equador, and Namibia. Photos with captions.

Discovering Albino Rosy Boas
Shawn Silva

Lengthy, detailed article with photos about finding albino Rosy Boas in California.

Snake Struck
Joe Slowinski

Experiences in the field while doing herp research and filming in Myanmar, by the late Assistant Curator of Herpetology at the California Academy of Sciences.

Herping Videos
smetlogik

Lots of nicely produced clips, with a touch of humor, of father/son herping trips in Arizona, Colorado, and Arkansas.

Snakes Eating in Nature

Extensive photo gallery of snakes feeding in the wild.  A group album with several hundred contributing members.

SocialSnakes

Serpent social behaviors observed during field research.  Blog with videos and comments.

Herpetofauna of Europe
Jeroen Speybroeck

Extremely informative and interesting accounts of herp trips throughout Europe, with excellent photos and narrative.

Herping USA
Tim Spuckler

Photo essays with captions from herping trips to California, Nevada, Ohio, and miscellaneous other states.

Travels
John Sullivan

Nicely designed site with informative narratives, great photos, and excellent cross-references to species accounts.  Herp trips to the Southwest and to Costa Rica with Green Tracks.

Field Herping Stories
Sam Sundberg

Nicely written accounts of herping in Antigua, Canada, Minnesota, Spain, France, and even Ireland.  Narrative and photos.

Herps of Baja
Karl Switak

An article reprinted from Reptiles Magazine recounting a herping expedition to the Baja Peninsula, Mexico.

Adventures
Oyvind Syrrist

Photo galleries of herp trips from all around the world.

 

Personal Accounts

 

By Author    ABC  | DEF  | GHI  | JKL  | MNO  | PQRS  | TUV  | WXYZ

To search for locations, use your browser’s Find command.

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Ophidiophilia
Emily Taylor

The (mis)adventures of a rattelsnake scientist while doing research in the field.  Blog with photos and narratives.

 Ryan Thies Home Page
Ryan Thies

Many stories and photos of herping Missouri and the Midwest.

Snakes in My Tent
Tanith Tyrr

An expedition to Apalachicola National Forest, Florida, with the Southeastern Hot Herp Society.

Best Wild Rattlesnake Strike Ever
USeeWildlife.com

Amazing video of a Timber Rattlesnake ambushing a squirrel.  Scroll down archive page to see long version (with tracking behavior) or short version of just the strike (including slow motion). 

Field Expeditions
U.T.A. ARD Research Center

Excellent and extensive photos with informative narratives of trips to Mexico, South and Central America.  By Carl Franklin of the Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center, University of Texas at Arlington.

Trip Reports
Josh
Vandermeulen

Field accounts in and around Ontario, Canada.  Narratives and pics.

Field Herpetology
James Van Dyke

Galleries of herps found in the field, mostly in the South and Southwest with a side-trip to Costa Rica.  Photos and captions.

Field Trips
VenomLogic

Trips to Thailand, Malaysia, and Komodo Island.  Photo gallery with links to field reports.

 

Personal Accounts

 

By Author    ABC  | DEF  | GHI  | JKL  | MNO  | PQRS  | TUV  | WXYZ

To search for locations, use your browser’s Find command.

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Images of the Top End & pseudechis
Greg Wallis

Photo galleries of Australian herps found in the field.  “Images” includes many beautiful still pics with captions, and “pseudechis” presents videos.

Field Photos and Trip Reports
Brad and Lynne Weinert

Herps photographed in the field from many different trips throughout the U.S. and abroad, with links to some narrative reports.

Desert Reptiles
William Wells

Galleries of Arizona herps in the field.  Photos with captions.

The Last Hunt
Martin Williams

A tale of herp hunters on the island of Chek Lap Kok in China, before it was mostly leveled to become Hong Kong's new airport.  Narrative with a few photos.

J. D.’s Herping Trips
John Wilson

Field trips in the Southeast U.S., Arizona, and Costa Rica. Richly illustrated with lots of great photos and descriptions.

