Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

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mariquensis
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Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by mariquensis »

After a decent amount of planning in the beginning of the year it was finally time to head to Namibia.

Leaving my home city of Durban (South Africa), I travelled to Johannesburg and then connected to Windhoek, Namibia for the next 9 days.

Trip outline:
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No chance the bags will get opened up to take a few things :lol:
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Bitis peringueyi - Peringuey's Adder.
Chamaeleo namaquensis - Namaqua Chameleon
Chondrodactylus turneri -Turners Gecko
Dendroaspis polylepis - Black Mamba
Dayspeltis scabra - Rhombic Egg Eater.
Meroles reticulatus - Retculated Desert Lizard
Meroles suborbitalis - Spotted Desert Lizard
Pachydactylus puntactus - Speckled Gecko
Pachydactylus maraisi - Marais's Gecko
Pachydactylus rangei - Namib Web Footed Dune Gecko * thanks for pointing out my error Paul Freed
Rhoptropus barnardi - Barnards namib Day Gecko
Rhoptropus bradfieldi - Bradfields Namib Day Gecko

Just want you want to see when on a trip.
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The iconic snake of the Namib Desert. Bitis peringueyi - Peringuey's Adder.
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Even when you're in the middle of nowhere news travels fast!
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The gravel plains with small shrubs dotted around it, home to Bitis caudalis and notable Chamaeleo.
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This was something I've always wanted to see since I was a kid. A dream find you could say. Chamaeleo namaquensis - Namaqua Chameleon
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They switch it up as soon as they venture onto the gravel plains
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These are one of the most common geckos across Namibia Chondrodactylus turneri - Turners Gecko
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They're fairly large robust geckos.
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Behind the scenes
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Another extremely common snake across Southern Africa Dayspeltis scabra - Rhombic Egg Eater.
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Small male
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Towards Walvis Bay through Dorob National Park.
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Trying to catch these Meroles reticulatus - Retculated Desert Lizards is something else.
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This technique seemed to work rather well!
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The equally as quick Meroles suborbitalis - Spotted Desert Lizard
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Classic sights, social Weaver Bird nests, Naja nivea are known to frequent these but I wasn't in luck this time.
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Found numerous individuals within a few feet fo each other under some rocks on the gravel plains Pachydactylus puntactus - Speckled Gecko
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Hatchling
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Adults
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Long days in the field when the sun only goes down around 20:30pm
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Another huge find for me on this trip was this nondescript little gecko Pachydactylus maraisi - Marais's Gecko.
Described only as recently as 2011 and renamed after one of the masters in Southern African herpetology Johan Marais.
Commonly seen benath small rocks amongst larger boulders:
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In the middle of nowhere, or so I thought.
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Another Icon of the Namib Palmatogecko rangei - Namib Web Footed Dune Gecko

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After 45mins in the sweltering afternoon sun chasing down this Rhoptropus I finally managed some photographs.
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Rhoptropus barnardi - Barnards namib Day Gecko

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A little car trouble.
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Another common species that inhabits the large round black boulders along the coastline Rhoptropus bradfieldi - Bradfields Namib Day Gecko
Habitat:
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Unforynately darker specimen with lost tail.
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Thanks for looking!

More images over on http://www.tyroneping.co.za
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Fieldnotes
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by Fieldnotes »

Great post, loved the map too. I have watched wildlife movies from way back, when David Attenborough was the voice of the best wildlife documentaries around. There was one film about the Namib Desert and the Web-footed Gecko—Outstanding especially when seeing such amazing creatures for the first time, even if it was from my couch.

Your post brings those memories back, what an amazing desert. In Africa, two places I hope to visit someday, the Namib Desert and Madagascar.
For hobbies in the USA, a captive-breed Sand Gecko runs around $329.00/.
Thanks for sharing, I'm looking forward to more...

W
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mariquensis
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by mariquensis »

Fieldnotes wrote:Great post, loved the map too. I have watched wildlife movies from way back, when David Attenborough was the voice of the best wildlife documentaries around. There was one film about the Namib Desert and the Web-footed Gecko—Outstanding especially when seeing such amazing creatures for the first time, even if it was from my couch.

Your post brings those memories back, what an amazing desert. In Africa, two places I hope to visit someday, the Namib Desert and Madagascar. Thanks for sharing, I'm looking forward to more...

W
Thanks for taking the time to check out the thread and comment. Much appreciated. The Namib desert is amazing and Nambia should be on every fieldherpers list for sure.

