Mark Mitchell 
Topic: TBA

Michael Lannoo
Topic: "Amphibian Deformities" -more info coming soon

Kevin Messenger
Topic: "Herpetofauna of Shennongjia National Reserve, Hubei Province, China"

Kevin Messenger is a graduate from NC State University, receiving his B.S. in zoology in May of 2006. Three days after graduating he was on a plane to China for four months to study herps in a remote region of central China. His job was to survey the 800,000 acre forests of Shennongjia National Reserve; a location that previously had never been surveyed for herps. Not only was he going to be spending most of his time hiking the backwoods of China, but none of the reserve officials knew English very well, meaning Kevin had to have a crash course in Mandarin before going over.

His study in China entailed surveying for herps at various field stations dotted throughout the reserve, ranging from 2,000 ft to 10,000 ft. Part of his job was to introduce western techniques for finding herps, as well as provide the reserve with any sort of conservation measures he could think of along the way. Several obstacles were encountered during the trip, such as poor ID guides and a mandatory assistant that just happened to be afraid of snakes! Kevin’s research in 2006 was only half of his project (a study he is ultimately planning to use towards a Master’s degree); he plans to return for a one month stay later this year in July, and then wrap up his study with one more summer session, currently planned for 2009.

His talk will primarily be a slide show of some of the amazing animals from this region, interspaced with some graphs and notes on some of his results.

Presently, Kevin works full time as an emergency vet tech in Raleigh, NC, while continuing to take post-baccalaureate classes (mostly Chinese) as he shops around for a graduate school.

Bill Love
Topic: "HERP PHOTOGRAPHY – Beyond Snapshots"  

Everyone has a new digital camera these days, and their images of herps are all over the Internet. With so many pics for surfers to look at, how do you make yours stand out from the crowd to display that great field encounter, show off your pet, or sell your offspring? Let this new PowerPoint talk show you how to improve your photography and get your shots noticed. The kind of camera you use doesn’t matter. This presentation, by veteran herp shutterbug Bill Love emphasizes the art and technique of capturing great images, not complicated, confusing gadgetry

Bill Love’s herpetological career started about age 5 in New Jersey finding box turtles in the woods near his home. During his youth, a favorite pastime was exploring the woods and ponds to watch and catch the local herps. That habit fully blossomed when he moved to Florida in his mid-teens. A few years later, he started making month-long drives across the U.S. annually to see wild herps, meet herp people, and learn about the emerging art of herpetoculture.

In the late 1970s, he operated a mobile live herp exhibit with two partners, setting up at large malls across the country. Lecturing at schools and civic groups was a typical adjunct job that improved his public speaking ability. The chance to travel and see so many herp species in zoos, private collections, and in nature also led to a serious interest in herp photography; it eventually evolved into one of Bill’s passions. His images can be seen today in hundreds of books, magazines, calendars, websites, and advertisements.

Bill and Kathy Love built a collection of herps in the 1980s and honed their skills on reproducing them with great success. Bill later formed Glades Herpetoculture (shortened to Glades Herp when he went into partnership as a full line herp dealership by late 1989). In the following years, he developed a knack for writing while answering customers’ questions on the company’s pricelist. REPTILES magazine, recognizing that talent and his broad background in the herp hobby and industry, recruited him as a monthly columnist in 1993.

Besides active writing and herp photography careers, today Bill leads wildlife eco-tours to Madagascar for his company Blue Chameleon Ventures. Getting out in the field to enjoy herps, and sharing them with the world via words and pictures, is a favorite pursuit. He also still travels to present talks and slideshows, and contributes freelance herp articles regularly.
http://www.bluechameleon.org/

Bryan Suson
Topic: "Herps of Ecuador"  

Bryan is a 2005 graduate of Lake Forest College, receiving his B.S. in Environmental Sciences, with a Minor in Communications. Bryan has had a great deal of experience traveling throughout the world in pursuit of finding and photographing what he believes to be some of the most amazing wildlife in existence. These destinations include Australia, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, and various sites within the United States. Spending 3 months in Ecuador, he participated in various different projects ranging from Eleutherodactylus frog population studies, to dung beetle diversity along elevational gradients in the E. Andes.

