Search found 27 matches

by Mark
May 13th, 2022, 7:13 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Costa Rica
Replies: 1
Views: 791

Costa Rica

G’day all, Just a question. I’m planning to go to Costa Rica for a couple weeks in October and looking for suggestions for places to go where solo night hiking is permitted. I’ve never been one to hire guides, partially to save money but mostly as I just much prefer going solo. From what I’ve read m...
by Mark
July 6th, 2020, 1:53 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Best TIME OF YEAR to Visit Ecuador for Herping?
Replies: 3
Views: 1944

Re: Best TIME OF YEAR to Visit Ecuador for Herping?

Generally the rainy season is best for herps. In Ecuador the rainy season various quite a bit depending on the location, Amazon vs Choco etc. However in the Amazon, where you're planning to go, it's from about the end of February to July.
by Mark
May 5th, 2020, 6:24 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Ecuador
Replies: 6
Views: 2965

Re: Herping Ecuador

Oh bummer, ya I'd go crazy being stuck in the city for too long. As is I'm lucky to be both living and working in the middle of the forest. So plenty of wildlife but unfortunately, with the exception of one species of frog, there's zero herps this far north. So I'll have to wait until October before...
by Mark
May 1st, 2020, 6:54 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Ecuador
Replies: 6
Views: 2965

Re: Herping Ecuador

Wow, great pics and beauty snakes. I think I have a slight preference for the peninsular subspecies since it really has that proper blue coloration.
by Mark
April 30th, 2020, 9:20 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Ecuador
Replies: 6
Views: 2965

Re: Herping Ecuador

Hey Kurt, So well I guess expensive is a relative term. For some people, if they're only down for a quick weeks vacation, it might not seem like much at all to spend $150 - $300/night. And I suppose it really isn't much for an all inclusive stay at a remote rainforest lodge. But by backpackers stand...
by Mark
April 7th, 2020, 6:27 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Ecuador
Replies: 6
Views: 2965

Herping Ecuador

So I spent about 5 months in South America this past winter, 3 of those months in Ecuador where I did quite a lot of herping. Not all but most in just 3 locations; Reserva Los Cedros for 2 weeks, another 2 weeks at Sumak Kawsay In Situ and 3 weeks at Heimatlos Eco Lodge. I was volunteering cutting/m...
by Mark
January 11th, 2020, 4:37 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Best of 2019
Replies: 8
Views: 4458

Re: Best of 2019

WOW, good job Kurt. Awesome finds and amazing pics!
by Mark
July 16th, 2019, 8:37 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping in Tawau
Replies: 2
Views: 10461

Re: Herping in Tawau

Nice finds and great pics! That Edwardine’s Horned Frog is definitely a species I never saw during my time in Tawau, a beauty.
by Mark
July 8th, 2019, 8:37 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Royal Tree Snake
Replies: 11
Views: 13309

Re: Royal Tree Snake

Wow, 4 P. Fusca! I didn't see one in all my time there. I'd say that was some good luck ;) Never saw an X. Trianguligera at night but during the day I saw them several times in the creeks and river near park HQ. As for potential reptile poachers in Kinabulu NP; if they are there I pray they get caug...
by Mark
July 7th, 2019, 10:04 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Royal Tree Snake
Replies: 11
Views: 13309

Re: Royal Tree Snake

Haha yes definitely hard to target those really rare ones that basically just require a lot of luck. You were at least in the right place though! P. pictus was one of my lifers in Tawau as well. I think they're in a close run with Xenochrophis trianguligera for being the most common species in the p...
by Mark
July 7th, 2019, 10:25 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Royal Tree Snake
Replies: 11
Views: 13309

Re: Royal Tree Snake

Thanks :) It's funny though in that I was lucky enough to find those really rare species but many of the relatively far more common species eluded me during my time in Borneo. I'm sure they were there but I just wasn't able to spot them. For example I wouldn't even want to know how many Leaf-nosed p...
by Mark
July 5th, 2019, 2:31 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Costa Rica 2019 trip report
Replies: 5
Views: 11252

Re: Costa Rica 2019 trip report

Wow, awesome pics and great finds. Thanks for sharing
by Mark
July 5th, 2019, 9:17 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Borneo
Replies: 4
Views: 10662