- Tyrone.
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Martti Niskanen
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by Martti Niskanen »

Excellent post. I think Namibia should be on anyone's list, whether a herper or not.
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mariquensis
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by mariquensis »

Martti Niskanen wrote:Excellent post. I think Namibia should be on anyone's list, whether a herper or not.
Couldn't agree more!
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Calfirecap
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by Calfirecap »

What a dream trip. Those namaquensis have been on my must see list for decades! Great images as well, thanks for posting.
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Paul Freed
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by Paul Freed »

Thanks for the great memories, Tyrone, your images are superb! I have been fortunate to visit Namibia three times in the past and each visit there was absolutely amazing. As 'Fieldnotes', pointed out, the wildlife documentaries of yesteryear were the inspiration of my visits there especially, the 1977 National Geographic one, narrated by Burgess Meredith. Finding Web-footed Geckos (now in the genus Pachydactylus), Namaqua Chameleons, and Peringuey's Adder were definitely the highlights of the trip. Thanks so much for sharing!
-Paul
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mariquensis
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by mariquensis »

Paul Freed wrote:Thanks for the great memories, Tyrone, your images are superb! I have been fortunate to visit Namibia three times in the past and each visit there was absolutely amazing. As 'Fieldnotes', pointed out, the wildlife documentaries of yesteryear were the inspiration of my visits there especially, the 1977 National Geographic one, narrated by Burgess Meredith. Finding Web-footed Geckos (now in the genus Pachydactylus), Namaqua Chameleons, and Peringuey's Adder were definitely the highlights of the trip. Thanks so much for sharing!
-Paul

Thanks Paul, glad you enjoyed the post.

Apologies my site has the rangei listed as Pachydactylus not sure I listed the former name so cheers for that!
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mariquensis
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by mariquensis »

Calfirecap wrote:What a dream trip. Those namaquensis have been on my must see list for decades! Great images as well, thanks for posting.
Thanks for the comment, lucked on on a few great species I was hoping to see but that just means another trip is needed I guess!
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Keeper
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by Keeper »

Thanks for sharing! :thumb: Amazing photos!
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mariquensis
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by mariquensis »

Keeper wrote:Thanks for sharing! :thumb: Amazing photos!
Cheers, thanks mate!
sjohn
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by sjohn »

Very nice
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klawnskale
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by klawnskale »

Wow you can see some convergent evolution going on there between the North American genus Uma and the African Namib Genus Meroles. the Namib looks like my kind of place. Thanks for sharing your wonderful finds! :thumb:
Y.Morgan
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by Y.Morgan »

Oh Man, that first Peringuey's pic in the sand is sick! There are plenty of other great images too (duh) but the other that totally grabbed me was the eye-licking dune gecko - awesome! From beach-hiking for Bitis to straining eyes upwards into social weaver nests for Naja to chameleons in seemingly the most improbable habitat - your post has inspired me to go through my own photos of a trip to South Africa and perhaps do a post. Thanks for your time and for the inspiration.
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NACairns
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by NACairns »

Spectacular just like everyone else you just went to on my dream trip, I've been hoping to see a Palmatogecko since I was a little kid. Are they hard to turn up?
Thanks for sharing,
Nick
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mariquensis
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by mariquensis »

sjohn wrote:Very nice
Thanks!
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mariquensis
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by mariquensis »

klawnskale wrote:Wow you can see some convergent evolution going on there between the North American genus Uma and the African Namib Genus Meroles. the Namib looks like my kind of place. Thanks for sharing your wonderful finds! :thumb:
The Namib is really a go to place in the world for any field herper for sure!
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mariquensis
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by mariquensis »

Y.Morgan wrote:Oh Man, that first Peringuey's pic in the sand is sick! There are plenty of other great images too (duh) but the other that totally grabbed me was the eye-licking dune gecko - awesome! From beach-hiking for Bitis to straining eyes upwards into social weaver nests for Naja to chameleons in seemingly the most improbable habitat - your post has inspired me to go through my own photos of a trip to South Africa and perhaps do a post. Thanks for your time and for the inspiration.
York
Cheers York, thanks for the kind words mate. The range fo habitat in Namibia is incredible for sure. Looking forward to see a thread of yours re South Africa :thumb:
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mariquensis
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by mariquensis »

NACairns wrote:Spectacular just like everyone else you just went to on my dream trip, I've been hoping to see a Palmatogecko since I was a little kid. Are they hard to turn up?
Thanks for sharing,
Nick

Thanks Nick, they're not tough to find once you know what to look for in the sand. Although they can be seen on the roads at night behind some of the dunes but that's not really my idea of finding a mainly fossorial desert species. Cheers Tyrone.
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Porter
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by Porter »

Awesome photography man :thumb: That first Peringuey's Adder shot :beer: A lot artistic quality captured in those images on your part. I like the chameleon shots the most and that shot of the car in the sand.... and your suitcase :lol:
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Re: Namibian Field Herping Trip November 2016

Post by Porter »

mariquensis wrote:Even when you're in the middle of nowhere news travels fast!

There's only one thing to be said about the Trump... https://soundcloud.com/yosephadams/quest-for-power
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