Best Herping spots

[Sdaji]

I don't think they could be wiped out, but in winter they don't move much at all and in this place it's very easy to find them because there are some rocks which are just perfect for them to sit under. Thus you can find most of the snakes in the area fairly easily in winter. It was quite clear that the decline had occurred within a few months (between when I was there and the time before) and between those visits all the rocks had been carelessly moved and not replaced. I wouldn't say 'wiped out' but I only found two browns, compared to the 20 or so I'd usually find, or at least 10 on a really bad day previously. I'm sure if no one went there the local population would recover within a few short years, but it's pretty clear irresponsible collecting has occured. I also know of a place a short drive from Melbourne where you could easily find half a dozen blotched blue tongues within 15 minutes (and you'd see different ones each visit, strangely), until one of the pet shops found out. A sudden dissapearance of bluetongues coincided with a special on bluies at that shop.

Incidentally, they're going to build a road through my brown snake spot within the next 5-10 years, so I'm not too fussed about anyone looting it, but I'm a lot more quiet about telling people my spots these days.

 

[NoOne]

I'm not saying that people will definatly go out and collect animals from these places but posting them on a popular website doesn't seem to be very smart if we are trying to protect our wildlife.
I know lots of places with various herps including some that i've never heard of in capitvity, i would tell people about it if i knew they were keen herpers but i'm not gonna post it for the whole world to see.
The fact is the less people that go to these places the better as far as the animals that live there are concerned.
It's the same as good fishing spots.....tell one person and a million turn up......few years later it's not worth going to, i've seen that many times.

 

[Sdaji]

With reptiles, it would be nice to think it was different, since you'd hope most people would look but not touch, or at least not take. I have to wonder though, no snakes in melbourne are worth anything, but people still seem to take them, surely it's not people wanting them as pets or to sell, it doesn't make sense.

 

[BROWNS]

My sentiments exactly duga.......

 

[cwarren72]

Well Fuscy old boy I have to say that the idea you started was (Ithink) a really good idea but unfortunately it appears as though others disagree? I have to say though, that it isn't anything unusual to see Sxe making a negative comment? It seems as though all he does these days is makes negative comments and seems to also go out of his way to upset and annoy people(just my opinion) Anyway, I still think it is a good idea as those of us who appreciate it for the right reasons will be able to share and enjoy these areas for the right thing. Those that are out to rape and pillage the land will undoubtably find themselves busted one day, and I hope I can help get em busted to.

 

[soulweaver]

Sdaji, most of the time you see browns, they were like a rash. I saw two Rbb's one was dead that some guy killed the other was near a water supply for a golf coarse. The native bushland backed onto this water supply but a dry summer and bushfires saw the end of teh water as fireman used the water to fight the fire.

as for tiger snakes they were in the same bushland but probably about 1-2 km's away from where i found browns. i have only seen abt four tigers in the wild.

i was actually looking for tigers when i came across my first brown snake, i stopped to tie my shoe lace up and was resting and a brown came out of the bush, went across one of my shoes and then into bushe's on the other side, he must have been sunning himself as it was early morning on a 30+ degree day. i later found that the area had a huge rat population as it was near a old council tip, and the rats were feeding off garbage and other things attracted by the tip.

 

[bigguy]

I will give a few examples why not to tell of particular herping spots.
In the early 1980's the AHS had a field trip to Tarina near Bathurst. Permission was given by the land owner to go on his land. Hundreds of Cunningham Skinks were seen . Within 4 weeks someone returned without permission and destroyed the place while removing most of the lizards.

Again in the late 1980's the AHS had a field trip to the Brown Tree Snake hill at Gosford. Many were seen. Within 4 weeks this pristeen spot was destroyed and most Brown Tree Snakes taken. They still have not recovered to this day.

In the early 1990's I showed a good friend the Srub pythons in the Tully Gorge in North Queensland. The next year I returned to take pictures of the wild Scrubbies for a book on Australian Pythons. To my amazement, not one Scubbie could be found even though it was perfect weather. I did however see signs everywhere that people had been there within a few days. I also found a heap of unused snakebags with my mates name on them. When I asked him about going there he admitted he had shown a few friends from a zoo in SA the week prior. He assured me they saw heaps. but took none. When I returned home I had another good friend mention to me about my mate from Queensland bragging how he and his friends from SA had caught over 40 Scrubs up to 17ft long and had taken 3 trips to carry them all out of the gorge. They were sold on the blackmarket in the southern states.

