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RAUK - Archived Forum - Adult N. Wales Aesculapian

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Adult N. Wales Aesculapian:

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Wolfgang Wuster
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 326


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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/
Alan Hyde
Senior Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 1416


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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+>
Wolfgang Wuster
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 326


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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/
Tony Phelps
Forum Specialist
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
No. of posts: 575


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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
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/
Gogs
Member
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
No. of posts: 1


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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 !
Jimpklop
Senior Member
Joined: 23 May 2006
No. of posts: 200


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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)
james4
Senior Member
Joined: 13 Nov 2006
No. of posts: 466


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Posted: 14 Feb 2007
yes theyve gone,please.
http://ukreptiles.proboards55.com
axel
Member
Joined: 16 May 2006
No. of posts: 31


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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:


Alex2
Senior Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2006
No. of posts: 266


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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?


axel
Member
Joined: 16 May 2006
No. of posts: 31


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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.
Alex2
Senior Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2006
No. of posts: 266


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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?.


Jimpklop
Senior Member
Joined: 23 May 2006
No. of posts: 200


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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
Jimpklop39161.6700462963
Im Craving Adder's(www.jimpklop.moonfruit.com)
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.


axel
Member
Joined: 16 May 2006
No. of posts: 31


View other posts by axel
Posted: 21 Mar 2007

[QUOTE=Jimpklop] 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.

[/QUOTE]

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.


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'
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.


Davew
Senior Member
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
No. of posts: 99


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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


james4
Senior Member
Joined: 13 Nov 2006
No. of posts: 466


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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
herpetologic2
Senior Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
No. of posts: 1369


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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

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