# A quick herping



## Crotalus (Jun 23, 2007)

We soon moving to southwestern Saskatchewan so we went there for a few days to look for a house but we could'nt resist a little herping. We only had a afternoon and evening to herp but that was better then nothing!

It was quite hot, around 30C, so the roadhunting woudnt be so good until it cools off in the evening. We flipped some boards at a place we usually go to and after a while I managed to find the one and only Crotalus viridis for the day, a last years juvenile.







After sunset the temperature dropped slowly. We spotted this majestic pronghorn buck with his harem close by







At night the amphibians emerged and these Plains Spadefoot toads, Spea bombifrons, were common







Lots of toads too and this one was a new species for us, Great Plains toad, Bufo cognatus














/Lelle


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## GQ. (Jun 26, 2007)

Nice shots Lelle.  The viridis and pronghorn have me reminiscing of New Mexico herping.  I once stayed idling on a remote New Mexico dirt road while watching a couple pronghorn bucks spar.  They were right in the middle of the road butting heads for several minutes before one of them spotted me and decided to leave.  He kept stopping to fight after the chasing buck kept hitting him in the rump with his horns.


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## M.F.Bagaturov (Jun 27, 2007)

He, Lelle!

Nice fotos!
And it is surprising me You decied finally to change Your life so cruently moving to the different continent, he...
Good luck with this!

I'm sure these crotalids is one among main reasons for Your movement, he-he ) so I was not surprised that You dicied against Russia with only V. berus so far always available )))


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## Crotalus (Jun 27, 2007)

Thanks all

Well Mikhail, if Sheri would have lived in Russia I would be eating black bread and drinking vodka right now 

/Lelle


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## M.F.Bagaturov (Jun 28, 2007)

Hi Lelle!

Not sure this would satisfy You much, believe me 
No any crotalids neares thousands of kilometers  maybe the only one You would sculp Youself of the wet bread...


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## Crotalus (Jun 28, 2007)

M.F.Bagaturov said:


> Hi Lelle!
> 
> Not sure this would satisfy You much, believe me
> No any crotalids neares thousands of kilometers  maybe the only one You would sculp Youself of the wet bread...


Well the vipers are good enough 
They were good enough in Sweden for many years
Have you seen V. kaznakovi that can be found in Russia? Its stunning!


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## M.F.Bagaturov (Jun 28, 2007)

Hi Lelle!

In Russia is actually the only one is available as a whole - V. berus...
To find kaznakovi and dinniki You should go to the Russian Caucasus part and some hours aside from this place in Osetia for V. lotievi.

I not only seen most of the former USSR vipers, but also collected V. kaznakovi myself in Turkey borded in Adgaria (now a part of the Georgia Rep) and Macrovipera lebetina in Daghestan, as well as I've seen collected V. xanthina (raddei), V. lotievi, V. dinniki, V. transcaucasiana ssp. from Georgian mountains,  V. magnifica and V. nikolskii, as well as Macrovipera lebetina turanica from Turkmenistan.
The only I never seen alive are: V. renardi, V. orlovi and V. sachalinensis.


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## Crotalus (Jun 28, 2007)

I believe kaznakovi is also found in s. Russia
Seems you been around in those areas alot. I would love to see some pictures if you have any available


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## M.F.Bagaturov (Jun 29, 2007)

Hi!
South Russia is what I ref as a Russian part of the Caucasus. 
All 3 viper species: kaznakovi, dinniki and lotievi live there on different mountains and only kaznakovi has wide range and inhabit a lawlands...
THere's an very interesting another viper found at some place there too at over 2500m elevation - still nobody knows what is it - a form or a new undescribed species - just a few people seen it and all told it is something different indeed. I know some prof herp'ist working on this group in Canada was sent by this species but dunno the rezult of the study.

As for the pics I should upset You. Those days I personally travel a lot there were not digital photo-cameras  in Russia and I only have some old-formated slides which You should used to look on via slide projector. ;(
That sucks, cos I also have some very nice fotos of Mertensiela caucasica, Triturus vittatus, different Lacertidae and other interesting representatives of flora and fauna of Caucasus "in situ". 

But on the good note, my close friend caught one V. kaznakovi a month ago during his study of local south Russian fauna and have it, so I will make a great short for You personally being visiting him soon.


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## Crotalus (Jun 29, 2007)

Thanks for interesting info!
The new species or what it might be sounds interesting. Any chance you remember the name of the guy whos working with them?  I will ask a good friend of mine if he knows anything of that viper, he usually have all the new info on vipers.

As for the slides, there are photo scanners that allow you to scan those slides. Go get one now! 
Looking forward to the kazna photo later on! 

Btw, if we decide to visit Russia, I will let you know.It sure would be fun to go viper hunting!

/Lelle


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## M.F.Bagaturov (Jun 29, 2007)

Yes, the new species is really interesting for me too.
Unfortunately, I don't know the name of that canadian researcher...

I believe the scanner You mean doesn't work with these, but I will look what can be done with this.

If You decide to go to Russia - lemme know, I will buy some bred and vodka for You and introduce some kaznakovi in Leningradskaya region for You for hunting ))
Unless, the only V. berus would be here occasionaly 
But if You want for some S. RUssia mountain tour I will arrange it as well, my friend.
Hope You'll bring some of these Aphonos found around the Saskatchewan  for me, heh...


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## Crotalus (Jun 29, 2007)

I will let you know for sure. 

The infamous aphonos in SK are very elusive.. I heard they are striking blue


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## M.F.Bagaturov (Jun 30, 2007)

Hi Lelle!

Sure!

I don't care for the color, even it's an ordinary brown species it is very hard to find any Aphono (except A. bicoloratum) in Russia.


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## Crotalus (Jun 30, 2007)

M.F.Bagaturov said:


> Hi Lelle!
> 
> Sure!
> 
> I don't care for the color, even it's an ordinary brown species it is very hard to find any Aphono (except A. bicoloratum) in Russia.


Im sure you know there are no aphonos here in Canada but if they were im sure they would be "another shade of brown"


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## M.F.Bagaturov (Jul 2, 2007)

Yes, Lelle!

But I'm sure knowing You, You'll find one and it would be not brown but sure the most toxic than 
Something like new species named "aphonopelma durissum", he-he


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## Crotalus (Jul 2, 2007)

M.F.Bagaturov said:


> Yes, Lelle!
> 
> But I'm sure knowing You, You'll find one and it would be not brown but sure the most toxic than
> Something like new species named "aphonopelma durissum", he-he


Ohh I wish...I wish ... 

Ill be happy if I find hesperus in the basement though


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## M.F.Bagaturov (Jul 4, 2007)

You would be lucky if hesperus doesn't find You elsewhere


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