Monday's are just a giant load of bull sometimes. Sadly it is not usually as fun as the load of Bullsnakes in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user hermanbronsgeest ! Be sure to tell oursnakes you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Massive support is needed in the conservation of the gorgeous Massasauga Rattlesnake all across the country. That is why they take the spotlight today in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user ratsnakehaven ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

A suitcase full of smuggled tortoises seized in a raid in Madagascar. Photograph: Courtesy of Alliance Voahary Gasy (AVG)

Most animals found on Madagascar are only found there and that is where the attraction lies. For years, those trying to protect the animals on the island have run into corrupt government officials and weak laws in their attempts to keep the animals safe. When the fine for being caught with a stolen Ploughshare tortoise is only $5, it is easy to take the risk.

For Lewis, what happened next was deeply dispiriting. “The person was arrested, went to court, was found guilty, and given a fine of 15,000 ariary ($5)” said Lewis. “I remember the minister [of the environment] saying ‘This is ridiculous’,” Lewis said. “This is somebody en flagrant délit – caught in the act – and gets a couple of dollars’ fine. Something’s wrong somewhere.”

...

In a country where corruption is rife, laws protecting wildlife can be little more than theoretical. All exports of Malagasy rosewood, for instance, have been prohibited since early 2010 – but some of Madagascar’s loggers and exporters also hold seats in parliament. Enforcing the ban is a different matter.

Changes are happening however, with the help of a group of wildlife organizations, people are now seeing real punishment for the damage that is being done to the island's rare endemic species.

Read more about this amazing effort here.

An Aldabran giant tortoise from the Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean, feeding on algae. A new study suggests these giant tortoises might once have been hunted by giant, prehistoric crocodiles. Credit Dennis Hansen/University of Zurich, Switzerland

Today Aldabra Atoll, part of the Seychelles, is predator free, but a recent discovery of a fossilized jaw bone gives some insight to what really preyed on the Aldabra Tortoises.

Dr. Hansen found about 180 fossils near a pond on the atoll. One was a jawbone of an ancient crocodile that he first thought was a tortoise longbone. But when he turned it over he saw it had holes where teeth could fit. He sent some of the fossils to his colleague Torsten Scheyer, a paleontologist also at the University of Zurich, for further examination.

The size of the fossil opens up a whole new chapter to the history of the area.
To read the full article, click here.

It is National Love Your Pet Day and to not be outdone by our mammal counterparts, a very old pic of a member and his pet Crested Gecko in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user pac-man! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

ps, sorry for sharing your teen pic Pac-Man but it was just too perfect for the day - <3 PHFaust

Congratulations to the Honoulu Zoo on their new Giant Salamander exhibit!

Two females — Panda and Maru — and one male — Peace — were gifted to the Honolulu Zoo on Feb. 20, 2014 by the Asa Zoo in Hiroshima, Japan to honor what was then the 55th anniversary of the sister city relationship with the City and County of Honolulu. The sister city relationship with Hiroshima was formalized on June 15, 1959.

For the full story, check out the full story here.

Mother, model, author, and reptile fan? Model Tara Moss recently shared a video to instagram with her pet blackhead python Thing on his 13th birthday. Check the video here and give her a little love for being one of us!

You gotta love the aussies! Margot Robbie, star of I, Tonya, shared with the Graham Norton show exactly what life was like growing up in Oz and dealing with the random wandering python here!

Lastly, a little shout out to the people from Rainforest Reptile Shows for getting some nice press for education! Their crew spent a little time educating and overcoming coming fears at the Shrewsbury Library. You can see the photo story here.

Happy Rattlesnake Friday! To end the week, this Jackson's Tree Snake (Thrasops jacksonii) comes in to represent rear-fangs for our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Claus ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

Curiosity doesn't seem dangerous to this Nile Monitor in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user Mantafish every once in a while! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

This Kenyan Sand Boa is helping us at ks.com wish you allHappy Valentine's Day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Thera, in our herp photo of the day! Be sure to tell them you liked it here.



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

How cute is this Pacman Frog in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user doobie119 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

Everyone feels just like this little chameleon does here in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user 1Sun every once in a while! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

What a fabuoous shot of a Great Basin Rattlesnake in Utah in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user crocman6594! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

Here's to hoping this IJ Jag in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user StonedReptiles makes your day a bit brighter!! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

Despite their reputation of being angry, the beauty of a Tokay gecko puts it front and center in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user stingray! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!




Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

How beautiful is this Ctenosaura quinquecarinata in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user rockabirdie ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

Gotta love the sassy nature of the Schneider's smooth-fronted caiman in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user cpipes! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

A great shot of a live (as they should be) Pygmy Rattlesnake on concrete in the field in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user JARHEAD1969 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

This gorgeous closeup of a Painted Turtle also shows a bit of old fashion home grown cage decor in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user trachemys ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

An amazing shot of this Indigo Snake in the field in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user ACO3124! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

The best part about corn snakes is their wide variety of looks, like this Striped Sunglow Motley in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user jcherry! Be sure to tell them you like it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

This Diamond Python in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user CincyGrady really can be a girl's best friend! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

Happy Rattlesnake Friday! The icionic Eastern Diamondback just chilling in the sand for our photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user evil-elvis ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world. It is our goal to help dispel the fears surrounding our beloved venomous creatures.

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

What a great field shot of this Black Salamander found in a redwood forest in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user sc_shark! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

What a stunning shot of a Painted Mantella (Mantella baroni) in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user Hoosierfrogger to brighten your midweek! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

These adorable Crested Geckos are just hanging around in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user MOC_Reptiles ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

Hope your Monday shines like this Northern Pine does in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Turekj ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!

In celebration of all things venomous, ciccada is on the menu for this Copperhead in our herp photo of the day uploaded by kingsnake.com user coolhl7 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!



Upload your own reptile and amphibian photos photos at gallery.kingsnake.com, and you could see them featured here!