Post your reptile photos here

[realairlight]

Thanks! Yes, those are the ones. Nature is a tough neighborhood. I believe that was filmed on Fernandina, but they are found throughout the islands. The one on the beach was about 2 feet long including the tail. This one, on South Plaza was a little bigger.

We didn't get to Fernandina, but we did see a related snake on Santa Fe, the Central Galapagos Racer. No chase scene though.

Thank you for sharing the details—and those snake photos! Yes, that’s them! Nature really does keep things interesting out there.

 

[sparker1]

Spiny Lizard, Arizona

 

[KD_Reno]

Land Igauana on Santa Fe Island. A very colorful individual.

 

[Kukulkan]

 

[Kukulkan]

King Snake

 

[Kukulkan]

 

[KD_Reno]

Female Santa Fe Lava Lizard (Microlophus barringtonensis). One of the endemic lava lizards in the Galapagos, found only on Santa Fe Island.

 

[Lubos-PM]

 

[Gene Spearman]

The smallest I have ever seen. Approximately 2-1/2" from nose to end of tail.

 

[sparker1]

Spiny Lizard, Arizona

 

[KD_Reno]

Galapagos Tortoise

 

[recrisp]

Galapagos Tortoise
View attachment 173910View attachment 173911

Although I have seen these in zoos, they are such an oddity to me, they are just so different, but I really like them. I also like how they can live so long.
Also, these give me vibes of the aliens in, "Fire in the Sky".

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/aliens/images/4/43/Fire_in_the_Sky_Alien-2.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100710224127

You did really good on these shots, Ken, pretty danged cool!

 

[KD_Reno]

Although I have seen these in zoos, they are such an oddity to me, they are just so different, but I really like them. I also like how they can live so long.
Also, these give me vibes of the aliens in, "Fire in the Sky".

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/aliens/images/4/43/Fire_in_the_Sky_Alien-2.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100710224127

You did really good on these shots, Ken, pretty danged cool!

Thanks! These were taken at a breeding center on San Cristóbal. They have room to roam in a natural environment, but are carefully monitored. The eggs are taken and incubated in a controlled facility, and the hatchlings are protected from predators until they are large enough to be released in the wild. We only did the first half of a two-week tour, and they got to the spots to see truly free-roaming animals in the second week.

Their long lives, and zoos, have played a major role in their survival. The Espańola subspecies was down to 2 males and 11 females, and they were so spread out they hadn't bred in years. They were brought together at a breeding center on Santa Cruz. A third male, Diego, had been at the San Diego Zoo since about 1930. My wife remembers riding on one there when she was a child - maybe him. When DNA test showed him to be a member of the subspecies, he was transferred to the breeding program in 1977. By 2020 there were around 2,000 tortoises on Espańola and the 14 original animals, including Diego, were released in the wild.

Here's one of the hatchling enclosures on San Cristóbal, and some a couple of years older. (8-12 inches long).

 

[recrisp]

Thanks! These were taken at a breeding center on San Cristóbal. They have room to roam in a natural environment, but are carefully monitored. The eggs are taken and incubated in a controlled facility, and the hatchlings are protected from predators until they are large enough to be released in the wild. We only did the first half of a two-week tour, and they got to the spots to see truly free-roaming animals in the second week.

Their long lives, and zoos, have played a major role in their survival. The Espańola subspecies was down to 2 males and 11 females, and they were so spread out they hadn't bred in years. They were brought together at a breeding center on Santa Cruz. A third male, Diego, had been at the San Diego Zoo since about 1930. My wife remembers riding on one there when she was a child - maybe him. When DNA test showed him to be a member of the subspecies, he was transferred to the breeding program in 1977. By 2020 there were around 2,000 tortoises on Espańola and the 14 original animals, including Diego, were released in the wild.

Here's one of the hatchling enclosures on San Cristóbal, and some a couple of years older. (8-12 inches long).
View attachment 173947View attachment 173948View attachment 173949

Thanks for that extra information, that is very interesting AND a really good thing.
I remember as a kid in the 50's riding on them at I think the Dallas Zoo, I can't swear to it, but I am pretty sure.
It's amazing that the young ones look like the adults! heheh
Recently, I think I read where one of these types, I'm not sure the exact species, but they said that it was born before America became, America. 200+ years, I think...
I can guarantee you that they no longer allow kids to ride them, somebody, somewhere, did something stupid.
Thanks again, and I really like the extra pictures on that.

 

[Lester Wareham]

Adder (Vipera berus) Juv male
wild juv adder A01_004-05_18-05-20 by Lester W, on Flickr

 

[Lester Wareham]

Common lizard (Zootoca vivipara)
wild Com Lizard B01_16-08-23-0002 by Lester W, on Flickr

 

[KD_Reno]

Floreana Lava Lizard (Microlophus grayii).

 

[sparker1]

Spiny Lizard, Arizona

 

[jimmy_racoon]

painted turtle
Minnesota wetlands
wetlands wood by James Stewart, on Flickr

 

[KD_Reno]

The big one's not real.