He currently works as the Head Animal Keeper at the Wildlife Discovery Center on a part time basis. He has completed the WDC venomous certification program. His work run is mainly composed of venomous reptiles, but also includes monitors and geckos. His personal collection at home is dominated by a beautiful group of Green tree pythons (Morelia viridis), the best snake there is.

John C. Murphy
Topic: "Homalopsid Snakes and the Herpetofauna of Thailand"  

John is a long time educator, herpetologist, research assistant at the Field Museum, and author. His most recent book Homalopsid Snakes, Evolution in the Mud brings together important information and new knowledge about this fascinating group of snakes. John’s travels have taken him to some beautiful places where he has taken photos of a huge range of herps and their environments. John will share his photos, experiences in Thailand, and knowledge of Homalopsids with us at the meeting. To see more of his photos go to his website www.jcmnaturalhistory.com

 Zoltan Takacs, Ph.D.
University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine
Topic: "How the cobra escapes its venom?"  

 Hungarian-born Zoltan Takacs has been fascinated by reptiles since early childhood and started to pursue venomous snakes at age 14, an addiction he never gave up. His main academic interest is the molecular basis of snake venom resistance -- why cobras, sea snakes, and mongooses are not affected by elapid neurotoxins. He obtained his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Columbia University and currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago. A wildlife photographer, scuba diver, and aircraft pilot, Zoltan's quest for snakes has taken him to over 110 countries, and his work has been featured several times on the National Geographic Channel. More info:

-Summary of Talk-

Snake venom could kill a prey or predator in minutes, nevertheless snakes themselves are resistant to their own venoms. Zoltan's talk will explore this secret from the field to the lab bench. He takes us through the highs and lows of collecting venomous snakes in remote tropical wilderness, obtaining tissue samples, and testing the molecular mechanism of resistance in cobras, sea snakes, and mongooses back at the University of Chicago.

http://zoltantakacs.com

Zachary Marchetti
Topic:  

Zach grew up in the small town of Camden, Maine where he spent his summers in the woods avoiding the crowds of summer tourists by fishing, hiking, camping and exploring the mountains and nearby lakes.  Zach’s interest in reptiles blossomed during some volunteer work in Ecuador.  He was subsequently hired by Global Vision International as a full time staff member on their Ecuadorian Wildlife Conservation project.

Zach is now a keeper and lecturer for Clyde Peeling's Reptiland in Allenwood, Pennsylvania.  He will accompany the Peeling Productions exhibit for Reptiles – The Beautiful and the Deadly as the keeper and public presenter.  This live exhibition features turtles, crocodilians, lizards and snakes and will be hosted by the Notebaert Nature Museum through January 13th.  In addition to Zach’s lecture at the October meeting, CHS members are invited to a viewing of the exhibit the evening of the November meeting at 6:00pm.

Dr. Daniel D. Beck
Topic: "Biology of Bumpy Lizards, New Icons of the Value of Biodiversity"

Daniel D. Beck is a professor of biology at Central Washington University in Ellensburg , Washington .   

Growing up along the Wasatch front in Utah , Daniel D. Beck found his early calling by  keeping chickens and catching snakes, for which he built special cages.  After stints as a zookeeper and a cabinetmaker, Dan earned BS and MS degrees in biology from Utah State University and a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Arizona .  His research on the ecology, physiology, and behavior of helodermatid lizards and rattlesnakes spans 25 years, and has taken him throughout the deserts of the Southwestern U.S. and the Tropical Dry Forests of Mexico and Guatemala.  Once, while doing fieldwork in Sonora, Mexico, a Gila Monster even crawled into Dan’s sleeping bag!  Considered the foremost authority on helodermatid lizards, Dan’s new book “Biology of Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards” was released in summer of 2005 by the University of California Press .  His interest in building also persists as many friends helped Dan and his family build a straw-bale house they now inhabit in Ellensburg, Washington.  

 Dr. Douglas Mader
Topic:  "Medical Marvels in Herp Medicine" 

Dr. Mader, a graduate from the University of California, Davis in 1986, is the co-owner the Marathon Veterinary Hospital, a referral hospital in the Conch Republic. Dr. Mader is a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Canine and Feline Practice) and is a Fellow in the Royal Society of Medicine. Currently he is the consulting veterinarian for the Marathon Sea Turtle Hospital, the Monroe County Sheriff's Zoo, the Key West Aquarium and the Theater of the Sea. Dr. Mader has published numerous articles in scientific and veterinary journals and is on the review boards of several scientific journals.

