Janaury General Meeting
The general meeting scheduled for this Wednesday, January 30, has been cancelled due to the forecast of severe weather. The safety of all our members (and animals) is of our highest priority. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused and hope to see you at our next general meeting on February 27th. Please stay safe!
Next Speaker :
2019-03-27
Stephen Barten, DVM : Snake Road: Herping Hotspot click for more/less infoSnake Road is a unique ecosystem in the Shawnee National Forest of southern Illinois that consists of towering limestone bluffs bordered by hardwood forest and buttonwood swamps. A narrow gravel road parallels the bluffs at their base. So many snakes cross the road on their way to and from their hibernaculums in the bluffs that the USDA Forest Service closes the road for two months both in the spring and fall to protect the snakes from vehicular traffic. The 2.7-mile closed section is open to foot traffic, and herpetologists and field herpers flock to the area to observe the phenomenon. Veterinarian and wildlife photographer Stephen Barten will describe the experience, the snakes, and the other wildlife that are commonly encountered in his image-heavy presentation. On a good day, one can observe over 100 snakes on the Snake Road.
Dr. Stephen Barten is a veterinarian and long-time reptile lover. His biggest hobby is wildlife photography, including amazing photographs of snowy owls, jaguars, and even mountain gorillas. He received his DVM from the University of Illinois in 1978, and has since been involved in the North American Veterinary Conference for over 25 years. Stephen is also an author for three chapters of the 3rd Ed. of Mader's Reptile Medicine and Surgery textbook, published in 2019.
Events :
April 13-14th, 2019 - Reptilefest returns to Northeastern Illinois University
Our Mission
To educate the general public about these frequently misunderstood animals, promote conservation of all wildlife, especially reptiles and amphibians, and to encourage cooperation between amateur and professional herpetologists toward a broader and deeper knowledge of this fascinating field.