European Reptile/Amphibian Blog
Matt Wilson

European herp trips, with links to more detailed reports on various forums.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tours & Guides

By Name

To search for locations, use your browser’s Find command.

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African Reptiles and Venom

Customized herp tours of South Africa by a company that supplies venom for research and conducts training courses for snake handling.  Based in South Africa.

Arassari Trek

Venezuela herping expeditions to various regions of the country, led by a local herpetologist.  Based in Venezuela.

Australian Crocodile Tours

A listing of various crocodile riverboat tours and farms in Australia.

AZ Desert Mountain Jeep Tours

Arizona herping expeditions, going off-road into the desert and mountains.

Blue Chameleon Ventures

Madagascar herping expeditions with Bill Love, nationally famous herp photographer, author, and educator.

Cape Herp Tours

Guided tours led by local herpetologists throughout southern Africa.

Cape Reptile Institute

A South African research institute offering organized field trips for scientists and serious amateurs, as well as guidance and assistance for visiting herpetologists.

César L. Barrio Amorós

Venezuela herping customized for individuals and small groups, led by one of Venezuela’s most accomplished field herpetologists (and Arassari Trek’s herp guide).  To arrange a private tour, contact César directly. 

Costa Rica Amphibian Research Center

Private research site in Costa Rica dedicated to conservation, with personal guide service led by a herpetologist, available for the reserve and beyond.

Crocodile Man Tour

Costa Rica boat tour of the Tarcoles River, famous for its crocodiles.  Based in Costa Rica.

Duende Adventure Travel

Mexico tours for animal encounters, including a turtle nesting conservation project, a marine turtle night tour, and kayaking for crocodiles.  Based in Mexico.

Damon Corrie

Guyana tours that can be customized for herping, lodging in Amazonian Indian villages and led by indigenous guides.  Based in Barbados.

The Gerry Martin Project

India field trips and workshops conducted by a herp conservation organization.  Based in India.

Green Tracks

Costa Rica and Amazon herping expeditions, led by Dr. Bill Lamar, a leading authority on Latin American herps.

Hiss ‘n’ Things

Costa Rica herping expeditions led by Jim and Helen Kavney.

Int Org of Biological Field Stations

Listing of biological field stations around the world.  Some incorporate eco-tourism and guide services (however, the site does not indicate which ones).  Good for researching potential places to stay in the field for herp trips. 

Joe’s Crocodile River Tour

Costa Rica boat tour of the Tarcoles River, famous for its crocodiles.  Based in Costa Rica.

Kenya Snakes Safari

Specialized herp tours led by local herpetologists.  Based in Kenya.

Letaka Safaris

African herp safaris in Namibia, offering packaged or customized tours.

Margarita Tours

Amazon herping expeditions, usually led by the well-known authors, photographers, and herpetologists, Dick and Patti Bartlett.  Can also arrange custom tours for individuals and small private groups.

Matabuey.com

Costa Rica herping expeditions to the Osa Peninsula organized by Matt Harris and guided by Mike Boston of Osa Aventura. Also trips to Arizona.

Nature Malaysia

Malaysian rainforest herping tours customized for small groups.

Osa Aventura

Costa Rica wildlife tours of the Osa Peninsula that can be customized for herping, led by Mike Boston, a British herpetologist now living in CR.  

Parque Reptilandia

Costa Rica herping with Quetzal Dwyer & Monica Perez, Americans who operate a serpentarium in Dominical and serve as guides for custom tours.

Proyecto Yacaré

Eco-tours to a Caiman conservation project in Argentina, including hands-on help with collecting, measuring, etc.  Click on the link for “EcoTourismo” for a description in English, as well as the link for “English Summary”.

Skin & Scales

Guided field trips in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and the Carolinas.

Sunshine Serpents Wildlife Tours

Florida herp trips guided by master field herper Daniel Parker.  