Re: Herping Borneo

Thanks, I think I was lucky to have found a few of those. That said, despite all my time in Borneo there’s quite a few species that I’d hoped to but never found. To name just a few; no Leaf-nosed Pit Viper, Malcom’s Pit Viper, Blue Coral Snake, Red-headed Krait, etc. But all the more reason to go ba...
by Mark
June 17th, 2019, 7:19 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Royal Tree Snake
Replies: 11
Views: 13309

Re: Royal Tree Snake

Haha slept in I guess.. And thanks :)
by Mark
June 16th, 2019, 9:48 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Royal Tree Snake
Replies: 11
Views: 13309

Re: Royal Tree Snake

Thanks! And yes despite not getting a good look at it I feel fortunate to have at least saw it.
by Mark
June 16th, 2019, 8:54 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Royal Tree Snake
Replies: 11
Views: 13309

Royal Tree Snake

For those familiar with Borneo's snakes you may find this interesting: So I spent quite a few nights at the Syap substation in Kinabulu NP, which has a number of hiking trails mostly at about 900 to 1000m in elevation. Sabah pit vipers are very common here and I found about a dozen, and just one eac...
by Mark
June 16th, 2019, 8:42 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Borneo
Replies: 4
Views: 10662

Re: Herping Borneo

Thanks! They were definitely both species I wasn’t expecting but thrilled to have found.
by Mark
June 14th, 2019, 5:57 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: SE Asia Herping
Replies: 3
Views: 7491

Re: SE Asia Herping

Thanks Lou. Love your videos by the way. Between travels, when I'm stuck back here in Canada, watching a herping video is the next best thing to being out there myself.
by Mark
June 14th, 2019, 1:08 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: SE Asia Herping
Replies: 3
Views: 7491

SE Asia Herping

I made my first post on this site the other day (Herping Borneo) mostly in promotion of Tawau Park and my buddy, and guide extraordinaire, Shavez. However since then, in checking out numerous posts, I've found this site super helpful in giving me many ideas as to my next herping destinations. So wit...
by Mark
June 11th, 2019, 9:27 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Mystery Reed Snake
Replies: 5
Views: 6003

Re: Mystery Reed Snake

Thanks for your input. Well I guess it'll remain a mystery for now. Unless anyone else has any guesses?
by Mark
June 4th, 2019, 1:19 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Mystery Reed Snake
Replies: 5
Views: 6003

Re: Mystery Reed Snake

Thanks, although junvenile variable reed snakes do have very narrow whitish or yellowish rings, along with red heads, they completely lose their rings and red heads as adults. As I mentioned I found three individuals of this species, two adults and a tiny neonate. I'll attach a pic here (which I sho...
by Mark
June 2nd, 2019, 10:41 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Mystery Reed Snake
Replies: 5
Views: 6003

Re: Mystery Reed Snake

*
by Mark
June 2nd, 2019, 10:40 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Mystery Reed Snake
Replies: 5
Views: 6003

Mystery Reed Snake

Hi there, This past winter I found three of these reed snakes while on separate night hikes in Tawau Hills Park in Sabah, Borneo. However, despite there being at least locally common, seemingly, nobody - including a couple Malaysian herpetologists, can ID them to species. Everyone is agreed that the...
by Mark
May 31st, 2019, 11:52 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake ID
Replies: 3
Views: 3279

Re: Snake ID

Many thanks for the info and for helping to narrow it down! Think you may be right about it being O. occipitalis. Too bad I didn't get better pics to be more sure though. Thanks again,

Mark
by Mark
May 30th, 2019, 4:46 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake ID
Replies: 3
Views: 3279

Re: Snake ID

Ok think I got the pic attached this time
by Mark
May 30th, 2019, 4:41 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Snake ID
Replies: 3
Views: 3279

Snake ID

Hi there,

Just looking for help in trying to ID this snake I found on a night hike in Tayrona NP in Colombia. I'm assuming it's some kind of Oxyrhopos, but not sure. Despite it being on a branch, where I placed it, I found it on the ground.

Thanks,
Mark
by Mark
May 3rd, 2019, 4:13 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Borneo
Replies: 4
Views: 10662

Herping Borneo

Spent 4 months in Borneo this past winter and did loads of herping, mostly looking for snakes. Found plenty of great locations but going to share a few photos and a species list from one of my favourites; Tawau Hills Park. Tawau has both primary lowland and montane forest, there's affordable accomod...