I could keep telling stories like this all night long. Splitmore is correct, there are many honest people out there, but alas there are also a few dishonest people. These people spoil it for everyone else. The trouble is you can not tell who the bad ones are, so it is best to never give a exact location were animals will be found. They always someone who is willing to do the wrong thing.

 

[Sdaji]

Yeah, rubbish tips are good hey?

 

[Tommo]

i suppose another example is the broad headed snakes around sydney. the widespread extinction was because of house development and the collecting of sand stone for gardens, but in the areas where they are still surviving many hobbyists have collected them.

also the kings snake in america. anyone who watches the snakewranglers on national geographic will no it (im not going to try spell the name). it was believed that collecting had wiped it out

 

[cwarren72]

Well I hope you done the right thing and told the authorities about what your mate had done?

 

[HATCHMASTER]

thanks fuscus for revealing one of many top herp spots within twenty mins from my place.but i have to say i am doing my bit for the protection of these animals.i own a small farm not far from fuscus's mentioned spot and have placed many hides eg:sheets of tin,hollow logs small wood piles and rock piles.throughout my property were i can view numerous reptiles in a natural environment,throughtout the year.and with saying that should mention that any tresspassers or poches will be shot and if survive prosecuted as there in my land and under my protection but are free to come and go as they please and i do not interfere with these reptiles in anyway.i have my own captive reptiles and am just privleged to have wild reptiles just out my backdoor.

 

[BROWNS]

I think that was the apalachacola"spelling?" kingsnake tommo.Was very interesting i thought and sad at the same time.

The Palmerston highway has also taken out a fair bit of prime jungle country in Nth Qld..

 

[hey_im_sam]

my mate from Queensland bragging how he and his friends from SA had caught over 40 Scrubs up to 17ft long and had taken 3 trips to carry them all out of the gorge. They were sold on the blackmarket in the southern states.

Pieces like that are so sad... and make you so cautious. Like you said, this guy was your mate! Assumedly, somone you thought you could trust :? Sucks when things like this happen, stories of humans f***ing up our world upset me more than any other.

 

[Greg]

Did anyone notice how this thread was going quite nicely. There were differring opinions and points of view being put across in a reasonably fair manner and then all of a sudden someone comes along and makes it personal and starts having a go at someone for voicing an opinion different to their own?






Greg.

 

[AGAMIDAE]

Sorry fuscus.......TOP SECRET.....

 

[Sdaji]

People who will go out and do something like take 40 scrubbies aught to be shot. I couldn't really care if they'd gone and taken a pair for themself or something, but something like that is absurd. I've heard stories of a guy who took 90 thick tailed geckoes and another guy who came back to Melbourne with 47 pyrrhus, these are two second hand stories I hope are untrue but tend to think aren't. I've seen literally piles of thick tailed geckoes in pet shops which were obviously wild caught (quite possibly from the same lot I heard about), it's horrible but makes commercial sense (I'm not saying it's good, just that I can see that they have a motive). What you would do with 47 adult pyrrhus I just can't imagine. Some people need their heads read. It's bad enough selling off the babies when you ligitimately breed reptiles in those numbers. This is the kind of thing that makes me think pet shops are bad.

 

[Guest]

I know of a great herping spot in sydney, probably the best and most preserved. But only i can get in and only people escorted by me can also.

So i can take people if they like this spring/summer, but try and get back in the place and you will find yourself in deeper feacal waste than the tassie tiger.

Also, if you havent got a good eye for identifying un-exploded ordanance you could see yourself losing a leg or two, maybe even more than that.

So who wants to check the place out with me??

 

[Bryony]

I'm disapointed now.........
i didn't think people could be so.......selfish, inconsiderate and just plain old crap.
Now cause of these people, some of the best herping spots are no more.....and the people that know good herping spots wont tell people, so history wont repeat itself.....some how i think we are getting the short straw......

i hate humans :evil:

 

[Sdaji]

I'd love to check it out, Team! Tell the poachers about it without the warnings

 

[NoOne]

It's sad fact of life Bry, it only takes a few idiots to ruin it for everyone, even worse those idiots have acess to the internet.