TanalaHorizon

Madagascar herp and chameleon tours that can also be customized for individuals and small groups.  Based in Germany.  Website in German. You can use Chrome browser and allow Google to translate into English.

Texas Snakes & More

Field expeditions in the Houston area and surrounding counties.

Thailand Herping Trips

Customized herp trips with English-speaking guides.  Based in Thailand.

Venezuela Nature Tours

Venezuela wildlife expeditions that can be customized for herping, led by conservation biologists.

Wildhiss

India wildlife expeditions with special interest tours, including herpetology.  Can be customized for individuals and small groups.  Based in India.

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteer Opportunities

 

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Amphibian & Reptile Conservation

Volunteer opportunities for herp surveys and habitat management of reserves in the U.K.

Earthwatch Institute

Expeditions and internships around the world for volunteers assisting scientific studies in the field, including herpetology.  Use the appropriate keywords (reptiles, amphibians, etc.) to search for projects related to herps.  

Ecology Project International

Field courses in sea turtle conservation assisting scientific studies in Costa Rica.  Based in U.S.

ECOSARA

Volunteers participate in field research of reptiles in Paraguay.

Fauna Forever

Volunteers assist with wildlife monitoring research, including a herpetology team, in Tambopata National Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon.  Based in the UK and Peru.

The Gerry Martin Project

Herp conservation projects in India, with help from volunteers.  Based in India.

Global Vision International

Expeditions, projects, courses, and internships around the world for volunteers assisting scientific studies in the field, including herpetology.  Based in the United Kingdom with offices in North America.

 

International Reptile Conservation Foundation

Global conservation projects to protect herps and their habitat, with volunteers assisting in the field.  Based in United States.

 

NAFHA

North American Field Herping Association.  Aims to collect scientific field data to support conservation efforts.  Local chapters organize field trips and coordinate data collection.

Operation Wallacea

Expeditions around the world with volunteers and students assisting scientific studies in the field, including herpetology.  Based in the United Kingdom with offices in the U.S. and Canada.

PARC – Resources

Links to projects that need field herping volunteers, including Herp Atlas surveys, Amphibian Monitoring programs, and herp societies. 
On the website of PARC (Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation).

Reptile & Amphibian Ecology International

Herp research in Ecuador with volunteers assisting in the field.

Sea Turtle Conservency

Volunteers help with sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica.  Based in U.S.

Snake Cell

Snake catching in India, with opportunities for volunteers to work with professionals on house calls to rescue snakes and educate local residents for the protection of both species.  On the home page, click on the link for “Volunteers”.

Volunteer Abroad

Volunteer projects of all kinds around the world, including ones for herpetology.  On the home page, go to the drop-down menu for “What Type of Volunteer Work?” and select one of the relevant choices (Biological Research, Wildlife Surveys, etc.), then scroll through the results for herp-related opportunities.

Volunteer.Gov/Gov –
Natural Resources

Portal for volunteer opportunities with U.S. public service agencies in the area of natural resources.  Use the appropriate keywords (herpetology, reptiles, amphibians, etc.) to search for openings related to herps.   

 

 

 

 

 

Methods, Equipment, Resources, Publications

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Methods   |   Equipment   |   Resources   |   Publications

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Field Herping Ethics

My code of conduct for herping in the field.  (pdf)

Field Herping Ethics

Detailed explanation of field herping ethics and etiquette, by Gary Nafis of CaliforniaHerps.com.

Code of Ethics

As stated by the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research.

Field Herping Methods

Great in-depth article by Chris McMartin of McMartinville Field Trips.

Tips on Field Techniques

Advice for Herp Atlas participants.

Field Herping Methods

Brief overview on the website of Snake Hook and Tongs.

Field Herping Ethics
Field Herping Techniques

Detailed description of rules and methods as followed by the brothers of Ruddock Reptiles.

Wildlife Watching

A guide to rainforest exploration, including herping. 
On the website of Nature Malaysia.