You may be familiar with Dr. Mader through his monthly column in Reptiles magazine, "Veterinarian Q&A" and if you've ever taken a herp to the vet, you've likely benefited from his book, Reptile Medicine and Surgery, which is the standard veterinary textbook on the subject.

Dr. Mader is an internationally acclaimed lecturer in high demand so we are lucky to have him as a speaker.

Jim Harrison
Topic:  "The evolution of venom extraction" 

Jim Harrison is the director of the Kentucky Reptile Zoo and an acclaimed expert in the field of venom extraction.  He has been studying venom for over 30 years and currently extracts from more than 600 animals per week.

Jim has a busy schedule but makes time to give presentations about the many unique and almost unbelievable experiences he has had.  His lifestyle is one that not many people could handle, or may not even want to attempt, because his life is put on the line each time he takes out a venomous snake for extraction but he provides a valuable product that can save lives.

Chris Lechowicz
Topic: "The 2006 Madagascar Tortoise Tour". 

Chris, herpetologist at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation in Southwest Florida and longtime CHS member, will talk about his experiences as researcher and tour co-leader on his month long trip to Madagascar. He conducted research on all 4 native tortoises and will present a powerpoint slide show depicting the research and the many amazing herps that he encountered.

Dr. Carl Gerhardt
Topic: "Vocal Communication in Frogs" Dr. Carl Gerhardt is a professor from the University of Missouri, Columbia."

James H. Harding
Topic:  "Comparative Life Histories of the Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) and the Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta): Implications for Conservation." 

James H. Harding is recognized as the expert on Michigan's amphibians and reptiles, is a research herpetologist specializing in the conservation biology of turtles, and is an instructor at Michigan State University, a mongmany other prestigious positions. He is the author or co-author of four popular books on reptiles and amphibians (listed below), and has written many articles for academic journals, newspapers and magazines. His expertise and advice is often sought by natural resource agencies and private organizations in their management and conservation efforts to protect Michigan's reptiles and amphibians. Michigan Snakes, 2006. Michigan Turtles and Lizards, 1990. Michigan Frogs,Toads, and Salamanders, 1992. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region, 1997. 

Whitney Banning
Topic: "Ecology of the Blanding's turtle at a Northeastern Illinois Prairie-Wetland Community".

Whitney is currently a graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and working for the Illinois Natural History Survey. She has been involved with turtle research in the Chicagoland area for three years and recently completed her M.S. at UIUC on the ecology of Blanding's turtles at the Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve.

 Dr. Robert Brodman
Topic: "Dr. Bob's Wild Herping Adventures in Africa" 

Dr. Bodman is professor of biology and environmental science at Saint Joseph's College, Indiana.

 Marty Crump
Topic: "Amazing Frogs: Appearance, Behavior and Lifestyle"  

Marty is an adjunct professor of biology at Northern Arizona University.

Dan Pearson
Topic:  “Keeping and Breeding the Malagasy Spider and Flat-tailed Tortoises, Pyxis arachnoides and P. planicauda.” 

These species are listed as Vulnerable and Endangered, respectively, on the IUCN Red Data List.  Both species were exported from Madagascar in large numbers during 2000 and 2001. Dan currently lives in Gainesville, FL.

Mike Redmer
Topic:  "Pilgrimage to Panama Presented in PowerPoint: An Old-Fashioned CHS Travelogue, Sans Slides."  

This presentation will chronicle the highlights of Mike's recent trip to Panama in May 2006. The purpose of the trip was to see and photograph some of the last Panamanian golden frogs (Atelopus zeteki) remaining in the wild. Atelopus zeteki and other Central American amphibians are being driven to extinction by the spread of Chytridomycosis, a fungal infection that is apparently infective to populations living at medium to high-elevations, and it is believed that the remaining wild golden frogs will not survive more than 1-2 more years. The presentation will be loaded with color photographs covering some of the culture and natural history of this important Latin American Nation, and will discuss some of the efforts to conserve it's unique amphibians. 

Bob Henderson
Topic: "Tree Boas of Grenada."

