Field Study - Boyd’s Forest Dragon

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What is spooling?

A spool with very thin white cotton in attached to the animal and the end of the cotton tied to a point where the animal is released. The next day you can track the exact movements of the animal. To take the empty spool off the animal is the tricky part, you have to catch it again or use some self-dissolving tape (not sure what the latest technique is).
 
Cool, cheers mate.

A spool with very thin white cotton in attached to the animal and the end of the cotton tied to a point where the animal is released. The next day you can track the exact movements of the animal. To take the empty spool off the animal is the tricky part, you have to catch it again or use some self-dissolving tape (not sure what the latest technique is).
 
I don't think anyone should give details here of where they might find numbers of these animals - by PM to the thread starter is appropriate.

As Michael says, Boyd's are pretty cool - I rarely handle mine, but when I do a cage clean and bag them up for 20 mins (usually quite disruptive to lizards), as soon as I put them back into the enclosure with a bowl of cockroaches or earthworms, they'll jump from my hands into the bowl to get food. I think they're very hard to stress actually, and as long as the environmental parameters are good, they are very easy to maintain - and they're just so beautiful!

Jamie
 
I by no means am having a shot at the OP however, how does a researcher gain permission to study an animal is it natural habitat when the researcher isn't even sure where to find the animal in the wild? Again not having a shot at you SofieB I just can't get my head around this and maybe you could explain it to me.
 
Seriously Ewan? Knowing an animals range and knowing where to actually locate real numbers of them are two very different things and knowing exact locations down to GPS points isn't necessarily a requirement for ethics approval.
 
Often the researcher doesn't have a choice on what they are researching.

I by no means am having a shot at the OP however, how does a researcher gain permission to study an animal is it natural habitat when the researcher isn't even sure where to find the animal in the wild? Again not having a shot at you SofieB I just can't get my head around this and maybe you could explain it to me.
 
If Sofie is the person I think she is, then she would have got pretty good idea where to find Boyds from Geordie Torr who studied them at several locations in the nineties. As things change over time, those localities may not be the hot spots they once were.
 
Thanks for explaining that Gordo and Michael.

And snakenewbie. Yes seriously! Please do not make people feel stupid for asking a question that you think has an obvious answer. There are people from all backgrounds on this website and not all of them are from higher education.

Kind regards.

Ewan.
 
Oh good grief... get a life you guys - unbeknownst to you there are lots of people doing legit work with reptiles in this country... not everyone thinks like you.

Jamie

I would caution Anyone about giving out information regarding wild populations to someone posting on an online forum, certainly without a lot more information and proof of legitimacy. Surely the O.P, attempting to complete a P.H.D, would know more appropriate channels to go through?

Apparently, Jaimie, unbeknownst to you, there are some dishonest people out there.
 
Things can be said and questions can be asked without being rude.

Typing 'D.O.D.G.Y' does not warn anyone of the concerns you have.

I would caution Anyone about giving out information regarding wild populations to someone posting on an online forum, certainly without a lot more information and proof of legitimacy. Surely the O.P, attempting to complete a P.H.D, would know more appropriate channels to go through?

Apparently, Jaimie, unbeknownst to you, there are some dishonest people out there.
 
Surely the O.P, attempting to complete a P.H.D, would know more appropriate channels to go through?
What would these more appropriate channels be? From the immediate response the thread has had I'd say that this forum is a valid way to gather data quickly.
 
Enthusiasts’ observations of H. boydii are not often recorded or known in the scientific community. Bridging the gap between researchers and enthusiasts would be highly beneficial to this study hence why I am asking this forum.
If anyone does know of large numbers of Boyd’s Forest Dragons could you please PM me. If you are worried about my credibility we can sort it out from there.
 
Enthusiasts’ observations of H. boydii are not often recorded or known in the scientific community. Bridging the gap between researchers and enthusiasts would be highly beneficial to this study hence why I am asking this forum.
If anyone does know of large numbers of Boyd’s Forest Dragons could you please PM me. If you are worried about my credibility we can sort it out from there.

Bridging the gap between researchers and enthusiasts... BRING IT ON!!! It's so rare that this happens... and I'm astounded that these silly, suspicious, linear-thinking members here can't see the value in that. We actually have a lot in common, and a lot to offer each other.

Good on you SofieB, and good luck in your quest!

jamie

I would caution Anyone about giving out information regarding wild populations to someone posting on an online forum, certainly without a lot more information and proof of legitimacy. Surely the O.P, attempting to complete a P.H.D, would know more appropriate channels to go through?

Apparently, Jaimie, unbeknownst to you, there are some dishonest people out there.

Nobody knows that better than I do PL, I've been around herps & herpers for over 50 years. Some of those who present themselves as shining ethical lights in the herp scene in this country are amongst the most sleazy and dishonest people I know. There are ways of establishing the legitimacy of a request like this without being rude, as Gordo said.

SophieB's stated interest in bridging the gap between science & hobby is a very refreshing attitude indeed. It seems hobbyists often complain about being shut out by scientists... and here we have half-baked, opinionated ignoramuses doing exactly the same thing.

Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face!

Jamie
 
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Hey Sofie :)
Hope your study (that is legitimate) is going well. People here should be able to help you out as you have already found.


Surely the O.P, attempting to complete a P.H.D, would know more appropriate channels to go through?
Apparently, Jaimie, unbeknownst to you, there are some dishonest people out there.

Care to share with Sofie these more appropriate channels? Maybe that was the reason for the thread..

I could use many words to describe Sofie but dishonest is not one of them. Geez so much negativity to an actual study on one of our favourite animals from an up and coming zoologist really does surprise me. If you want more information then you should message her, not attempt to belittle and demonstrate your ignorance.
 
Im doing alot of study in epidemiology. Its the same deal, sure you can ask more qualified sources i.e. researchers, but they are referencing from text books and journal articles of which change all the time. In fact I don't think there is a more appropriate source to gather this sort of information, than on a forum with enthusiasts in the field you are researching.
 
I agree. As others would know I've been asking about thorny devils. Well I've done googling, etc and the info out there is pretty limited, sometimes the best way is to ask around to find people that are actually doing it themselves, those people aren't necessarily the ones who are writing the research articles.
 
I don't doubt Sofie's integrity but I am sure she would inspire much more enthusiasm and information from the members here if she would reveal little bit more about her project. It always helps if people know what they are contributing their information towards. No need to go into great detail but at this stage, we have no idea whether her research is on genetics, physiology, population dynamics, behavioural study, ecology or something else.
Just a suggestion.
 
My project will largely be on the genetics of boyd’s dragons - looking at the genetic makeup, genetic patterns and distributions of individuals and groups of boyd’s. Info from this project shows what distributions where like in the past and to some extent what they will be like in the future.
This is why I need help with locating sites with lots of dragons.
 
why on earth do a PHD on Boyd's 'Forest Dragons , when a gentleman called Jordie Torr (forgiven the spelling) did his PHD on the same species, isn't about time that unii people did something useful and study the effect of wild pigs on the Boyd's Forest Dragon , cause you only have to go into any rainforest up north and u can see the problem that reptiles and cassowaries have with wild pigs destroying their habitat, we seem to concentrate on the native animals and not on the effects that introduced species do to the natives, habitat lost is the greatest problem they face, and yes people are worried about telling uni people where to find these reptiles as we know that yes some are held as specimens (dead) all in the name of science
 
It's all about funding snakeg56, you have to be able to get funding. If someone is offering funding for a PhD project on Boyds genetics then that's what you do because it's absolutely crapful trying to source your own funding for things if no one is interested in paying for it.
 
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