Flipping for Herps

Great in-depth article by Scott Quint of Coastal Plains Reptiles.

A Load of Rubbish

Flipping trash piles for Australian herps, by Raymond Hoser.

Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide

Essay by Rich Zuchowski on the ethics and etiquette of trash flipping.

Road Cruising

Great in-depth article by Scott Quint of Coastal Plains Reptiles.

Night Road Cruise Page

Test your spotting skills on this virtual road cruise.  On the webpage of South Carolina Reptiles and Amphibians by Gene Ott.

You Might be a Road Cruiser If…”

Long list for recognizing fellow travelers.

Turtle Hunting

Gentle catch-and-release techniques by Grand Master Turtle Hunter Brad Gottlieb.  More than just methods, apparently it’s also a spiritual warrior sect.  Well worth it.

 

 

 

Methods   |   Equipment   |   Resources   |   Publications

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Field Herping Checklist

My own personal list of what I bring when I go herping.  (pdf)

Field Herping Checklist

Article by York Morgan on the website of VenomousReptiles.org.

Field Herping Equipment

Great in-depth article by Scott Quint of Coastal Plains Reptiles.

Field Herping Equipment & Laws

Great in-depth article by Chris McMartin of McMartinville Field Trips.

Field Herping Gear

Detailed description of equipment suggested by the brothers of Ruddock Reptiles.

Field Notebooks

Weatherproof pads and pens for recording field notes, even in the rain.

Handling/Hunting Equipment

Opinions about what to bring when field herping, at VenomousReptiles.org.

Herping Equipment Part One
Herping Equipment Part Two

Equipment tips and preferences by John Hollister of Herping the Trans-Pecos.

Herp Product Review Forum

Reviews and discussions of herping equipment, especially flashlights.  Moderated by lighting expert Damon Salceies, on the website of the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research.

Lighting

Detailed description of hand-held fluorescent lighting equipment for night-hike herping, by Jason Penney of Snakes of Hudspeth County, TX.

GPSInformation.net

Extensive site with in-depth articles, reviews, and tutorials for buying/using a GPS.

Midwest Tongs

The most popular source for tongs, hooks, and other handling equipment.

Snakeboots.com

Wide selection of snake-proof boots and gaiters.

 

 

 

Methods   |   Equipment   |   Resources   |   Publications  

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Regional Herp Societies

Links to U.S. and Canadian herp societies.  Good for researching potential herp trip destinations and contacting local herpers.  On the website of Melissa Kaplan’s anapsid.org.

State Wildlife Agencies

Where to read the regulations regarding the hunting of herps (which can apply to handling even if you’re not collecting) and where to get licenses if needed.

Costa Rica Herping

A summary of what I’ve learned from my trips of April 2002 and July 2003 about herping Costa Rica.

Omni Resources Maps

Catalogue of topographic and travel maps.

Topozone

Topographic maps that can be viewed and customized online, then downloaded.

Moon Phase Calculator

Moon phases for any given dates.  Good for planning nighttime herping, such as road cruising around the new (dark) moon.

WeatherBug

Fine-tunes local weather by reporting conditions closer to a specific location than do other services.  Can be downloaded for convenient desktop display, including automatic notification of weather advisories.

Weather Underground

Has a trip planner that gives historical weather patterns during specified dates (helpful for scheduling the timing of herp trips to unfamiliar destinations).   

 

 

 

Methods   |   Equipment   |   Resources   |   Publications

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Herp Nation Magazine
Scott Waters, Editor-In Chief

The only magazine devoted primarily to field herping, with articles and photos by and for field herpers.  From the host of HerpNation.com. 

In Search of Reptiles & Amphibians (1988)
Richard Bartlett

A modern classic of herping stories from around the world.

A Snake Hunting Guide II (2009)
A Snake Hunting Guide (2007)
Will Bird and Phil Peak

Methods, tools, and techniques by two of the best field herpers anywhere.