William Griswold, DVM
Topic: "Hiding in Plain Sight: Florida's Overlooked Herpetofauna." 

Although few states can rival the diversity of reptiles and amphibians found in Florida, many of the Sunshine State's rarest, most unusual, and most unique reptiles and amphibians remain unknown to the average herpetologist. Dr. Griswold will share photographs, natural history vignettes, and personal experiences from eighteen years of field herping throughout Florida.

To be announced
Topic:   

Thomas Eimermacher
Topic:  "Swimming with Cobras." 

Thomas, a graduate student in biology at Southeastern Louisiana University, will give an account of an expedition he led to study Storm's water cobra, Boulengerina annulata stormsi, which inhabits Lake Tanganyika in Western Tanzania.

Alan Kardon
Topic:  Alan, curator of the Reptile/Amphibian/Aquarium Department at the San Antonio Zoo, will speak on "Life History Traits of the Lance-headed Rattlesnake, Crotalus polystictus: A Long-term Mark &“Recapture Study." Alan and his colleagues have discovered that this tropical Mexican rattlesnake differs in many interesting ways from the temperate species that are more familiar to most of us. Alan will also present photos from recent trips to the Mexican states of Durango and Zacatecas.

Dr. Paul T. Andreadis
Topic:  "I Like to Watch: Insights from Observing Herps." Paul is a visiting Assistant Professor at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Paul will show a field video of various herps (and other animals), with emphasis on the foraging behavior of cottonmouths. His suggestion to all is: "In captivity, admire them, but admire what they do as well as how they look. In the field, catch if you must, but watch first if you can." 

Bob Bavirsha
Topic: Bob will speak to us about some of his impressive animals and will bring in some live examples.

Tom Johnson
Topic: Tom, the author of The Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri and former state herpetologist for Missouri, will speak about his 10 favorite Missouri herps.

Roger Repp
Topic:  Naturalist and rabid avocational field herpetologist Roger Repp will present "Arizona Herpetological Potpourri: The Last 35 mm Slide Show?" In this presentation, Roger will spurn the use of PowerPoint, maps and charts. He will instead use the best slides of 25 different herpetographers to demonstrate cryptic coloration, color polymorphism, color ontogeny, and natural history aspects of the herpetofauna of Arizona. Roger will take us from the sandy dune country of Arizona to the forested peaks, and include in situ shots of wild herps captured in incredible behaviors. Roger promises that there will be something for all lovers of herps in this program.

Jeff Ettling
Topic: "Operation Armenian Viper: Radio-tracking Vipers in Khosrov Reserve"   Jeff, Curator of Herpetology and Aquatics at the St. Louis Zoo, will speak about populations of the Armenian viper, Montivipera raddei and how they have experienced a steady decline over the past twenty years as a result of human pressures. Data from this study will be used to prepare a conservation management plan for the species.

Dr. Philip A. Cochran
Topic: "Ecology of Wood Turtles in Northeast Wisconsin and Their Potential Role as Seed Dispersers." Dr. Cochran is a professor of biology at Saint Mary's University in Winona, Minnesota.

Dr. Emily N. Taylor
Topic: "Why Are Male Rattlesnakes Larger than Females?"   Most rattlesnake species show sexual size dimorphism, with males being larger than females. Dr. Taylor, of Arizona State University,  will describe a series of experiments she conducted to determine the mechanism responsible for this dimorphism, and will discuss its evolutionary and ecological significance.

Charlie Painter
Topic:  "Herpetological Miscellany from New Mexico".  Charlie has worked as staff herpetologist with NMDGF for 20 years. His main interests include conservation and natural history of southwestern amphibians and reptiles. Current projects include investigations of the status and distribution of sand dune lizards, Chiricahua leopard frogs, Jemez Mountains salamanders, and denning ecology of prairie rattlesnakes.

Rebecca Christoffel
Topic:  "Learning to Live with the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake."  Rebecca Christoffel, a
doctoral candidate in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University and who received a CHS grant for this project two years ago, will describe her public education and outreach efforts in southeast Michigan.

