Puerto Rico is the 51st state (maybe ?)

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Fieldnotes
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Puerto Rico is the 51st state (maybe ?)

Post by Fieldnotes »

I heard that Puerto Rico is now the 51st state, so what herps are going to be added to the US Fauna list? Does this mean all the lifelisters out there trying to photograph all of America’s herps will now have to make a trip to Puerto Rico?
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walk-about
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Re: Puerto Rico is the 51st state

Post by walk-about »

The reptilian-esque Chupacabra would get my vote. But need better photos and academic research to solidify their range and distribution . LoL

RocK ON!

Dave
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chrish
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Re: Puerto Rico is the 51st state

Post by chrish »

Puerto Rico voted in a non-binding referendum for statehood. 54% of the votes were in favor, however that does not make Puerto Rico the 51st State. Puerto Rico would have to develop and ratify a "state" constitution and then the US Congress would have to approve that and I suspect there is language in there somewhere that requires a supermajority approval (both in Congress and Puerto Rico). 54% isn't going to cut it.

There is also some discussion about the number of ballots that were left unmarked in the referendum. If you count those as "NO" votes, then the referendum only received 50% approval.

As for my US lifelist, the first one I would want on there would be Epicrates inornatus.

And if you think herpers would get weird about this new desire to add PR herps to their US lists, you can't imagine what the birders would do!

However, on related news.....have you seen the new Puerto Rico Quarter? It has a herp on it. :beer:
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: Puerto Rico is the 51st state

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

I didn't know about the quarter, but I quickly looked it up and it's gorgeous!

We heard several, but only saw one Coqui when we were in Puerto Rico. We did see hundreds of anoles, a couple of iguanas, and several dozen geckos (including a reef gecko, which was a first).
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chrish
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Re: Puerto Rico is the 51st state

Post by chrish »

Coquis are cute, but their calls are maddening. I can't imagine living where I had to listen to this outside my window night, after night, after night.... :twisted:



Actually this is the Antillean species, Eleutherodactylus johnstonei, but I believe the PR species has a similar brain-piercing call.
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ZantiMissKnit
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Re: Puerto Rico is the 51st state

Post by ZantiMissKnit »

chrish wrote:Coquis are cute, but their calls are maddening. I can't imagine living where I had to listen to this outside my window night, after night, after night.... :twisted:



Actually this is the Antillean species, Eleutherodactylus johnstonei, but I believe the PR species has a similar brain-piercing call.
I made the mistake of listening to that clip. . . with headphones on. . . :crazyeyes: Even though I have experienced the sound first-hand and had seen the words "brain-piercing call".
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: Puerto Rico is the 51st state (maybe ?)

Post by chris_mcmartin »

The Puerto Rican coqui has a more-distinctly two-syllable call, which almost sounds like the frog's name:

http://ia600202.us.archive.org/13/items ... /coqui.mp3

It's bad enough with just one, but to have several dozen...
tai haku
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Re: Puerto Rico is the 51st state

Post by tai haku »

You learn to love that Coqui call pretty quick :D I kinda miss hearing it as I go to sleep now.
chrish wrote:
And if you think herpers would get weird about this new desire to add PR herps to their US lists, you can't imagine what the birders would do!
Forget PR the American Birding Association are still arguing about Hawaii!
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