Rattler Tales From Northcentral Pennsylvania (1995)
C.E. Brennan

Exploits of a reformed Timber Rattlesnake hunter.

The Windward Road (1957)
Archie Carr

In search of green sea turtles in the Caribbean, by a gifted storyteller and the world’s foremost authority on sea turtle ecology.

Year of the Turtle (1991)
Swampwalker’s Journal (1999)
David Carroll

Philosophic insights from field observations by a graceful and profound writer, talented illustrator, and master naturalist.

Adventures of a Carolina Snake Hunter (2009)
Heyward Clamp

Herping in the deep South.

In Search of the Golden Frog (2000)
Martha Crump

The lifelong field memoirs of an accomplished herpetologist researching amphibians in neotropical rain forests.

Thrills of a Naturalist’s Quest (1932)
Snake-Hunters Holiday (1935)
Raymond Ditmars

The original books of field herping adventures that inspired so many others, by the first Curator of Reptiles of the Bronx Zoo.

Of Golden Toads and Serpents’ Roads (2003)
Paul Freed

A professional herpetologist describes twenty years of herping expeditions and experiences around the world.

Their Blood Runs Cold (1983)
J. Whitfield Gibbons

Funny and passionate stories about lessons learned from herp field research, by the well-known mentor and educational director of the Savannah River Ecology Lab.

Common Kingsnakes (2009)
Mountain Kings (2004)
Brian Hubbs

Natural histories of common Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula) and various mountain kingsnakes, these books by a master herper are filled with field experiences and herping advice applicable to many species.

Mambas and Man-Eaters (1965)
C.J.P. Ionides

Autobiography of the legendary African snake hunter.  See also Snake Man (1960), a biography of Ionides by Alan Wykes.

Mean and Lowly Things (2008)
Kate Jackson

Snakes, Science, and Survival in the Congo:  An adventure story recounting the difficulties of conducting a herpetological survey in the swamp forests of Africa.

Snakes & Snake Hunting (1957)
The Keeper and the Kept (1969)
Carl Kauffeld

The classics that influenced a whole generation of field herpers.  Stories of collecting trips for the Staten Island Zoo by its Curator of Reptiles.

Snake Hunting The Carolina Tin Fields (1999)
Rattlesnake Adventures: Hunting with the Old-Timers (2006)
John Kemnitzer

Enthusiastic accounts of flipping for snakes in South Carolina, including tips and techniques.

An anthology from classics by Ditmars, Kauffeld, and Bartlett up to more recent accounts by contemporary authors of rattlesnake herping.

Snake Hunting on the Devil’s Highway (2006)
Richard Lapidus

Summer road trips in Arizona by a couple of herping buddies.

A Hundred Highways (2010)
Kevin Law

A travelogue/photojournal compiled from ten years of travelling the Southwest, Baja California, and mainland Mexico in pursuit of reptiles and open spaces.

Stalking the Plumed Serpent (2008)
D. Bruce Means

Herping adventures from over 40 years of field research around the world, by the well known rattlesnake expert and Director of the Coastal Plains Institute in Florida.

Life, Love, and Reptiles (2001)
Sherman A. Minton, Jr.

Autobiography of the famous herpetologist and author, including his many overseas field herping experiences.

The Lizard Man Speaks (1994)
Eric Pianka

Thirty years of herping adventures hunting for lizards throughout the world, by the distinguished evolutionary and field biologist.

Sun, Sand, and Snakes (1979)
Stephen Spawls

Charming and and passionate accounts of field herping in East Africa.

Gone Snake Hunting (2010)
Frank Weed

Adventures from a lifetime of pursuing reptiles in the field.

Tales From the Golden Age of Rattlesnake Hunting (2001)
Donald Wheeler

From the Southeast to the Southwest and down to Mexico, field experiences of a rattlesnake hunter going back to the 1960s.

Trail of the Snake From Big Bend to Baja (1986)
Michael Williamson

Southwestern herping adventures tracking species both common and elusive.

 

 

 

 

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