Nathaniel J. Dominy, Ph.D
Topic:  "The Sensory Biology of Reptiles" Dr. Dominy is a professor in anthropology at UC-Santa Cruz. Although his research emphasizes the sensory ecology of primates, he has abroad interest in the sensory biology of reptiles, particularly their visual systems. The visual system of reptiles differs quite remarkably from our own because reptiles have four instead of three cone photo pigments in the retina. The substance of Dr. Dominy's talk will focus on how reptiles use vision and color in an ecological context, from foraging to sexual signaling.

Maureen Kearney
Topic:  "Two Difficult Problem in Herpetology: The Origin of Worm Lizards and the Origin of Snakes."  Maureen works at the Field Museum of Natural History.

Douglas Chien
Topic: "The Wilds of Illinois:  Shawnee National Forest."  The Sierra Club's Shawnee Wilderness slide show will take you on a tour of nine special areas located within the Forest:  the Wilderness areas. Douglas is a conservation field representative for the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club.

Lee Fitzgerald
Topic: Tegus

Karl Switak
Topic: Renowned author and nature photographer Karl Switak will speak and show slides on the wonders of South Africa's Kalahari Desert.  This program will include scenes from Karl's latest trip to the Kalahari, last October, on which he was accompanied by Lori King and Mike Dloogatch.

Mike Dloogatch & Ron Humbert
Topic: This meeting will be devoted to the upcoming effort to provide the state of Illinois with an official State Reptile and an official State Amphibian.  Ron Humbert and Mike Dloogatch will speak about Illinois herpetofauna in general and provide detailed information about the top five candidate species in each category.  Members present at the meeting will be asked to vote for their top choices.

Dr. Ryan Calsbeek
Topic: "Mate selection by females of the common side-blotched lizard, Uta stansburiana"
 Dr. Calsbeek, of the Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment, University of California at Los Angeles,  will describe the surprising results of his research into mate selection by females of the common side-blotched lizard, Uta stansburiana.

Jack Schoenfelder
Topic: "The Use of Herps in Advertising"
Jack, Chair of the Department of Business Technologies at Ivy Tech State College in Valparaiso, Indiana, and former CHS President, will present a slide program about the use of herps in advertising.

Danté Fenolio
Topic: "A Narrative of Biodiversity after 25 Years of Field Experience"
Danté is a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma.  He is well known as the author of numerous articles in Reptiles and Vivarium magazines.

Ron Humbert
Topic: Turtles: Past, Present and Future
Ron Humbert, a long time CHS member will talk about the history of turtles, as well as their future.

Dr. R. Kathryn Vaughan
Topic: The Natural History of Leptotyphlops
Dr. Vaughan will discuss the fascinating natural history and taxonomy of these tiny, burrowing, blind snakes, with particular reference to the Plains threadsnake, Leptotyphlops dulcis, of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico.

Dale DeNardo
Topic: Namibia: In Search of Geckos, Adders, and Answers
Dale DeNardo is a paradox (pair-of-docs) in that he has both a DVM and a Ph.D. He has been at Arizona State University since 1998, where he is the University Veterinarian as well as an Assistant Professor in the School of Life Sciences. His research examines the relationship between an animal's physiology and the environment (i.e., how an animal's physiologic state affects how it uses the environmental and, contrarily, how environmental constraints affect an animal's physiological condition).  He is particularly interested in the relationship among reproduction, energy availability, temperature, and water balance. His work utilizes both laboratory and field studies, predominantly using Sonoran Desert squamates as study species. However, his studies also take him overseas.
Dale's presentation will take the audience on a tour of Namibia and its diverse assemblage of geckos and small adders, as well as discuss how he has used these animals to gain insight into how geckos have evolved to become nocturnal, even in relatively cold climates.

Geoffrey G. Sorrell
Topic: "Population Ecology of the Eyelash Viper, Bothriechis schlegelii, in Western Panama."
Geoffrey is a student at Auburn University in Alabama.  His study was partially funded by a Chicago Herpetological Society grant last year.

Jessi Krebs
Topic: "Research, Conservation and Husbandry of Hellbenders and Giant Salamanders."  
Jessi is the supervisor of reptiles and amphibians at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. Jessi is a founding member of the Cryptobranchid Interest Group, which is supported by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.  He is also involved with the Puerto Rican crested toad recovery project and several other herp-related conservation and research projects.

