Computer issues......Part 2

Alrighty folks, computer technology can be completly annoying sometimes...this is one of those times for me. The computer issues that I'm having are being delt with, but its taking a while. In the next couple of days (perhaps even tomorrow) I'll be able to access my camera files and put up some more photos. Thanks for sticking around!

An Indian Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus).

Thank you Crocodile Hunter!

I love reptiles and have a special fondness towards crocodilans. As a kid I was obsessed with Steve Irwin's "The Crocodile Hunter" t.v. show and that is where my love towards these typically large semi-aquatic animals began. Though I have yet to photograph wild crocodilians (Everglades anyone?) I love to photograph them in zoos and animal parks. These photos are of Crocodiles.

Anacondas in Asia

Baby Anacondas spotted in Asia, Melaka Zoo that is. I wonder how Melaka Zoo will handled the Anacondas when they matured into a giant snake.



About Anacondas

Anacondas are large, non-venomous boas found in tropical South America. Although the name actually applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer only to one species in particular, the green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, which is one of the largest snakes in the world, and (together with the reticulated python of southeast Asia) arguably the longest.

Related posts:
* Fake photo of Legendary Nabau, Borneo giant snake



nature | photo

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is my second favorite National Park that I've ever visited (sorry, Yellowstone grabs the #1 spot on my list!). Since no words can describe how it feels to look out over the Canyon, hopefully a panorama photo might help... (click on the picture to expand)

Heres a little guy (I believe it is a Fence Lizard) that was sunning himself on a log next to the Canyon. I only got a couple of photos before he darted away. Also, if you look at his neck, he appears to be shedding.

One year!

Today marks exactly one year since I started this blog...and I must say that I am very surprised. It started out as just a link that I e-mailed to relatives so they could see my photography in one convenient location. Not so anymore! It has grown to a surprising size and has been viewed in, as of this posting, 33 countries spanning 5 continents! Thank you so much for helping make this happen!

I snapped this photo while my little brother played on our swing set.

Can you see the baby Northern Prairie Skink hiding in this old wooden plank?

Sunset!

"Herps"

Reptiles and Amphibians - also known as "Herps" or "Herptiles" by their ever growing group of fans are some of my favorite animals. They tend to get a bad reputation (especially snakes) but I personally find them very fascinating. Therefore, I love to photograph them.

The Northern Prairie Skink is a small lizard (their max. size is about 7 in.) native to the upper midwest of the United States. They seem to be everywhere on my property so I tend to get some good shots of them, despite their lightning fast movement and skittish behavior.

A Grey Treefrog. This little guy has been living in a crease in our grill cover all summer long. Every time I grill I move him over to a nearby bush. By the next evening he is back in his little "fort" where he will stay until I move him again. This picture was cropped for better detail.

As you can probably tell, this picture doesn't look like it was taken outside in the deserts of Pakistan. But thats where these little geckos - Leopard Geckos - live. However this little guy is the latest addition to my captive herp collection. Look at those colors!

Python Reticulatus photo

Python Reticulatus is a species of python found in Southeast Asia, including Borneo. Adults grow to a maximum of over 28 feet (8.7 m) in length and are the world's longest snakes, but are not the most heavily built. Like all pythons, Python Reticulatus are non-venomous constrictors and normally not considered dangerous to man, even though large specimens are powerful enough to kill an adult and attacks are occasionally reported.

An excellent swimmer, Python reticulatus has even been reported far out at sea and has consequently colonized many small islands within its range. The specific name is Latin meaning net-like, or reticulated, and is a reference to the complex color pattern.



The above Python Reticulatus was caught by someone and kept in a cage. I'm very sure that the snake was reserved for a cooking pot at nearby restaurant. See also, Nabau, Borneo giant snake

The irony is that, the cage was kept at the back of the Bako National Park office located at the Boat Point, Kpg Bako. Thus, the suspect is likely to be employee or staff of the National Park and any animal at the National Park protected or otherwise, are suppose not be killed, harmed or trapped.

Related posts:
* Sunset photo of Telok Assam, Bako National Park, Sarawak
* Telok Assam, Bako National Park, Sarawak
* Proboscis monkey - Nasalis larvatus at Bako National Park

Tropical Chameleon - Green crested lizard - earth lion

Chameleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are squamates that belong to one of the best-known lizard families. The name "chameleon" means "Earth lion" and is derived from the Greek words chamai (on the ground, on the earth) and leon (lion).

The chameleon in this post is known as Green Crested Lizard (Bronchocela Cristatella).


Chameleon changing of colour

Some chameleon species are able to change their skin colour, which has made them one of the most famous lizard families. Changing colour is an expression of the physical and physiological condition of the lizard. The colour also plays an important part in communication.

Despite popular belief, chameleons cannot change colour to their surroundings. Chameleons are naturally coloured for their surroundings as a camouflage.

Chameleons have specialized cells, collectively called chromatophores, that lie in layers under their transparent outer skin. The cells in the upper layer, called xanthophores and erythrophores, contain yellow and red pigments respectively. Below these is another layer of cells called iridophores or guanophores, and they contain the colourless crystalline substance guanine. These reflect, among others, the blue part of incident light. If the upper layer of chromatophores appears mainly yellow, the reflected light becomes green (blue plus yellow). A layer of dark melanin containing melanophores is situated even deeper under the reflective iridophores. The melanophores influence the 'lightness' of the reflected light. All these different pigment cells can rapidly relocate their pigments, thereby influencing the colour of the chameleon.


Click Chameleon gallery for more hi-res photos of chameleon (earth lion).

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