A Birthday Surprise

No, it's not my birthday but it is someone in my family's birthday today. The surprise was not what she got for present but that my large female Hermann's tortoise laid 4 eggs today. I did not think my two year + old male was ready nor big enough but apparently he was good to go. So, in another 65 to 90 days or so, there should be a batch of 4 new Hermann's tortoise hatchlings scampering around my herp room.

All the best,
Glenn B

Three "New" Species of Herps Discovered

The three new species of herps, two lizards and a frog (previously unidentified by science) were recently discovered in an isolated ecosystem in Australia. See:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/10408499/Scientists-discover-new-species-in-Lost-World-in-Australia.html

A hat tip and my thanks to Mike G, an online friend of mine, who sent me the link.

All the best,
Glenn B

Jumping Out of The Lab To Do Real Scientific Research

Researchers who were studying frogs were flummoxed over the Guinness Book of World Records relative to the longest distance ever jumped, in a single bound , by a bullfrog. Their lab results had shown that the best a bullfrog could do was a jump of about 1.3 meters; however, the GBWR showed that a bullfrog named Rosie The Ribeter had jumped just over an impressive 2.1 meters (21' 5 3/4") at the Calaveras County Jumping Frog Jubilee in 1986.

In 2009, the eggheads decided to take a look into whether or not it was fact or fiction that such a long jump could be achieved by a bullfrog in a single bound. If you would like to read about what they found, hop on over to the article at this link:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131016213042.htm

A hat tip and my thanks to Deb H for this one.

All the best,
Glenn B