Male spotted barking gecko calling for a mate Taiapo 2019-09-23 | Here we have an optimistic male spotted barking gecko (Ptenopus garrulus maculatus) calling relentlessly into the night to convince a female to pay a visit to his burrow.It also reminds me of a tiny evil mastermind plotting for world domination.These geckos create tremendous noise for such small animals and pretty much call throughout the entire night. When a female likes the sound of a male, she enters the burrow to mate and then stays there to lay the eggs. The male has to leave and dig himself a new burrow. Tough life!
Bahamian Racer feeding on a live bird Taiapo 2020-06-09 | Bahamian Racers are quite opportunistic and feed on a large variety of prey including frogs, lizards, snakes, rodents, insects and birds. However, empirical data is sparse and we still don't fully understand their feeding ecology.Here we have a Bahamian Racer devouring a fledgling Mockingbird that had fallen out of a tree. Just remember, this is nature. The snake is not evil, just hungry and trying to make a living.You can find out more in our natural history note published at: researchgate.net/publication/341984387
Autohaemorrhaging in a Bahamian Thunder Snake Taiapo 2019-11-03 | A Bahamian Thunder Snake (Tropidophis curtus barbouri) displaying autohaemorrhaging behaviour.Snakes utilise a wide variety of antipredatory behaviours but cephalic autohaemorrhaging, or the deliberate ejection of blood from the head, is certainly one of the most spectacular.The exact function of this behaviour is yet to be fully understood but the expelled blood could exacerbate the snake's other off-putting behaviours to convince a predator that it is no good to eat.The snake was returned back to where it was found right after data collection and seemed to be in perfect health.You can find out more about this fascinating behaviour in the Herpetological Bulletin (thebhs.org/publications/the-herpetological-bulletin/issue-number-150-winter-2019/2018-13-autohaemorrhaging-in-a-bahamian-pygmy-boa-i-tropidophis-curtus-barbouri-i) or on Researchgate (researchgate.net/publication/338281098).
Kochs barking gecko advertising call Taiapo 2019-09-23 | Koch's barking gecko (Ptenopus kochi), Oct 2018, Namib Desert, Namibia.One of the three single members of the genus Ptenopus. Each of the three species has a characteristic call which is associated with territoriality and attraction of females. These geckos create tremendous noise for such small animals and pretty much call throughout the entire night to attract a female to their burrows. When a female likes the sound of a male, she enters the burrow to mate and subsequently stays there to lay the eggs. The male has to leave and start digging a new burrow all over again. Tough life!
