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Adult N. Wales Aesculapian: |
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Wolfgang Wuster Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 326  View other posts by Wolfgang Wuster |
Posted: 24 May 2004 Here are some photos taken today of a 142 cm, 540 g male Zamenis longissimus caught by Zoo staff over the week-end - a surprisingly calm amd cooperative photo subject as well. 
Cheers, Wolfgang Wolfgang Wüster School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/ |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 24 May 2004 Superb pics Wolfgang! :¼) How many of these do they think there are living wild in N Wales ? Cheers, Alan O-> O+> |
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Wolfgang Wuster Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 326 View other posts by Wolfgang Wuster |
Posted: 24 May 2004 That's what we are trying to find out! I have an honours project student working on this, the snake was caught for her project, marked, and will be released tomorrow. Cheers, Wolfgang Wolfgang Wüster School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/ |
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Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 24 May 2004 Nice one Wolfgang. Whats the taxonomic ref for Zamenis? new one on me, gotta scribble on me Itlian record cards now! Tony |
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Wolfgang Wuster Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 326 View other posts by Wolfgang Wuster |
Posted: 24 May 2004 Hi Tony, Ref is: Utiger, Urs, Notker Helfenberger, Beat Schõtti, Catherine Schmidt, Markus Ruf and Vincent Ziswiler. 2002. Molecular systematics and phylogeny of Old World and New World ratsnakes, Elaphe Auct., and related genera (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae). Russian Journal of Herpetology. 9(2):105-124. Check your email, I am about to send you a pdf of this, and another recent paper. Cheers, Wolfgang Wolfgang Wüster School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/ |
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Gogs Member Joined: 22 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 1  View other posts by Gogs |
Posted: 22 Apr 2006 That's interesting. I live in North Wales and hadn't realised such species were naturalised here.
cheers..........Chris Carpe diem ! |
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Jimpklop Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2006 No. of posts: 200  View other posts by Jimpklop |
Posted: 02 Jul 2006 Hello Wolfgang, Your photo's are no longer avaliable and I havent seen them yet, Is there any way of being able to see them? Thanks MR O'Shea Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com) |
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james4 Senior Member Joined: 13 Nov 2006 No. of posts: 466  View other posts by james4 |
Posted: 14 Feb 2007 yes theyve gone,please. http://ukreptiles.proboards55.com |
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axel Member Joined: 16 May 2006 No. of posts: 31  View other posts by axel |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 Here are a couple of pics of the Colwyn bay Aesculapians. They are truly amazing snakes. Quite nippy when first caught, but soon settle down. They are also good for scaring zoo visitors! I had the pleasure of assisting with the 2006 research on the colony. Axel photo of an adult:
and a juvenile:
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Alex2 Senior Member Joined: 16 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 266 View other posts by Alex2 |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 Great shots Axel, did this colony originate solely from one gravid female (as I've heard) and what sort of numbers are thought to be present? |
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axel Member Joined: 16 May 2006 No. of posts: 31 View other posts by axel |
Posted: 20 Mar 2007 Yes, the story is that the population was founded by a single pregnant female. There are reasonable numbers present. Our best day last year resulted in 7 captures. |
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Alex2 Senior Member Joined: 16 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 266 View other posts by Alex2 |
Posted: 20 Mar 2007 Cheers Axel, Has always amazed me that none of the North American Elaphe have successfully bred in this country (as far as I know), I would imagine quite alot are lost each year and as we've seen with ZL establishing themselves with just one escaped gravid female that that's all it takes. I've always thought longissimus not to be prolific clutch wise and only lay a handful of eggs so I'm assuming this colony was built up by the same female laying fertile eggs over a couple of seasons?. |
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Jimpklop Senior Member Joined: 23 May 2006 No. of posts: 200 View other posts by Jimpklop |
Posted: 20 Mar 2007 Hi Axel How wide spread is the colony (roughly) ? During any captures have you taken weight and snout to vent measurements? Only ask because I have heard that because of inbreeding, the colony are not growing to the size of which they should. Thanks James Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com) |
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axel Member Joined: 16 May 2006 No. of posts: 31 View other posts by axel |
Posted: 21 Mar 2007 [QUOTE=Alex2] I've always thought longissimus not to be prolific clutch wise and only lay a handful of eggs so I'm assuming this colony was built up by the same female laying fertile eggs over a couple of seasons?. [/QUOTE] I recall the max clutch size is 22, and females breed every year, so they are relatively prolific. Dylan, who is running the project this year, is doing computer population models to see how fast a population can establish from a single founding female, and the effects of inbreeding etc. |
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axel Member Joined: 16 May 2006 No. of posts: 31 View other posts by axel |
Posted: 21 Mar 2007 [QUOTE=Jimpklop] Hi Axel I don't really want to reveal too many details, as its not my project and the work is still in progress. A small colony, founded by a single female, with no gene-flow to other populations will be about as inbred as you can get! Attributing physical effects such as small size is more difficult. Bear in mind the zoo probably has one of the greatest densities of snake predators anywhere - the big ones may all get eaten! There were a couple of 5 footers found though. |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 21 Mar 2007 Polecats were a significant predator of adders on Cors Caron and both adder and grass snake at Borth Bog. Do you have evidence of polecat predation on this colony? or is it just buzzard? 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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axel Member Joined: 16 May 2006 No. of posts: 31 View other posts by axel |
Posted: 22 Mar 2007 The zoo where the population is found houses many large predators: tigers, bears, eagles, monkeys, leopards, chimps, etc. All are kept in cages where the mesh presents no barrier to a snake. My friend walked past the golden eagles with a juvenile Z. longissimus, and the eagle went crazy, clawing at the enclosure trying to get the snake! Dead snakes also have turned up in the alligator enclosure. Oh, and a snake will occasionally be run over on the zoo roads. It really is incredible that the population has persisted at all. |
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Davew Senior Member Joined: 12 Jan 2004 No. of posts: 99 View other posts by Davew |
Posted: 22 Mar 2007 I was told by one of the keepers that the Otters had on at least two occasions killed and eaten one. Not too sure of the species as I recall they're Asian Short-clawed? Is any work still ongoing with these Snakes, I have some photos taken in 2003 but I'd be very keen to get more |
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james4 Senior Member Joined: 13 Nov 2006 No. of posts: 466 View other posts by james4 |
Posted: 03 Apr 2007 i might go and look for the aespeculin snake as im alwayys in that part of wales,do they bask and follow same procedures as looking for adders. http://ukreptiles.proboards55.com |
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369  View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 03 Apr 2007 Hi James Not sure if they extend away from the Zoo grounds - Wolfgang would be able to tell you Regards
Jon Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
- Adult N. Wales Aesculapian |
