All Over Namibia

[Fooble]

Fantastic Wes!

Always nice getting that target species!

[Westley Price]

Last night I went for a quick cruise as it looked like it was gonna rain (it later did) so I though the snakes might be out, especially fossorial ones.

The roads were pretty quiet actually with not even a gecko, but on the way home I saw a snake squirming on the road. Even before stopping I could see the tail had been hit but the snake was still very much alive.

Upon approaching I saw a longish (35cm), slender snake so my first thought was Xenocalamus, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

Here is Amblyodipsas ventrimaculata, Kalahari Purple Glossed Snake. I am not sure if I would call it a rare snake as the distribution is quite large, but I would certainly say that they're very seldom seen.











Because of it's injuries, I euthanized it before taking pics and just "tidied" up all the guts that were hanging out. I just wish I was more artsy coz no matter how hard I tried, I couldnt get it to look alive or natural.

[Westley Price]

Here's another find today, Pedioplanis sp. I think P. undata.

I love photographing these fast lizards; makes for a challenge.





I dont know what that swollen thing is in the corner of its eye, but looks a bit weird.



Thanx for looking

[Ruan Stander]

Very cool find, pity it didn't make it though.

[Westley Price]

Last week Friday I got a call out just after work from a bird breeder a few kms from my place so I decided to go check it out.

I arrived to find a nice medium sized P. natalensis, maybe 1.8m, in a cage.

This guy breeds quite expensive birds and on a relatively large scale so I am sure a python could do him some financial damage, but upon collecting the snake I noted he had regurged two rats, so the python was actually doing the guy a favour by keeping the vermin away from his bird food!

Later that evening he phone me again and I went out to collect a second python the same day! That was something I had never experienced before. This was a much smaller snake, maybe 60cm length, but didnt even take pics.

Here's the larger one.





Cheers

[Mitton]

Awesome stuff, pretty snake!

[SteveZi]

beauty!

[Warren Klein]

Excellent work Westley. Defiantly one of if not the best mega threads on this forum!

[Ruan Stander]

What a day and what a gorgeous snake.

[Westley Price]

Thanx all.

[Westley Price]

So last Saturday evening I got a callout from a local guest house/camping site for an unknown snake so I grabbed all my equipment and headed out.

Upon arrival they said the snake was laying just outside a bungalow at an open front door so I walked down the walkway and saw the biggest Naja nigricincta I have ever seen, probably 1.9m an quite bulky. It was laying calmly curled up in a 2x2m niche housing the bungalow front door with the door about 2cm open. There was an Angolan family renting the bungalow and they can be super lucky the snake didnt enter otherwise a bit or at least an eye full of venom would have been difficult to avoid.

So I of course grabbed my safety glasses, grab stick and pillow case and proceeded to catch the snake. I got a few squirts of venom on the forehead and neck, but nothing serious. What I didnt take into account is that it was an incredibly hot evening and working with such a large, energetic snake I started sweating on my forehead. The sweat beads proceeded to slide down my forehead, incorporating the venom and straight into my eyes. Was kinda one of those Homer Simpson "doh" situations.

My eyes became immediately watery and red, but not too much irritation or pain. The Sunday morning I awoke to an all too familiar pink eye (conjunctivitis) which I am quite prone to, so the entire experience was quite unpleasant. I also noted that I am starting to develop a sensitivity to the venom. When working with my grab stcik or just the pillow case which held the snake, I start sneezing and eye watering, similar to having sever sinus problems, so I had better be careful in the future.

I suggest to all guys doing callouts or guys keeping spitters to not rely on safety glasses/goggles, but rather get a full face shield from your local hardware store. I know I am certainly doing the same!

Here is the guilty culprit. No the best pics as I didnt want to go through the whole ordeal again.





I released him about 10m from a road on the side of a conservancy, but as Murphy's Law would have it it immediately turned around and crossed the road to the other side. It looks a lot smaller int he pics than it actually was.

[Mitton]

Awesome looking snake!

I suggest to all guys doing callouts or guys keeping spitters to not rely on safety glasses/goggles, but rather get a full face shield from your local hardware store. I know I am certainly doing the same!

Or just sport a nice John McEnroe sweat band, include it in your snake removal equipment. Please get pics.

[Westley Price]

Haha, might make for some interesting pics.

I shaved the night before and I even got a bit of a rash on my neck where the snake spat, so I will not be taking any more chances. Full face shield or nothing!

[Fooble]

Some fantastic last series of images Wes!

That nigricincta looked like a monster!

[Westley Price]

Hi Guys/Gals

After a few of the recent topics blew me away, I thought I had better make an effort and get out into the field.

This morning turned out pretty warm so I headed out about 30km from Rosh Pinah in the south of Namibia.

I didnt have a particular target species, so out I went with all my gear. I have spent quite a bit of time in the area (not the exact spot) so I wasnt expecting anything different; just the usual.

I didnt see any snakes, but found a decent selection of geckos, including two lifers for me, which is quite rare for me these days, especially in an area I have spent so much time in.

Lets start with a species I had found before, Pachydactylus montanus. This species does something very strange with their tails when provoked. Hard to explain in words. I should make a short video next time.







Spot the Agama atra...



Here is a female Trachylepis sulcata



Hadogenes tityrus



First lifer, Goggia gemmula. This species has a VERY limited distribution.

Youngster



Adult with regrown tail









Second lifer, and a special on for me, Narudasia festiva. I totally wasnt expecting to find this species so when I saw the first one I though it was another Goggia, until I noted the claws.

Adult with stump tail







Youngster with full tail







And lastly, one I am unable to ID. I know it is Typhlosaurus sp, but only one species is supposed to occur here and this is certainly not it. I sent the pics to a few guys so let's see if I get a confirmation.







Love the orange tail



Thanx for looking.