Dr. Susan Mineka
Topic: "Why Are So Many Human and Nonhuman Primates Afraid of Snakes?"
Susan is a  Professor of Psychology, and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Jim Pether
Topic: "The Giant Lizards of Gomera"  Jim has been appointed curator of the captive breeding program for the rare lacertid lizard, Gallotia bravoana, by the government of the Canary Islands . Gallotia bravoana is endemic to the island of La Gomera.

Don Wheeler
Topic: Don , creator of "The Adventures of Spot", will lecture and show slides on his book, "Tales from the Golden Age of Rattlesnake Hunting."  He will have copies available of his book of the same title, and will be happy to autograph them.

Gary Casper
Topic: "Herp research in the Lake Superior Basin". Also, a question and answer session on the status of Wisconsin reptiles and amphibians.  Gary is from the Milwaukee Public Museum.

John Brueggen
Topic: "Crocodilians - Fact vs. Fiction". Jim is the Curator of Reptiles at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm & Zoological Park.

Darrell Senneke
Topic:"The Asian Turtle Crisis."  Darrell is the Director of the World Chelonian Trust.

Charlie Painter
Topic:  A Review of the Commercial Trade in the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake,  Crotalus atrox.  Are Rattlesnake Roundups as Bad as You Think - or Worse?

Pete Taylor
Topic: An Overview of the Dwarf Caiman, Paleosuchus. Pete is from the St. Louis Zoo Herpetarium.

Michael Dreslik
Topic:  Mike will speak about  his research in Carlyle,  Illinois on the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake.  The title of his presentation is "A Natural History of the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus)."  Mike is a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. 

Dr. Andrew T. Holycross
Topic:  He will speak to us about his research on rattlesnakes.  Dr. Holycross is a professor at Arizona state University in Tempe, Arizona.

Karen Becker
Topic:  Karen speak about holistic approaches to herp medicine.

Don Wheeler
Topic: Don, the creator of "The Adventures of Spot" comic will speak on his new book, "Tales from the Golden Age of Rattlesnake Hunting". He will have copies of this book available for purchase. Don will be happy to autograph your copy if you wish.

Dr. Richard King
Topic: "Movements and hibernation of the Lake Erie Water Snake: implications for the recovery of a threatened species."

Dr. Natalie Mylniczenko
Topic: Natalie is a staff veterinarian at the Lincoln Park Zoo.  Her topic will be: "Caecilians, Medical Management and Husbandry".  Dr. Mylniczenko will speak about the anatomy and physiology of these aquatic and terrestrial animals. She will also discuss husbandry, diseases and general treatment of caecilians.

Rob Carmichael
Topic:  Rob Carmichael, director of the Lake Forest Wildlife Center. Rob will discuss the development of the Center, which began with a CHS grant.  His program will include a slide presentation about youth-oriented wilderness trips, and live herps and birds of prey from the Center's collection.

John Tashjian
Topic: "The Vipers -- An Overview of the Family Viperidae"
John is a Field Associate in the Department of Herpetology at the California Academy of Sciences, and is well-known for his outstanding photography of reptiles and amphibians.

Andy Snider
Andy Snider, Curator of Herpetology at the Detroit Zoo
Topic: "The National Amphibian Conservation Center: From Concept to Completion".  Andy will touch on some of the highlights of the past year, and update us on future plans. He will also talk about some of the reptile-oriented programs at the Detroit Zoo.

Dr. Martin Wikelski
Topic: His topic will be about the physical changes that have occurred in Galapagos iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)  subsequent to the recent El Nino. His presentation is called: "Evolution of body size in Galapagos Marine Iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) -- why shrink during El Ninos?" Dr. Wikelski is an Assistant Professor at Princeton University - Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology.

Al Baldogo
Topic: "Herps of Indonesia"
Al Baldogo has been traveling to the islands of Indonesia since 1994. He has devoted much of his time to the study of the rare Boelens python found on New Guinea. His association with the native cultures of New Guinea have enabled him to travel where few Westerners have been allowed to go. Included in his programs are glimpses of these fascinating people as well as a diverse selection of Indonesia's other wildlife. In 1999 he was the field guide and story teller in a documentary based on the Boelens pythons filmed by Wild Things of Hollywood, CA.

Al and his wife Cindy are the owners of Baldogo Reptiles in Fontanelle, Iowa. They specialize in the keeping and breeding of reticulated pythons.