reptiles and amphibians

Georgia Outdoors brings you the rare privilege of witnessing the ancient ritual of the loggerhead sea turtle.

Every summer the female loggerhead returns to nest on the very beaches on which she also hatched. The hatching turtle faces tremendous odds – of predators, shrimping vessels and human encroachment, among other things. It is thought that it takes over 10,000 hatchling turtles to result in one adult turtle returning to lay her own eggs 25 years later. How they are able to find their way back, escape shrimping nets, and travel the North Atlantic Gulf Stream combine to make a dramatic life story.

Related Links

Sea Turtle Restoration Project
Fights to protect endangered sea turtles in ways that make cultural and economic sense to the communities that share the beaches and waters with them.

Caribbean Conservation Corporation
Working to ensure the survival of sea turtles through research, education, advocacy and the protection of the natural habitats upon which they depend.

Georgia Wildlife Web
Learn more about Georgia's marine animals.

Perhaps no other animals have been the object of so much fear, misinformation, and misunderstanding as snakes. Join Host Michael Skinner, long-time snake fan, for a look at the fascinating truth about these much maligned animals.

Joining researchers at the Savannah River Ecology Lab, Michael goes on a snake float and literally picks the water snakes off the overhanging limbs. "Why?" you might ask. To show you how to tell the difference between the harmless brown water snake and the poisonous cottonmouth.

Meet the snake researchers who will go a long way to help us all understand that snakes are our friends.

Related Links

Call 912-994-1438 for a free brochure about water snakes

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory

Though they have many differences, biologists call both reptiles and amphibians "herpetofauna" or "herptiles". The southeastern United States is rich in herptile biological diversity. But, to protect this wealth, we need to better understand and to appreciate these creatures.

Are all frogs toads? We'll have the answer and we'll learn about the tremendous diversity of Georgia's amphibians. We'll also meet the eastern hellbender, one of the United States' largest aquatic salamanders. Never seen one? They can reach two-and-a-half feet in length. You may have never seen a bog turtle, either. Why? They are both rare and secretive, but with radio telemetry and our guides, we just might find one.

Next we'll meet the amazing alligator, from a safe distance, of course, and we'll go along for Georgia's first annual alligator hunt. These guys get pretty close to a really big gator. Don't try this at home without both a permit and a training class!

Join us as we explore all this and more!

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